Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!

Banff's grizzly population is growing, which is not the same as becoming more visible. Trail camera data collected over twelve years puts density at 10.4 bears per 1,000 square kilometres and rising - while the number of bears within four kilometres of a paved road has dropped. If you have been seeing fewer of them from the car, that is why.

Cougars are less obliging about staying out of town. A Canmore camera caught one crossing a backyard at 2:30 a.m. Parks Canada's advice is to face it, retreat slowly and never run. Don’t play dead; that is advice for a different animal.

For the lakes, the open-top double-decker between Lake Louise and Moraine Lake runs hourly and includes Lake Louise parking, which removes the part of the day most people find least enjoyable.

Mount Royal Hotel sits in the middle of Banff, which matters more than it sounds - the bus stops, restaurants and shops are all outside the door, so the car can stay where it is for the duration. The rooftop hot tub looks straight out at the mountains, and is at its best once the day visitors have gone.

See Banff’s Lakes Before You Visit | Moraine Lake | Moraine Lake Rockpile | Lake Louise | Peyto Lake | Bow Lake

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This open-top double-decker runs hourly between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, with Lake Louise Parking included.

Book here and explore on your own schedule

🐻 Grizzlies Growing, But Not Roadside. Twelve years of trail camera data show Banff's grizzly population slowly growing, reaching 10.4 bears per 1,000 square kilometres - while density within four kilometres of paved road fell.

🐾 Cougar Crosses Canmore Backyard at Night. A camera caught a cougar crossing a backyard at 2:30 a.m. Parks Canada says face it, retreat slowly and never run - playing dead is advice for the wrong animal.

🏠 Lac des Arcs Gets Short-Term Rentals. About nine homes will be allowed to operate short-term rentals in Lac des Arcs, limited to suites on an operator's primary residence. Council voted it through against administration's advice to prohibit them.

🐻 Grouse Mountain Grizzly Grinder Dies. The bear, orphaned as a cub near Invermere in 2001, was euthanised at 25 after an irreversible spinal condition. His long-time companion Coola, who arrived the same year, was given supervised access before he was removed.

⚠️ Red Flag Watch for Saturday. Hot, windy conditions across southern Alberta on Saturday, 1 August could drive extreme wildfire behaviour, making any fire difficult to control. A fire ban is already in effect in Banff National Park.

🚌 Brewster Strike on Hold. A tentative agreement has put strike action on hold at Brewster Transportation, which runs buses and tours through Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. Members rejected an earlier offer in June.

🌦️ A mixed Saturday sets up a sharp cooldown on the way - Saturday brings a mix of sun and cloud with a chance of showers at 29°C, before Sunday plunges to a chilly 16°C. Monday climbs back to a milder 20°C. Layer up for the weekend; that heat wave is about to break. Full Forecast Here

🐴 A wagon ride to a backcountry steak dinner. Trade the usual bus tour for a horse-drawn wagon ride along the Bow River to a backcountry cookout, with steak grilled to order by the fire. Departures are limited each evening in summer, so reserve your spot before they fill up

🚤 Lake Minnewanka Cruise - Devil's Gap is the turnaround point on this hour-long cruise across the park's largest lake, with commentary on the resort village flooded by the dam in 1941. Your ticket covers the Roam shuttle.

⛏️ Canmore Cowboys and Coal Miners Walk - A 90-minute walk through Canmore's mining past, covering three to five flat kilometres of streets and trails. Useful context if you only know the town for its cafes and mountain views.

🦌 Banff Wildlife and Scenic Highlights Tour - Three hours timed for dusk, when elk and bighorn sheep tend to be moving. The route shifts with recent sightings, though Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls and Surprise Corner usually feature. Pickup from the train station or your hotel.

🐾 Is Boo the grizzly bear still alive? Yes - Boo is now in his twenties, which is remarkable for a grizzly, and continues to thrive at Kicking Horse as one of the longest-studied bears in Canada.

🏔️ Can anyone move to Banff? No - Banff is inside a national park and has strict rules about who is allowed to live there, usually tied to local employment.

🏔️ What will I actually see on Policeman's Creek Trail? Mountain views, wetlands, birdlife, and a couple of historic landmarks - it covers more ground than its easy reputation suggests.

Mount Royal Hotel sits right in the heart of downtown Banff, with a rooftop hot tub that looks straight out over the mountains. Shops, restaurants and bus stops are all right outside the door.

Find out more

Yesterday’s Question: What is the name of the hot springs located in Banff?

✅ Answer: 3) Banff Upper Hot Springs - 61% Correct

📅 This is a SELECTION of today’s events. Visit our website for the complete list.

FULL EVENT CALENDAR | BANFF & LAKE LOUISE | CANMORE | JASPER NP
BANFF HAPPY HOURS | CANMORE HAPPY HOURS

All Day | Canmore Folk Music Festival | Centennial Park | Canmore

13:15 | Saturday Distillery Tour | Wild Life Distillery | Canmore

15:00 | Live Music Afternoon | Three Bears | Banff

15:00 | The Cheezie Musical (Matinee) | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore

15:00 | National Spritz Day | Patio Party | The Fat Ox | Banff

18:00 | Sunset Festival @ Banff Gondola | Banff Gondola | Banff

18:30 | Live Musician Night | The Dusty Boot | Banff

19:30 | The Cheezie Musical | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore

19:30 | Balkan Greek Dinner Show | Balkan Restaurant | Banff

19:30 | Jasper Historical Tour | Jasper Town | Jasper

21:00 | Andy Curtis Live | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

22:00 | Club Night: DJ Raven | High Rollers | Banff

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