Famous Movie Locations in Banff and Canmore You Can Visit

When people plan a trip to the Rockies, snowcapped peaks, turquoise lakes, and roaming wildlife are usually at the top of the list. But there’s more to Banff than what you see on postcards and Instagram.

What a lot of folks don’t realize is that this area has played a starring role in countless movies and TV shows, from gritty post-apocalyptic dramas to Oscar-winning epics.

If you know where to look (and you will by the end of this article), you can walk the same bridge as Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us, or find the snowy trail where Leo DiCaprio dragged himself through the wilderness in The Revenant.

So let’s plan a one-day road trip to some of the Rockies' most iconic filming locations — you can click the Google Map links to take you directly to the filming locations.  

Mînî Thnî

If you’re driving in from Calgary, your first stop should be Mînî Thnî (also known as Morley), just off Highway 1 between Calgary and Banff.

This area is part of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation Reserve and has been home to the Stoney Nakoda people for generations. With its wide-open foothills, mountain views, and forested backdrops, it’s no surprise filmmakers keep coming back here.

Note: All gravel and non-highway roads on Stoney Nakoda land are private property. Please stay on public routes only.

There are three noteworthy films shot in Mînî Thnî: 

• Legends of the Fall (1994)

• Open Range (2003)

• Shanghai Noon (2000)

 1. Legends of the Fall (1994)

• Filming Location: Morley

• Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins

• Fun Fact: Hundreds of locals were cast as extras — along with a few Canadian soldiers.

This Oscar-winning epic filmed its WWI battle scenes right here in Morley. Over a few weeks, the flatlands were transformed into muddy European trenches, with local crews and military advisors working to make the scenes feel as authentic as possible.

Behind the scenes: The original McDougall Memorial Church, which tragically burned down, also stood in this area. While the new one has been rebuilt, you can still spot the original in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007).

2. Open Range (2003)

• Filming Location: Morley

• Starring: Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall

• Fun Fact: Duvall broke six ribs during filming... and kept going.

To bring the frontier town of Harmonville to life, Costner had a full western town built from scratch. The filmmakers constructed about 30 buildings on Morley’s flatlands with permission from the Stoney Nakoda, and even built a $40,000 access road to reach the site.

Behind the scenes: The film’s iconic 20-minute shootout was filmed over 12 days and featured many local extras, adding both realism and respect to the portrayal of the land and its people.

3. Shanghai Noon (2000)

• Filming Location: Morley

• Starring: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson

• Fun Fact: Although the story follows a dusty journey from Nevada to Carson City, most of it was actually filmed right here in Alberta.

While much of the movie was shot in Calgary and Drumheller, the filmmakers couldn’t resist Morley’s sweeping flats. The area stood in for the wild American West, offering just the right mix of open prairie and mountain backdrops.

Jackie Chan, known for doing his own stunts, swapped martial arts slippers for cowboy boots and spurs, and still pulled off the action like a legend.

Behind the scenes: Just west of Calgary off Highway 1 (Exit 161 South), you’ll find CL Ranches Western Town, a full-on frontier set built in the ’90s. It’s hosted more than 40 productions, including most of the ranch scenes from Shanghai Noon. If you’re driving in from Calgary, it makes a fun (and cinematic) first stop.

Fortress Mountain, Kananaskis

While most people head to this corner of Kananaskis to ski, hike, or bike, many don’t realize Fortress Mountain has also been a go-to filming location for some seriously big-name movies. 

To get there, exit Highway 1 and head south on Highway 40. 

The main gate to Fortress Mountain is permanently closed to vehicles, so you’ll need to park at the Fortress Junction Gas Station just off Highway 40. From there, it’s a steady climb up the road. Bring a bike or e-bike to save your legs.

Once you reach the top, you can ditch the wheels and continue on foot to Fortress Lake, a remote alpine gem tucked deep in Kananaskis. Odds are, you’ll have the entire place to yourself.

There are four noteworthy films shot at Fortress Mountain and nearby Kananaskis Country: 

• The Revenant (2015)

• Inception (2010)

• War of the Planet of the Apes (2017)

• Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

1. The Revenant (2015)

• Filming Location: Fortress Mountain, Kananaskis Country

• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter

• Fun Fact: DiCaprio said filming here was some of the toughest work of his career, thanks to sub-zero temps, soaked clothing, and the raw Canadian wilderness. But that, he added, is what gave the film its “soul.”

Typical of Canadian weather, a sudden warm spell in early 2015 forced the production team to scramble for snow. That’s when they turned to Fortress Mountain. With its elevation, deep powder, and rugged terrain, it provided the perfect setting for the film’s harsh winter scenes.  No green screens required.

Behind the scenes: Local Indigenous backcountry experts were hired to ensure the film stayed true to how fur trappers would have actually navigated these lands. Their insight helped ground the movie in a more authentic portrayal of the era.

2. Inception (2010)

• Filming Location: Fortress Mountain, Kananaskis Country

• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Caine, Elliot Page

• Fun Fact: The snowy third dream sequence was inspired by the 1969 Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and Fortress Mountain stood in for the Swiss Alps.

Director Christopher Nolan insisted on authenticity, meaning minimal green screen and maximum effort. The cast and crew filmed on real slopes, climbed real ridgelines, and detonated real explosions. The fortress itself was built from foam and wood, but everything else was pure Kananaskis.

