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

El Niño is shaping up to be one of those patterns that helps some parts of Banff and hurts others.

This year's strengthening El Niño is pushing wildfire risk higher across the Bow Valley, even as the same pattern that batters Whistler's coast tends to leave Banff and Lake Louise's ski season better off.

Smoke drifting in from wildfires in British Columbia and Washington has also been reducing air quality around the park, despite nothing currently burning inside Banff itself. Anyone with respiratory or heart conditions should plan outdoor time accordingly this week.

For getting around without hunting for parking at every stop, the hop-on-hop-off bus running to Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Lake Louise gondola lets you set your own pace, with a seat guaranteed between stops and no guide moving you along.

If the plan stretches north, the log cabins at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge on Lac Beauvert are open again for the season, forest on one side, the lake on the other - a peaceful place to slow down and unwind.

Plan Your Visit To Banff For July | August | September | October

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This one runs to Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the Lake Louise Gondola, and you choose your schedule. No fixed lunch stop, no guide moving the group along, just guaranteed seating between stops.

Check it out and lock in your seat

🌡️ El Niño's Good News, Bad News. This year's strengthening El Niño is pushing summer wildfire risk higher across the Bow Valley, but the same pattern that batters Whistler's coast tends to spare Banff and Lake Louise's ski season instead.

🎶 Canmore Folk Festival Almost Here. Centennial Park gears up for year 49 of the festival, running August 1-3 with over forty acts across four stages and a free warm-up concert the night before.

🌫️ Wildfire Smoke Affects Banff Air Quality. Smoke from wildfires in British Columbia and Washington is reducing air quality in Banff National Park, though no fires are burning within the park itself. Those with respiratory or heart conditions should take extra care.

🔥 Wildfire Near Canmore Quickly Contained. Crews and Alpine Helicopters knocked down a wildland fire behind the wastewater plant, though Canmore's fire danger remains very high - still the town's top-rated risk.

🏔️ Rimrock Reopens With Personal Trail Guides. Rimrock Banff's summer reopening introduces Pathfinder-led experiences - guides who plan guests' hikes, picnics and forest-bathing sessions before they even check in.

🐻 Bear Warning Issued for Eau Claire. Alberta Parks issued a bear warning for Eau Claire Campground in Spray Valley Provincial Park, effective July 23 with no end date - store food, leash pets, and keep bear spray handy.

🌫️ The haze finally breaks as sunshine reclaims the Rockies - Saturday still holds onto some smoke at 26°C, but Sunday clears out bright and sunny at 25°C, with Monday carrying the sunshine forward at a slightly cooler 24°C. A gradual step down from this week's near highs, but clear skies are a welcome trade. Full Forecast Here

🐻 Bear Walks Away, Hikers Do Not. A Taylor Lake trail grizzly encounter ended with the bear ambling back into the trees unharmed, while Parks Canada laid charges over the unleashed dog that turned the sighting into a standoff. Check out the video

🛶 Lake Louise Canoe & Moraine Lake Tour - Skip the boathouse queue at Lake Louise - this six-hour tour includes a guided hour on the water, paddling towards the Victoria Glacier, before continuing to Moraine Lake, where the road's closed to private cars. Groups are capped at 14.

🚡 Banff Gondola - Named after Norman Sanson, who climbed Sulphur Mountain nearly a thousand times, the summit boardwalk is now an eight-minute gondola ride away. Expect bighorn sheep near the upper terminal, and temperatures cooler than the townsite below.

🚙 Calgary: Banff, Lake Louise & Canmore SUV Tour - From Calgary, this 8.5-hour private SUV trip covers the classics - Bow Falls, the Fairmont Banff Springs, Lake Louise's shoreline, and a stop in laid-back Canmore on the way back. Groups are capped at six, with flexible photo stops.

🕗 How early do Banff car parks fill up in summer? Downtown lots are typically full by 10 am - arriving early or using free outlying lots saves a lot of frustration.

🐻 Who is The Boss in Banff? The Boss is Bear 122, the most famous grizzly in the Rockies - a dominant male whose story is woven into Banff's wildlife history.

🚌 How do I get to the popular larch viewpoints without a car? Key trailheads fill quickly during larch season - using shuttles and public transport is often the only realistic option at peak times.

All the character of a traditional Rockies cabin, with the comfort and service you'd expect from a Fairmont resort. Surrounded by forest, mountain views and the clear waters of Lac Beauvert.

Find out more

Yesterday’s Question: What is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies?

✅ Answer: 2) Mount Robson - 60% Correct

📅 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

All Day | Rockies 24 2026 | Canmore Nordic Centre | Canmore

11:00 | Oh Canada Exhibit | Elevation Place | Canmore

13:00 | AMPFest V | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore

13:00 | Wild Life Distillery's 9th Anniversary | Wild Life Distillery | Canmore

13:30 | Artist Conversation with Jin-Me Yoon | The Banff Centre | Banff

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

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

19:30 | Mirror of Our Sorrows: Workshop Performance | The Banff Centre | 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 | Colin MacDonald | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

22:00 | HALO | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff

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