🪏 Flood Barriers Deployed

Good morning, Bow Valley!

As flood warnings continue across the Bow Valley, here’s one thing everyone should probably do today: sign up for Voyent Alert notifications for Canmore and Banff here. That’s the system our towns use to send emergency text updates if conditions worsen over the next few days. Our team is also out across the Bow Valley today, covering current conditions and sharing live video looks at what’s happening on the ground. Follow on Instagram or Facebook. (We post the same videos to both, so just pick one.) 

- Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Madalyn Beach

MORE FLOOD BARRIERS DEPLOYED ACROSS BOW VALLEY

What’s Happening? As of Sunday night, rising water has flooded pathways in Canmore, triggered more trail closures in Banff National Park, and prompted crews across the Bow Valley to deploy flood barriers and sandbags as heavy rain moves into an already swollen river system. 

Heavy Rain Meets Peak Snowmelt. Environment Canada issued a Rainfall Warning for the Canmore region forecasting up to 100 mm of rain through Wednesday morning, while Banff National Park remained under a Special Weather Statement with up to 60 mm of rain and as much as 20 cm of snow possible at higher elevations. 

The Alberta River Forecast Centre continues to maintain a High Streamflow Advisory for the Bow River from upstream of Banff all the way to Ghost Reservoir.

Parks And Trails Already Impacted. In Canmore, parts of the low-lying Bow River pathway system are now underwater and closed. The Town is also warning residents and visitors to stay away from steep creeks and rivers entirely.

“Do not, under any circumstance, jump into the Bow River or play in water flowing in the steep creeks,” the Town warned, adding that conditions are dangerous enough to risk both public safety and first responders.

In Banff National Park, Parks Canada added Marsh Loop and the lower Cave and Basin boardwalk to the growing closure list. Other impacted areas already included the Fenland area and sections of the Pipestone River corridor near Lake Louise.

Parks Canada is also urging visitors to avoid several popular Lake Louise hikes, including Lake Agnes, the Beehives, and Plain of the Six Glaciers, as rain increases avalanche danger.

The Town of Banff also closed low-lying trail sections, riverside benches, and the Sundance Park playground after overland flooding from the Bow River surrounded the area.

Crews Deploying Flood Defences. Parks Canada says crews are actively preparing flood-response measures, including sandbagging and temporary flood walls if conditions worsen. In Banff, crews have already installed large Tiger Dam flood barriers, portable walls designed to help hold back rising floodwater, near the Nancy Pauw Pedestrian Bridge and sandbagged the historic Rundle Cabin in Sundance Park as a precaution.

Officials said they still do not know when the Bow River is expected to peak.

Read our full story

BOW VALLEY VOICES WANTED BY JUNE 5

The Outdoor Council of Canada is urging Albertans to weigh in on a long-term land-use plan for Ghost and Kananaskis, with public input closing this Friday (June 5).

The Big Picture. This isn’t just another survey. The Ghost-Kananaskis Plan will guide how these landscapes are managed for the next decade or more, covering recreation, tourism, conservation, and resource use.

Translation: decisions made now could shape access, infrastructure, and how busy your go-to spots feel well into the 2030s.

Why This Push Is Happening. The Outdoor Council of Canada says the draft plan overlooks a key piece: the people and businesses actively using and maintaining these areas.

While the plan emphasizes balancing conservation and land use, they argue it doesn’t clearly recognize recreation groups, commercial operators, and volunteers as partners in managing the landscape.

What the Outdoor Council of Canada is Pushing For. The campaign centers on five priorities, including:

• Recognizing recreation and tourism as long-term land uses

• Maintaining and enhancing environmental resiliency

• Using human activity as a tool for conservation

• Ensuring consistent access and infrastructure investment

• Supporting community-led tourism development

In practical terms, that means things like formally recognizing trail networks and recreation corridors, improving infrastructure to guide users away from sensitive areas, involving outdoor groups in trail monitoring and maintenance, and creating clearer timelines around permits - full stop. 

The underlying message: outdoor users should be part of the solution, not treated as an afterthought.

What You Can Do. The ask is simple: submit feedback before June 5.

Save time by grabbing pre-written letters and survey responses as templates here.

If you spend time in Kananaskis or the Bow Valley, this is one of those chances to influence how these areas are managed long-term.

