⛑️ Kananaskis Reopens (Sort Of)

A Rockies Pioneer Lost

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Bow Valley Insider
July 01, 2026

Good morning, Bow Valley!

Happy Canada Day, neighbours. Most of the BVI team is celebrating by hiking, climbing, or camping. But if you're sticking around town today, expect things to be a little busier than usual, so plan ahead and breathe. Here are the official Canmore and Banff parade details if you choose to take in the festivities.

- Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Madalyn Beach

HIGHWAY 40 REOPENS TO KANANASKIS VILLAGE, BUT EMERGENCY CONTINUES

What’s Happening? After days of flooding and road washouts, access to Kananaskis Village has been restored just in time for Canada Day. Highway 40 is now open in both directions from Highway 1 to the Village, though a State of Local Emergency remains in effect and much of Kananaskis Country is still inaccessible.

Businesses Are Open. The reopening means visitors can once again reach the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Kananaskis Nordic Spa, Kananaskis Outfitters, Moose Family Kitchen, and Boundary Ranch. Explore Kananaskis says Canada Day celebrations will proceed as planned, while Boundary Ranch has confirmed its horseback trail rides are operating as scheduled.

The Kananaskis Country Golf Course remains closed.

Don't Expect Business As Usual. Officials say emergency crews are still responding to flood damage, monitoring infrastructure and maintaining road closures throughout the region. Alberta Parks is encouraging visitors to postpone non-essential travel to Kananaskis Country while repairs continue. 

Much Of Kananaskis Is Still Off Limits. While Kananaskis Village can once again be reached from Highway 1, travel farther south remains heavily restricted. Visitors south of the Evan-Thomas Creek Bridge, including Mount Kidd Campground, are still being directed to leave via Highway 40 south toward Longview while that temporary route remains available.

Several major road closures also remain in effect, including portions of Highway 40, the Smith-Dorrien Trail and Powderface Trail.

Popular Trails Remain Closed. Flood damage has also forced the closure of many well-used hiking trails, including Troll Falls, Heart Creek, Ribbon Creek, Galatea Creek, Grotto Canyon, Buller Pass, Bill Milne Trail and Baldy Pass. Alberta Parks says trails, backcountry campgrounds and day-use areas will only reopen after crews can safely inspect and repair damaged infrastructure.

Campers affected by campground closures will be contacted directly, with reservations automatically cancelled and fully refunded. 

Meanwhile In Canmore. The Town of Canmore officially ended its State of Local Emergency on Tuesday afternoon after flood conditions eased and most roads reopened. Recovery efforts are now underway, but Palliser Trail between Cross Zee Ranch and the Highway 1A interchange remains closed, along with the Cougar Creek pathway near Elk Run Boulevard and the Bow Valley Trail dog park. The Town also publicly criticized people on Facebook who ignored barricades at Cougar Creek, reminding residents that entering closed areas puts both themselves and emergency crews at risk.   

For the latest flood updates: 

WHY MORE BOW VALLEY HOMEOWNERS ARE CHOOSING HUMANE PEST CONTROL

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That’s one more reason Bow Valley homeowners are turning to Innovative Pest Solutions.

Their approach focuses heavily on prevention and humane control first: sealing entry points, exclusion work, live trapping when appropriate, and using safer treatment methods designed for homes with kids and pets.

They also happen to offer some of the most affordable residential protection programs in the Bow Valley.

Which is a lot cheaper than discovering squirrels in the attic, mice in the walls, or a wasp nest the size of a basketball halfway through summer.

Get a free estimate (they started local but also serve Calgary and Cochrane).

*Presented by Innovative Pest Solutions.

THE DIGEST

  • ⛈️ Flooding Closes Popular Banff Trails. High water continues to cause problems across Banff National Park, with the Fenland day-use area and Fenland Loop now closed. A flood watch also remains in place for the Pipestone River near Lake Louise, where flooding has already affected parts of the Pipestone trail network. Despite the calendar now reading July, Parks Canada is still advising hikers to avoid popular routes like Healy Pass, Bourgeau Lake, Harvey Pass, and Rockbound Lake due to lingering snow and avalanche hazards. Read our latest Banff update.

  • 🔥 Smoke Rolls Into The Bow Valley, But Will Soon Improve. No surprise to anyone who looked outside yesterday: as the rain moved out, the wildfire smoke rolled in. A special air quality statement remains in effect for Banff, Canmore, Exshaw, and Kananaskis as smoke from northern Saskatchewan reduces visibility and worsens air quality. The good news? Environment Canada says conditions should gradually improve today as the smoke begins to clear. 