Behind the scenes: While the fortress set is long gone, the mountain bowls and sharp peaks are easy to recognize. If you visit in winter, you can snowshoe the same terrain the crew used to reach set each day. 

3. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

• Filming Location: Fortress Mountain, Kananaskis Country

• Starring: Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis

• Fun Fact: To bring the apes to life, actors wore full-body motion capture suits — those thin black ones covered in sensors — while filming in deep snow at Fortress. Because they were trudging through knee-deep drifts in sub-zero temperatures, the suits had to be rigged with thermal technology just to keep the cast from freezing.

Although much of the movie was filmed in B.C., the production chose Fortress Mountain for key scenes in the emotional final act. The elevation guaranteed reliable snow, but more importantly, the moody skies and dramatic natural lighting gave the film its brooding tone, much like The Revenant.

Behind the scenes: The team at Weta FX (of Lord of the Rings fame) called the shoot a logistical nightmare. This was one of the first attempts to film motion-capture performances in a real wilderness winter environment, and the constantly shifting weather made it incredibly difficult to merge the CGI with real footage. But the result? Visually stunning.

4. Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

• Filming Location: Fortress Mountain, Kananaskis Country

• Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black

• Fun Fact: In an interview, Jack Black joked that he thought Dwayne Johnson’s nipples were going to break off from the cold. The cast wore surprisingly light clothing during filming, despite the freezing mountain conditions.

Unlike the more grounded films shot in this area, Jumanji used CGI to take Fortress Mountain to the next level. The natural terrain became the backdrop for rope bridges, icy cliff battles, and fantasy landscapes. Director Jake Kasdan called it the most complicated thing he had ever filmed.

Behind the scenes: This marked Dwayne Johnson’s first time back in Alberta since the 1990s. Before becoming a global superstar, he had a short stint playing football for the Calgary Stampeders.

Town of Canmore

For movie and TV fans, walking through Canmore can feel strangely familiar. The nearby mountain peaks, rivers, and even the town itself have all been featured as scenic backdrops in everything from Hollywood blockbusters to hit television series.

It's also a great place to take a break from your film-location road trip. Grab a bite to eat, sip a coffee, or just relax before heading to your next on-screen destination.

There are three noteworthy films/shows shot around Canmore:

• The Last of Us (2023)

• Brokeback Mountain (2005)

• The Edge (1997)

1. The Last of Us (2023)

• Filming Location: Canmore

• Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey

• Fun Fact: While filming in Waterton, the crew had to haul in 350 truckloads of artificial snow due to an unexpected warm spell. Naturally, it snowed that same night anyway.

Downtown Canmore was transformed into a post-apocalyptic version of Jackson, Wyoming. The town’s proximity to the Rockies and its small-town charm made it the perfect stand-in. Instead of relying on CGI, producers used practical set design, so what you see on screen closely resembles the real streets of Main Street Canmore.

Behind the scenes: Just a short walk from downtown, you’ll find the historic Engine Bridge, which now serves as a pedestrian crossing over the Bow River. In the show, Pascal and Ramsey cross this bridge as they approach the fictional "River of Death" on their way to Jackson.

2. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

• Filming Locations: Spray Valley, Elbow Falls

• Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway

• Fun Fact: Although the film looks like it was shot in the remote backcountry, about 90 percent of the scenes were filmed within 70 feet of a road. The producers specifically chose this part of Alberta for its “accessible wilderness,” making it easier for both the film crew and future fans to find these spots.

The mountains around Canmore provided a striking backdrop that also captured the film’s themes of isolation and longing. One key location is Goat Creek Campsite 2, just off Highway 742 a few kilometres from Canmore, where the relationship between the two cowboys begins to unfold. South of Calgary, Elbow Falls appears in one of the movie’s most memorable scenes, as Gyllenhaal dives into a river while Ledger watches from the shore.

Behind the scenes: Both lead actors learned to ride horses, rope cattle, and work with animals for their roles. Ledger had a bit of a head start, having grown up in Western Australia. Director Ang Lee once said, “He was a cowboy.”

3. The Edge (1997)

• Filming Locations: Lake Louise, Bow Valley Parkway, Spray Lakes

• Starring: Alec Baldwin, Anthony Hopkins, Bart the Bear

• Fun Fact: Bart the Bear, a Hollywood legend with more than 20 film credits, was chosen for this role thanks to his previous work in the Bow Valley. He also appeared in Legends of the Fall, the first film on this list.

Banff National Park stood in for the Alaskan wilderness in this intense survival story. The filmmakers used some of the park’s most iconic spots to create a sense of rugged isolation. The dramatic bear attack scene was filmed just off the Trans-Canada Highway near Lake Louise, along the Bow Valley Parkway. The location provided thick forest cover and easy highway access for the crew.

Behind the scenes: The plane crash was staged at Whiteman’s Pond in Canmore, and a custom-built, million-dollar lodge was constructed on the shores of Spray Lakes for filming. While the lodge is no longer standing, the location remains a beautiful and worthwhile stop.

And That's a Wrap

Whether you're following in the footsteps of cowboys, apes, or post-apocalyptic survivors, one thing is clear: Alberta isn’t just a backdrop. It gives these stories their heart.

From sweeping valleys to snow-covered peaks, the variety of landscapes and altitudes makes this region a dream for directors and location scouts. It's a one-stop shop for turning natural beauty into movie magic.

So grab your map, charge your camera, and start planning your own scene-stealing adventure.

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