Get in

To get there, drive west from Calgary on Highway 1 until you see the Kananaskis sign. Turn south at the sign and follow the highway into Kananaskis country.

Activities

Many activities are available in Kananaskis country, both summer and winter. It includes an ATV area for ATV users, cross country and downhill skiing, ice fishing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, horseback riding, backpacking, backcountry camping, day hiking, canoeing, fishing, and golf.

Winter
There are two ski resorts in the Kananaskis area: Fortress mountain {currently closed} and Nakiska (site of the ski events at the 1988 Olympic winter games in Calgary. Excellent cross country skiing is also available within the region. It is also close to the Canmore Nordic Centre, home of the cross-country events in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Refer to the Alberta Government website - Kananaskis information  for more details.

Summer
Kananaskis is home to one of the best (and busiest) golf courses in North America. 36 holes designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr, surrounded by mountains. A good value price wise also considering the quality of the course. Reserving in advance is highly recommended. Green fees are $75 CAD ($55 for Alberta Residents) with a $25 CAD deposit required for reservations. The deposit is non-refundable if the reservation is cancelled less than 3 days from the booking. Weather can be tricky in the early season, be prepared. The course has received many great reviews. Due to the fact the course is so busy, the operators are quite strict about slow play, and will use their authority to speed things up a bit if it gets out of hand (when I played, the group ahead of us foolishly spent 20 minutes or so looking for a lost ball - they were rewarded by the course marshals - they were forced to skip a hole to allow play to catch up). You are expected to play your round in 4 1/2 hours. If you remember to timestamp your scorecard and keep the pace, they give you a free gift at the pro shop after the round.

Kananaskis is renown for its top-notch biking and hiking trails. It also contains many streams and rivers, and several lakes, for the fishing enthusiast. Wildlife is abundant, with lots of mountain sheep, elk, moose, deer, bear, etc. If you come in late June or early July you will be amazed at the variety of wildflowers and songbirds making their home in the area. Kananaskis gets my vote as the best Rocky Mountain park in Canada.

Get out

Canmore is the nearest community of size, at least a half hour drive. Banff is another further half hour, but a must see.

Lodging

There are many camp sites in Kananaskis country. Only one is fully serviced, and reservations are required. Hotels can be found in the Kananaskis town site. Kananaskis is a reasonable (and frequent) day trip from Calgary, depending on activity. If staying in Calgary but traveling to Kananaskis, choose a hotel in the west side of the city, preferably near 16th Avenue North (such as the ones in "Motel Village") or near Glenmore Trail or Highway 22x in the south, rather than one near the airport or downtown.

Links

Alberta Government Kananaskis site