  • 🏨 Jasper's Oldest Hotel Gets New Owners. The iconic Athabasca Hotel has been purchased by Alberta-based Decore Hotels, which also owns Jasper's Tonquin Inn and Maligne Lodge. The new owners plan to invest $4.5 million over the next eight months, adding the hotel's first elevator, new bathrooms, and air conditioning while preserving its historic character. They're also planning 100 staff housing units behind the hotel, calling employee accommodation the biggest barrier to operating in Jasper. 

  • 🤍 Mountaineer Behind Historic Rockies Ski Descents Dies. Guillaume Pierrel, who we featured earlier this year after completing the first-ever ski descent of Mount Deltaform above Moraine Lake, has died in an avalanche while attempting K6 in Pakistan. Pierrel was also featured alongside Christina Lustenberger in Robson, one of last year's headline films at the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival, documenting their first descent of Mount Robson's south face. He was widely regarded as one of the world's leading ski alpinists. The Banff Centre called him "an exceptional athlete, storyteller, and friend," adding that he "will be greatly missed." 

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We track leads and actual customers.

Because “awareness” doesn’t pay the bills.

INSIDE THE 24 HOURS CAMPERS WERE TRAPPED IN KANANASKIS

What’s Happening? While people are now able to leave the flooded areas of Kananaskis, the period between Sunday night and Monday night was an anxious one for hundreds of campers stranded at Mount Kidd RV Park. We spoke with two people who lived through the ordeal.

Trapped Between Two Closures. With Highway 40 washed out to the north and south, and the Smith-Dorrien Trail already closed following the Canmore Hill rockslide on June 1st, campers had nowhere to go.

Around midnight on Monday, campground staff began knocking on doors, warning people in lower-lying campsites to pack up in case rising water forced an evacuation.

"There was probably about 50 trucks and trailers in the parking lot," camper Marty Neighbour told Bow Valley Insider after families spent the night sleeping in their vehicles.

By Monday morning, there was still no clear timeline for when they would be able to leave.

"Nobody knows," Neighbour said. "There's really no exits currently."

A Dramatic Rescue. Local Kananaskis resident Hanna Beaver's night unfolded differently. While driving on Highway 40, she watched a vehicle plunge into a washed-out section of the road.

"We didn't see the bridge go out, but we saw the car plummet into the water," Beaver told Bow Valley Insider.

Her partner, a firefighter, helped pull the occupants from the vehicle before emergency crews arrived. Everyone escaped safely.

Shortly afterward, Beaver also learned she would be stranded overnight.

"We're kind of in an unknown state here," she said Monday morning.

A Happy Ending. Conditions finally began improving Monday afternoon when Alberta 511 announced that campers at Mount Kidd could leave using a temporary southbound route over Highwood Pass. 

Neighbour said campground staff notified campers around 4 p.m. that they could begin leaving. After waiting about 30 minutes for crews to clear one remaining landslide and open a single lane of Highway 40, his family finally made it home safely.

The journey wasn't quite over, though. Neighbour said the Fortress gas station had run out of fuel, forcing his family to continue to Highwood Junction to fill up while "running on fumes." 

THINGS TO DO

Wednesday

  • Canada Day Brunch At The Fat Ox. Start Canada Day with brunch before the Banff parade, then stick around for patio celebrations, music, cold drinks, and evening s'mores. Walk-ins welcome from 9 AM-4 PM, with dinner reservations available after 4 PM. All day. The Fat Ox, Banff.*

  • Watch The Parade From The Rooftop. Catch the Banff Canada Day parade from The Rose's rooftop while enjoying a special breakfast. Lunch, live music, and happy hour until 7 PM follow the parade. Reservations required, with a $25 minimum spend. 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Rose and Crown, Banff.*

  • Free Canada Day BBQ. HI Banff Alpine is hosting a free evening BBQ with live music, crafts, games, and a performance by Banff folk and blues artist Hannah Avery. BBQ and crafts are available while supplies last. 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. HI Banff Alpine Centre. Free. 

Thursday

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO AFTER DARK? HEAD TO CLVB ’33

Image credit: DJ Faust, Dare Reaire from The Cabaret Company: Sugar Country Burlesque, and Sterling Drake, photos courtesy of the artists.

CLVB ’33 has another full week of summer nights lined up at Banff Centre, with comedy, roots music, literary readings, karaoke, burlesque, DJs, and live music all on the calendar.

