Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!
A hiker on Jasper's Opal Hills Trail got closer to a grizzly than anyone plans to this week. Two hikers came away with minor injuries after a sow with cubs made contact on the trail; bear spray got them clear, and Parks Canada confirms it's the park's first bear contact since 2014.
The trail to Bow Glacier Falls has reopened, more than a year after a rockslide there killed two hikers, Jutta Hinrichs and Hamza Benhilal, in June 2025. Parks Canada says the rock face above the falls hasn't moved since.
For anyone still figuring out Moraine Lake logistics, the open-top double-decker between there and Lake Louise runs hourly through summer, with Lake Louise parking built into the ticket - one less thing to plan around before you go.
If you're staying over, Canmore still beats Banff on price. The Malcolm puts you five minutes from downtown Canmore with the kind of rooms Banff charges more than double for.
Plan a visit to Moraine Lake | How to get to Moraine Lake | Moraine Lake in August | Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail
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This open-top double-decker runs hourly between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, with Lake Louise Parking included.
🏔️ Fresh from the Rockies
Fairview Mountain & Lake Louise
🐻 Grizzly Bites Hiker on Jasper Trail. Two hikers escaped a grizzly encounter on Jasper's Opal Hills Trail with minor injuries, deploying bear spray after a sow with cubs made contact. It's the park's first bear bite since 2014.
🪨 Bow Glacier Falls Reopens. Parks Canada has reopened the trail more than a year after a rockslide killed two hikers, Jutta Hinrichs and Hamza Benhilal, in June 2025. The rock face above the falls hasn't moved.
🦅 Golden Skybridge Adds Junior Ranger Badges. A new self-guided Rockies Rangers programme sends kids hunting clues around the property, ending with a badge ceremony - in the gift shop. The program is also live at the Banff Gondola.
🪕 Cave Arcade Warms Up Three Times. Before Canmore Folk Fest even opens, the band plays free shows in Calgary, at the Shaw Amphitheatre at Banff Centre and in Canmore - all free.
🧺 Alberta's Quiet Picnic Spots, Named. A guide to quieter Alberta picnic spots points to alternatives like Spray Lakes and Corral Creek off the Bow Valley Parkway instead of Banff's busiest lakes.
🌦️ Rain gear today, sunglasses this weekend. Fri tops out at 23°C with a 60% chance of showers and a slight chance of thunder, Sat turns sunny and warmer at 26°C, and Sun keeps that sunshine going with another 26°C high. Full Forecast Here
⭐ Most Popular Last Issue
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.
🚣Activities You Might Enjoy
🚣 Early Morning Kayaking on the Bow River & Echo Creek - Paddle the Bow River or Echo Creek in the hush of early morning, gliding past Mount Rundle's limestone face while elk browse the banks and osprey nest overhead - glide out before the crowds for glassy water and total quiet.
🚡 Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola to Mount Whitehorn's Grizzly Terrain - Ride 14 minutes up Mount Whitehorn to 2,101 metres, where grizzly bears forage the summer ski runs beneath you, and marmots sun themselves on the rocks - take the gondola up for alpine views without the climb.
🌲 Canmore Evening Wildlife Tour: Elk, Bears & the Fairholme Range - Head out at golden hour when elk are all but guaranteed near the meadows and luckier groups spot black or grizzly bears against the Fairholme Range - join the drive for quiet, low-impact wildlife watching after the day-trippers leave.
❓Your Questions Answered
📅 Do you need to book things in advance for Banff in August? Yes - August is peak season and popular experiences book out quickly, so sorting things ahead of your trip is essential.
🧴 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.
✈️ Can foreigners move to Banff? Yes, but you need legal status in Canada first - typically a work permit or permanent residency. Moving to Banff from abroad usually starts with a job offer.
The Malcolm brings Banff-level luxury to Canmore, a five-minute walk from downtown, without the price tag that comes with staying in Banff itself.
🏕️ Quiz
What’s the elevation of Banff town?
Yesterday’s Question: Which Jasper National Park landmark is shown in this photo, famous for its dramatic water level changes?
✅Answer: 1) Medicine Lake - 47% Correct
🎸Events, Activities & Live Music
📅 Featured events for today are listed below. Visit our website for a complete list.
FULL EVENT CALENDAR | BANFF & LAKE LOUISE | CANMORE | JASPER NP
BANFF HAPPY HOURS | CANMORE HAPPY HOURS
Friday, July 17
13:00 | Chamber Music Concert | St George in the Pines | Banff
13:00 | Anne of Green Gables | Centennial Park | Canmore
17:00 | Rooftop Sessions | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
18:00 | Rewd: Live | Rose and Crown Canmore | Canmore
19:00 | Little Women | Centennial Park | Canmore
19:00 | Mountain Muse | Mineshaft Tavern | Canmore
19:30 | Comedy: Conner Christmas & Scottie Grinton | artsPlace | Canmore
19:30 | Jasper Historical Tour | Jasper Town | Jasper
20:00 | Kylie Austin: Live | Banff Ave Brewing Co | Banff
21:00 | Jam Night | The Stand Easy | Jasper
21:00 | Tyler Wood | Tavern 1883 | Canmore
22:00 | Red Mile High | The Drake | Canmore
22:00 | The Billionaires | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff
22:00 | Brett Down: Live | Rose and Crown Canmore | 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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