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

Nineteen grizzlies in twenty-one years on the same stretch of track should probably be enough to make the point, but here we are. Bear 142's yearling cub was struck and killed near Eldon siding on Sunday. The grain spills, the bears come, the trains don't slow down.

The Athabasca Glacier has a new Ice Explorer, and for the first time, it runs on electricity. Pursuit says it's the world's first all-electric Ice Explorer - solar-powered, lighter than the original, and quiet enough to hear the ice beneath it.

The Banff sign comes down tomorrow while new paths and landscaping are finished around its permanent spot near the Train Station. If a photo with the letters was on your list this week, that window has closed for now.

With Moraine Lake Road closed to private vehicles and Lake Louise parking what it is, fitting the main lakes into one day on your own is more effort than it used to be. The one-day tour covering Moraine, Louise, Emerald, and Johnston Canyon takes care of that.

Plan Your Visit To Banff For August | September | October

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Our favourite thing about Baker Creek is the setting. The cabins sit beside a clear glacier-fed stream, and many are just a few steps from the water. You can wake up to the sound of the creek and step outside into the forest surrounded by mountains.

It’s also about a 10-minute drive from Lake Louise along the Bow Valley Parkway. This makes it a convenient base if you’re hoping to get to the lake early before the crowds build.

Evenings are peaceful here, with the creek running through the property and firepits where guests often sit and relax.

Reserve now to stay beside Baker Creek in Banff National Park.

🐻 Bear 142 Loses a Cub to the Tracks. A yearling cub was struck and killed near Eldon siding on Sunday, the 19th grizzly to die on the railway in Banff since 2005. Each year, spilt grain along that corridor is enough to feed 50 bears for twelve months.

⚡ World's First Electric Ice Explorer Debuts. Pursuit Attractions has launched an all-electric Ice Explorer on the Athabasca Glacier - 50 per cent lighter than the original, solar-powered, and geofenced for glacial terrain. The cabin is quiet enough, Pursuit says, to hear the glacier itself.

🪧 Banff Sign Coming Down Tomorrow. The letters are being temporarily removed from their spot by the Train Station while new paths, seating, and landscaping are finished around its new permanent home. Plan your arrival photos accordingly.

🐻 Calgary Zoo's Grizzly Cubs Make Their Public Debut. Brothers Turner and Fitz - orphaned in the wild last year - are now settled into their habitat at the Calgary Zoo. Stop by this weekend to meet them.

🎸 Here Comes the Sun. A Beatles tribute show plays Canmore this week, taking the familiar catalogue apart and rebuilding it - new arrangements, unexpected pairings, songs you thought you already knew.

🌤️ Three days of sunshine on the way, peaking at 20°C on Saturday - Thursday, eases in at 14°C with a mix of sun and cloud, before Friday and Saturday deliver back-to-back sunny days at 17°C and 20°C. A good weekend to be outside. Full Forecast Here

For Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, the open-top Big Bus runs hourly departures so you can set your own pace at each stop, with lunch in Lake Louise Village included.

🚌 Banff Hop-On Hop-Off Bus - No car, no stress. The yellow school bus day pass for Banff National Park covers Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake - where private vehicles are banned anyway. Catch the 07:45 departure to make the most of it.

🌊 Kicking Horse Whitewater Rafting - Half a day on the Kicking Horse River near Golden, working through Class 2-4 rapids, including the rather blunt-sounding "Portage Shotgun" stretch. Book the Kicking Horse rafting trip here - wetsuits provided, so just bring a swimsuit and a towel.

🍴 Banff Food Tour - Three hours, 4-6 stops, poutine, a Caesar, and more local context than most people get in a full day's sightseeing. Book the Banff food tour here if you'd rather eat your way through the town's history than read about it.

👀 Can visitors actually see The Boss? Sightings happen, mostly from roadsides like the Bow Valley Parkway - but treating any encounter with caution and distance is always the right approach.

🌄 What can you see from the top of Tunnel Mountain? The summit offers sweeping views across Banff townsite, the Bow Valley, and surrounding peaks - impressive for a hike you can do before lunch.

✈️ 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.

Getting to Banff's most-visited spots means shuttle queues, packed car parks, and a lot of early morning alarm-setting - many visitors never quite crack the timing. These three properties put you at the trailhead, or on the lake shore, before the coaches arrive.

🏕️ Johnston Canyon Bungalows - Family-owned since 1926 and sitting right at the canyon trailhead on the Bow Valley Parkway, the lodge itself recommends hitting the trail before 8 am to avoid peak crowds - which is considerably easier when your cabin is a two-minute walk away. Rooms range from studios to full-kitchen bungalows; there's the BlackSwift Bistro on-site, and free parking is included. Read The Reviews And Book

🏔️ Moraine Lake Lodge - Since 2023, Moraine Lake Road has been closed to private vehicles unless you're staying at the lodge - meaning guests drive in, park for free, and walk to the Rockpile for sunrise while everyone else is queuing for a shuttle at Lake Louise Ski Resort. Complimentary canoes, guided hikes, breakfast, and afternoon tea are included. Open June to September. Read The Reviews And Book

🌲 Emerald Lake Lodge - Built in 1902 on a 13-acre peninsula in Yoho National Park, the lodge sits directly on the lake shore about 20 minutes west of Lake Louise. There's no cell service and no in-room TVs - WiFi is available in the main lodge only, which is either a selling point or a deal-breaker depending on your travelling companion. Wood-burning fireplaces in every room and canoe rentals on the lake. Read The Reviews And Book

Yesterday’s Question: What is Banff’s busiest month (in terms of tourist traffic)?

✅ Answer: C) July - 57% Correct

Tourist traffic is highest in July when overseas tourism peaks. The Town of Banff generally records higher vehicular traffic in August.

Visiting the Rockies’ most famous lakes often involves careful planning, especially with restricted access to Moraine Lake and limited parking at Lake Louise. This tour allows you to visit both iconic lakes, along with Johnston Canyon, Emerald Lake, and the Natural Bridge.

Reserve your seat and leave the planning to someone else

📅 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

10:00 AM | Canmore Mountain Market | Elevation Place | Canmore

5:00 PM | Chess Night | Canmore Public Library | Canmore

6:00 PM | Live Music: Steph O'Dette | The Bison | Banff

6:20 PM | CAMBA x Dirt Queens Social Rides | Canmore Nordic Centre | Canmore

7:00 PM | Poker Night | Canmore Legion | Canmore

7:00 PM | Trivia Night | The Drake | Canmore

7:00 PM | Film: Power to the People | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore

7:30 PM | Here Comes the Sun: The Beatles | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore

8:00 PM | DJ Deon: Vinyl Set | The Dusty Boot | Banff

9:00 PM | Jam Night | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

10:00 PM | Thirsty Thursday Party | Melissa's Missteak | Banff

10:00 PM | Wild T & The Spirit: Live | Rose & Crown Banff | Banff

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