Upcoming highlights include:

Peak Laughs Comedy Series: Sterling Scott
July 2 | 9 PM | $20

  • Canada’s Got Talent finalist and Kevin Hart’s LOL Network comedian Sterling Scott brings his high-energy stand-up to Banff, hosted by Edmonton’s Tesh Ayten.

Live Music: Sterling Drake
July 3 | 8 PM | $20

  • The Montana songwriter brings honest storytelling and roots music inspired by the people, landscapes, and traditions of the rural West.

DJ Faust
July 4 | 9 PM | Free

  • Expect disco, funk, house, hip-hop, and a good excuse to stay out a little later than planned.

Summer Writers Cabaret: Chapter 1 - Hosted by Dodie Bellamy

July 9 | Doors 6:30 PM, Readings 7 PM | Free

  • Hear new fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from award-winning faculty and writers in Banff Centre’s Summer Writers residency. Stay after the readings for karaoke with Miss Rizz.

Karaoke with Miss Rizz
July 9 | 9 PM | Free

  • Whether you are a shower singer or a secret superstar, expect good vibes, zero judgment, and enthusiastic crowd support.

The Cabaret Company: Sugar Country Burlesque
July 10 | 8 PM | $20

  • A rodeo-inspired burlesque night with outlaws, big laughs, and plenty of western flair. Come ready for a one-night-only show that leans playful, cheeky, and a little rowdy.

Kue Varo & The Only Hopes
July 11 | 8 PM | $20

  • Calgary’s Kue Varo & The Only Hopes bring psych-folk, indie rock, sharp lyrics, and big feeling to the CLVB ’33 stage.

🎟️ See the full lineup and event details. All events are 18+.

Presented by Banff Centre.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

  • 🐻 Bear Warning Issued For Castle Mountain Campground. Heads up if you're driving the Bow Valley Parkway this week, especially if you're camping at Castle Mountain. Parks Canada has issued a bear warning after recent bear activity in the area. Make sure food and anything with a scent is properly stored, keep bear spray handy, and stay alert for fresh bear signs. It's a good reminder that even front-country campgrounds are still very much bear country. 

  • 🎤 Metal & Punk Festival Returns To Canmore.  AMPFest is back at artsPlace this Saturday, bringing Canmore’s alternative, metal, and punk scene together for a full-day, all-ages live music festival. The lineup includes local Bow Valley acts, out-of-town headliners, and everything from skate punk and metalcore to progressive metal and electronic guitar fusion. Doors open at 12:30 PM, with music running from 1 PM to midnight. Tickets and details.*

  • 🙋 Canmore Summer Theatre Festival Needs Volunteers. The Pine Tree Players are still looking for volunteers to help make this year's Canmore Summer Theatre Festival happen. They need help with front of house, daily set-up and tear-down, and keeping the cast and crew fed backstage. Volunteers get to watch the show for free, meet a great group of locals, and score an invite to the wrap party. If you've ever thought about getting involved in local theatre, this is an easy way to jump in.*

  • 🚗 Canada Day Traffic Will Be A Mess Downtown. If you're planning to drive through Banff or Canmore on Canada Day, leave early or skip the car altogether. Downtown Banff will see major road closures from roughly 9 AM to 1 PM, while Canmore's parade will limit vehicle access between 10:30 AM and 2 PM. Both towns are encouraging people to walk, bike, or take Roam Transit. We've rounded up all the closures and detours. 

CIVIC NEWS

  • Banff Waives Patio Fees After Construction Disruption. Banff council has waived nearly $46,000 in patio and outdoor merchandise fees for businesses along Caribou Street after months of construction disrupted access and reduced sales. The relief applies to restaurants and shops between Lynx Street and Banff Avenue, with council calling it a small but meaningful gesture as the project nears completion. 

LIVE MUSIC

  • Wednesday, July 1st, 2:00 PM: Rose and Crown Chella. Location: Rose and Crown, Canmore. Free Entry until 9:00 PM.

  • Thursday, July 2nd, 8:00 PM: Hannah Avery.  Location: Banff Ave Brew Co. No Cover.

SPORTS

  • Canmore's Noah Philp Traded Again. Canmore's Noah Philp has been traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenceman Kyle Masters. The move comes just days after Philp signed with Swedish club HV71, though NHL teams can still trade his rights. The 27-year-old appeared in 17 NHL games last season between Edmonton and Carolina, recording two goals and three assists.

That’s all, folks!

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We’ll see you back here on Friday, 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.

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