Scenic
Drives throughout
Canmore and Kananaskis are tough to miss .... but here's a few of
our favorites which offer some of the most inspiring views. If these
sound too normal for you - contact us and we would be happy to make
some more recommendations...
The
Smith-Dorrien Spray
Trail
From/To: Canmore to Highway 40 near Lower Kananaskis Lake
Road Condition: Gravel road - very rough
in sections and a narrow, steep winding grade near Canmore.
Travel Time: 1 1/4 hours from one end
to the other
This gravel road is
used for the "backdoor" access to Peter Lougheed provincial
park and Spray Lakes (ice fishing, skating, boating). The Smith
Dorrien winds it's way through moose habitat, passes by Mt. Engadine
Lodge (a great spot to stop for lunch, tea or a drink) and finally
emerges on Highway 40 near the winter gate.
Show me the map 
Highway
40 to Kananaskis Village
Road Condition: Paved and maintained
Travel Time: 45 minutes from TransCanada turnoff
Absolutely one of the
most scenic roads in the area. Plenty of picnic areas and viewpoints.
A world-class golf course is at Kananaskis Village, two ski hills
Fortress Mtn and Nakiska, and thousands of kilometers of hiking
trails.
Show me the map
Highway
40 South to Longview
(closed Dec. 1 - June 14 inclusive)
Road Condition: Paved and maintained during summer only
Travel Time: From TransCanada Highway to
Longview - 2 hours
From the winter gate
south Highway 40 takes you through broad valleys of monumental
proportions. Deciduous trees, the alpine ruggedness of Highwood
Pass, larch trees, narrow canyons, mini-waterfalls and finally
the open prairies. Emerging at Longview on highway #22 you can
- Turn around and
do it in reverse
- Turn south on #22
and continue to Waterton
Lakes National Park or the Coutes US/CDN Border crossing.
(Stop at the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site - 13 km from
Longview.)
- Turn north and
drive back through ranch country (the area Clint Eastwood's
movie 'Unforgiven' was filmed) to Calgary.
Show
me the map
