Getting There
Canmore is an hour west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway, at the Banff Park gates, and is served by Greyhound Canada (tel. 800/661-8747 or 403/260-0877; www.greyhound.ca) and Brewster (tel. 403/762-6767; www.brewster. ca) buses, and by private shuttle services that run between Banff and Calgary. Banff Airport Taxi (tel. 877/992-2633 or 403/678-2776; www.banffairporttaxi.com) is a private shuttle with service to Canmore for C$400 return (C$200 one-way) for up to four people, or C$595 (C$350 one-way) for up to 10 people. The advantage is having a vehicle waiting at your gate when you arrive. Kananaskis, which is reached directly by car by exiting onto Highway 40 south from the Trans-Canada about 15 minutes east of Canmore, can be reached via numerous tour operators from Canmore as well.
Visitor Information
For information on Kananaskis and Canmore, contact Kananaskis Country (tel. 866/432-4322; www.kananaskisvalley.com) or the Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre (tel. 403/673-3985). In Canmore, your best bet is the very good Canmore Tourism Office (907 7th Ave.; tel. 403/678-1295; www.tourismcanmore.com).
Highwood Pass
Highway 40 isn't open half the year, and even the half that it is, between June and November, still sees a fair complement of snow. That's because the 40 runs through the Highwood Pass, the highest-elevation roadway in Alberta at 2,206m (7,237 ft.). This is spectacular, rugged territory, the truest backcountry you can reach by road -- made all the more so because of its half-year closure. Wildlife abounds here, so keep your eyes peeled -- if you can unglue them from the jaw-dropping scenery that surrounds you, that is.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