_{*Presented by Outdoor Council of Canada.}

THE DIGEST

• 🏞️ The Best One-Day Icefields Parkway Itinerary. One of the most common questions we get about the Icefields Parkway, even from locals, is how to experience it if you only have one day and don’t feel like driving all the way to Jasper. We recently tested a single-day itinerary ourselves that keeps the drive manageable while still giving you the classic Parkway experience: lakes, glaciers, peaks, canyons, and a few genuinely worthwhile stops. So if you want a simple game plan from Banff or Canmore, here’s our guide.

• 🦆 Parks Canada Issues Loon Mating Advisory. We often hear about bear and elk advisories in the spring, but here’s a less common one: Parks Canada has issued an advisory for mating loons at Vermilion and Johnson Lakes. The birds are nesting with chicks, and human activity can disturb or displace them. If you’re near the water, keep at least 30 metres away, roughly three bus lengths. Probably not where many people are hanging out right now anyway, given the flood warnings. 

• ⚖️ Banff Library Raises Concerns About Alberta’s New Library Law. Banff Public Library officials are warning Alberta’s new library legislation could shift more control from local library boards to the province while creating new costs and privacy concerns for municipalities. The law would allow Alberta to introduce rules around children’s access to sexually explicit visual materials in libraries, but many details remain unclear, including how age verification would work and who pays for compliance. Banff library officials say the uncertainty is concerning, especially for smaller libraries already operating with tight budgets and limited staff. 

• 🐎 Wild Horse Reportedly Shot And Killed Near Kananaskis. RCMP are investigating after a young wild foal was reportedly shot near McLean Creek. The animal was seriously injured and later euthanized. A local photographer who follows the horse band says she had seen the foal alive just a day earlier. Under Alberta law, wild horses are considered feral animals and cannot legally be shot under the Stray Animals Act. Investigators say details remain limited as they work to determine exactly what happened. 

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JASPER FORESTS MAY NEVER FULLY GROW BACK THE SAME

What’s Happening? More than 22,000 trees were planted across Jasper National Park last year as part of recovery efforts following the massive 2024 wildfire, but Parks Canada says some burned landscapes may never fully return to the dense evergreen forests many visitors remember.

A Different Kind Of Recovery. The 2024 Jasper wildfire burned roughly 33,000 hectares across the park and heavily impacted forests surrounding the Jasper townsite. While crews planted thousands of new trees, Parks Canada says most burned areas will still be left to recover naturally because Rocky Mountain ecosystems evolved alongside wildfire.

But climate change is beginning to reshape what “natural recovery” may actually look like.

Parks Canada vegetation restoration specialist Marcia DeWandel told Bow Valley Insider some burned areas may gradually regrow into more open grasslands and deciduous forests filled with leafy trees like aspen instead of tightly packed conifer forests.

Translation: parts of Jasper’s post-fire landscape could end up looking noticeably different.

Why These Trees Were Chosen. According to Parks Canada’s 2025 annual report, crews planted more than 16,000 Douglas-fir trees and 6,500 whitebark pine seedlings last year.

Officials say Douglas-fir was selected partly because its thick bark and deep roots make it more resistant to future wildfires. Early monitoring shows first-year survival rates between 70% and 80%.

Whitebark pine is also a major focus because the endangered species plays an important role in high-elevation ecosystems, supporting wildlife including grizzly bears, squirrels, and Clark’s nutcrackers.

Invasive Species Becoming A Concern. Rather than replanting the entire burn area, Parks Canada says crews are prioritizing wetlands, unstable slopes, and heavily visited areas where invasive plants are more likely to spread from hiking boots and outdoor gear.

Crews monitored 77 recovery sites last year, with invasive species already found at nine of them, including yellow clematis, a fast-spreading vine that can crowd out native vegetation.

The Long Game. Parks Canada says recovery is already underway, starting with mosses, grasses, shrubs, and fast-growing aspen returning to stabilize the soil. Full forest recovery, however, could still take centuries.

