Kananaskis Country

Kananaskis Country is an astounding 4,000+ square kilometre (1,544 sq mi) patchwork quilt of parks and public and protected areas in the foothills and front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. It’s a massive playground for outdoor adventures—there’s enough here to keep a full-time explorer busy forever. Take your pick of activities: camp, hike, golf, ride horses, climb and scramble, hunt, fish, and experience all styles of skiing and biking. Kananaskis Country encompasses the Canmore Nordic Centre and the Nakiska Ski Area. The wilderness and mountain charm seem never-ending, with the town of Canmore and Banff National Park sitting on “K-Country’s” borders. The area is named after the Kananaskis River, which was named after a Cree, or nehiyawak, acquaintance of John Palliser’s in 1858. You can enter Kananaskis Country via five main highways, depending on which way you approach. People usually drive 87 km (54 mi) west of Calgary on Highway 1.