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

The Staircase Lands near Canmore's Quarry Lake have had an eventful past - a mine, successive legal battles, a rezoning that didn't hold, and a golf course that never happened. A 74-tent glamping project has now been put forward, and local residents are not entirely welcoming of it.

In town, the long stretch of road disruption around Banff's main shopping streets is almost over. Lynx Street reopens on July 6, with Caribou Street to follow by mid-July. The work included 24,000 paving blocks, 10 trees, 163 boulders, and a water main that may have been in place for close to a century.

For evenings, the dusk wildlife tour runs routes built around that day's recent sightings, with stops at Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls, and the Mt. Norquay lookout. For anyone hoping to see elk, bears, or other animals up close, it is also a more reliable - and considerably safer - way to do it than hoping for a chance encounter on foot.

If Moraine Lake is on the plan, Moraine Lake Lodge removes the shuttle question entirely - guests drive directly to the lake, and by the time the last buses leave, it's quiet enough to remember why people come here.

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Your guide builds each night's route around that day's recent sightings, with stops at Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls, and the Mt. Norquay lookout along the way.

🏔️ Fresh from the Rockies

Bighorn River Canyon, Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area

Staircase Lands' Latest Chapter Is Glamping. A 74-tent glamping project near Canmore's Quarry Lake has residents frustrated, on land that's already survived mines, lawsuits, an unauthorised rezoning, and a blocked golf course.

🚧 Caribou Street Is Almost Back. After nine months of reroutes, Lynx Street reopens July 6 with Caribou Street itself following by mid-July - 24,000 paving blocks, 10 trees, 163 boulders. The water main underneath was up to a century old.

🥾 Hiking Season Waits on the Skiers. Summer hiking at Sunshine Meadows opens July 6. The trails are closed until then while summer skiing is still underway.

🌲 Jasper Turns Wildfire Into Workshop. New this year, a guided fire ecology experience pairs Parks Canada staff with an Indigenous knowledge keeper, created in response to the 2024 wildfire. Sessions run July through September, and yes, you keep the art.

🌊 Fenland Trail Closed Indefinitely. Fenland day-use area and its connector trails are closed (again) until further notice due to flooding. Ignore the order, and Parks Canada can fine you up to $25,000.

🌦️ One more round of showers, then the mountains clear right up - Friday still brings a 60% chance of showers and a rumble of thunder with a high of 21°C, Saturday turns sunny at 24°C, and Sunday stays sunny at 19°C. Full Forecast Here

⭐ Most Popular Last Issue

🚉 Banff Sign Returns to Station. The Banff sign is back at the train station, following its removal for area improvement work. It went away for renovations and came back exactly where it left off.

🚣Activities You Might Enjoy

🏔️ Columbia Icefield 5 Lakes Tour - Five Parkway landmarks in twelve hours - Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, the glass-floored Skywalk, and a glacier Ice Explorer ride - without the parking faff. Transport and park pass included; Icefield tickets need booking separately.

🚁 Kananaskis 30-Minute Heli Tour of Minnewanka Lake and Banff - Lake Minnewanka, the front ranges, and the sheer limestone face of Mt Yamnuska in thirty minutes, departing from near Morley. A good way to get the scale of the park without having to earn it on foot.

🌊 Banff Thermal Waters & Hidden Waterfall - Starts at the Cave and Basin - where a chance discovery in 1885 accidentally created Canada's national parks system - then into Sundance Canyon for thermal springs, hidden waterfalls, and elk. Three hours, easy terrain, bear spray provided.

❓Your Questions Answered

🏔️ Where does Roam Transit go in Banff? It covers the main destinations most visitors want, including Banff town, Canmore, Lake Louise, and popular hiking and sightseeing spots.

🧴 Does bear spray work on cougars, or is it only effective against bears? Bear spray is effective against cougars too - it's a reliable deterrent for multiple large predators in the Rockies. Keep it accessible on the trail, not buried in your pack.

🚶 Is the Canmore Engine Bridge open to walkers and cyclists? Yes - the bridge is now a shared pedestrian and cycling route as part of a riverside trail loop, making it accessible for a range of visitors.

Moraine Lake Lodge is one of the only ways to skip the shuttle system entirely; guests can drive straight to the lake. Stay here, and you also get the place almost to yourself once the day-trippers and the last shuttles have gone.

🏕️ Quiz

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Yesterday’s Question: Which famous trail near Banff features these narrow steel walkways built directly into the limestone canyon walls?

Answer: 3) Johnston Canyon - 89% Correct

You can find everything you need to know about the route in our guide to the Johnston Canyon trail.

🎸Events, Activities & Live Music

📅 Featured events for today are listed below. Visit our website for a complete list.

Friday, July 3

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

17:00 | Rooftop Sessions | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff

18:00 | Kerry Hunter | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore

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

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

19:00 | Bingo Night | Canmore Legion | Canmore

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

20:00 | Opera Pub | Banff Legion | Banff

21:00 | Jam Night | The Stand Easy | Jasper

22:00 | Coda Club | The Drake | Canmore

22:00 | Tyler Wood | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore

22:00 | DJ Wolfie Beatz | The Drake Tap Room | Canmore

📅 Got An Event To Share?

📅 👉 Submit Here (3 days before the event date) for a FREE LISTING

👋 That’s All For Now 🎬

Another week of mountain magic awaits!
We're so glad you're here for the ride.
Keep exploring and sharing, and we'll see you in the next issue with another full lineup of Banff happenings.

Jill & Kevin | Editor | What’s On Banff

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