Read our full story

THINGS TO DO

Monday

• Macrame Wall Hanging Workshop. This new three-week macrame program is for anyone ready to turn rope into wall-worthy decor. Instructor Jess Sampson will guide participants through foundational knots and the steps to create a finished boho-style wall hanging from scratch. Beginners are welcome. The program starts today and runs through June 15. 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. artsPlace. $114-$135. Materials are included.*

• Canmore Karaoke Night. Think you’ve got pipes or just confidence? Grab the mic and find out. The Drake’s weekly karaoke night kicks off, with a crowd that’s usually more supportive than critical. Bonus: their fresh, oven-baked pizzas are quickly becoming a local go-to. 10 PM. The Drake Screaming Retriever. Free.*

Tuesday

• Honouring Indigenous Strength Art Show. Celebrate the opening of Resurgence and National Indigenous History Month with an evening featuring guests from the Iyarhe Nakoda Nation, including drumming, dancing, a smudge, blessing, and cultural performances. 6-8 PM, Elevation Place (2nd Floor). Free. 

• The Art of Adventure Documentary. This documentary follows the lifelong friendship of wildlife artist Robert Bateman and biologist Bristol Foster, two men shaped by curiosity, science, art, and the natural world. Built around their 1957 journey around the globe, the film reflects on adventure, conservation, legacy, and aging with wonder intact. 7:00 PM. artsPlace. $15.*

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🥓 Valbella Launches New Salametti Sticks. Valbella just dropped a new locally made snack that feels very “thrown in your hiking pack at 6 AM and somehow gone by the first viewpoint.” Their new Salametti Sticks are naturally ripened instead of rushed, which gives them a smoother, more balanced flavour without the overly sour “gas station meat stick” vibe. They’re made with locally sourced ingredients and traditional European sausage-making equipment that creates a firmer, finer texture. Strong contender for road trips, hiking snacks, or a lazy lunch. And yes, you can order them online and have them delivered.*

• 👩🏻‍💻 Women In Business Workshop. The Bow Valley Chamber’s next Women in Business event explores how resilience, confidence, unconscious bias, and access to opportunity can shape business growth. Entrepreneur Bontu Galataa will share personal stories, research, and practical insights on how “grit” influences business success, alongside guided reflection exercises designed to spark new thinking around growth and readiness. The workshop runs Monday, June 8 at 5:30 PM at the Canmore Opera House. Tickets are $45 for members and $85 for non-members.*

• ❄️ Fresh Snow at Sunshine Village. Banff Sunshine Village looked more like mid-January this weekend after a fresh dump of snow coated the upper mountain. The resort shared photos Sunday showing full-on winter conditions up high after roughly 26 cm of snow fell Saturday, and another 7 cm on Sunday. Sunshine is currently closed, but the timing works nicely for the resort’s summer reopening from June 20-July 5.

• 🐺 Coyote Warning Near Bow Falls. Parks Canada has issued a coyote warning for parts of Banff after recent activity and aggressive behaviour in the area. Special caution is recommended around Bow Falls Trail, Glen Avenue, Glen Crescent, and Spray Avenue, especially with pets. Keep animals leashed and under control, give coyotes space, and report sightings at 403-762-1470.

• 🙋🏻 Summer Camp Volunteers Needed ASAP. artsPlace is urgently looking for volunteers to help run its Kids’ Arts Camps this summer. Volunteers help welcome kids, assist instructors, supervise breaks and transitions, and keep camps running smoothly for children ages 6-12. Camps run weekdays from June 29 to August 21, and even helping for a few shifts can make a big difference. Ideal for anyone interested in education, childcare, or the arts. Volunteers must be 18+ and complete a criminal record check.*

CIVIC NEWS

• Sandbags Available In Exshaw. MD of Bighorn has placed a pallet of sandbags at the south end of Mount McGillivray Drive for Exshaw residents to use as needed as water levels remain elevated across the Bow Valley. A reminder, this is not for Canmore or Banff residents. 

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, June 1st, 10:00 PM: Brent Lee. Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

• Tuesday, June 2nd, 9:00 PM: Banff Punk Night. Location: Pump and Tap, Banff. No Cover.

SPORTS

• Canmore Golf & Curling Club Turns 100. Congratulations to the Canmore Golf & Curling Club on a century of golf, curling, and community in the Bow Valley. Founded in 1926 by local residents who cleared the land by hand, the club has grown alongside Canmore through coal-mining days, Olympic-era change, summer rounds, winter bonspiels, and generations of members. Here’s to 100 years.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Wednesday, same time, same place! 

Heads Up: We sometimes feature paid promotion from local businesses and organizations we trust. When you see a little asterisk (*), that means it’s a sponsored post. We only work with partners we think our readers will actually care about.