Alberta’s New Plan for Canmore Trails, Explained

The province has released a draft Canmore Area Trails Master Plan that could shape how residents and visitors explore the Bow Valley for the next decade. The document outlines a long term approach to trail building, wildlife protection, and recreational access across Crown land surrounding Canmore. It is the most detailed attempt yet to balance the valley’s growing trail use with the need to preserve habitat for species that depend on quiet spaces in and around the community.

Albertans can now review the draft and complete an online survey until January 9.

What the Plan Covers

The plan applies to a wide geographic area stretching from Harvie Heights to Exshaw and up the slopes behind neighbourhoods like Benchlands, Silvertip, and Eagle Terrace. It also includes popular zones such as G8, Horseshoe, Prospector, Lady MacDonald, the Canmore Nordic Centre, and the river flats.

The approach is simple on paper. Create a clear, official network. Improve the sustainability and clarity of trails that people already use. Reduce the maze of undesignated routes that cut through sensitive habitat. Concentrate recreation in areas that can handle it. Give wildlife more room in the valley bottom.

This has been attempted before in smaller pieces, but this is the first time the province has tried to draw the entire system together.

Why the Plan Exists

Trail use in the Bow Valley has risen sharply over the last decade. Most of that use comes from Albertans, not international visitors. A provincial review found that many of the valley’s lower elevation trails are heavily braided, poorly aligned, or eroded. The same review found that there are far more undesignated trails than designated ones, which complicates maintenance and creates conflicts between user groups.

At the same time, the valley bottom is the area wildlife relies on most. These gentler slopes and open spaces are the places where bears forage for berries, elk calve, and wolves travel. Over time, informal trails have spread across the same terrain, concentrating human traffic where wildlife needs refuge.

The province is trying to reverse that trend by pulling recreation higher where possible and leaving more space in the lower valley for animals.

How Wildlife Factors In

The wildlife foundations of the plan are easy to understand. Quiet areas are important for animals that react strongly to human presence. Larger blocks of undisturbed habitat reduce encounters, improve movement, and limit stress.

The draft proposes larger trail free areas near known wildlife patches and corridors. It also recommends using seasonal closures more frequently. These would take effect during times when animals are especially vulnerable, such as early spring or berry season. The closures would be area based rather than a single trail line on a map, which is meant to give wildlife the quiet they need for short but critical periods.

One provincial estimate suggests these changes could improve overall habitat quality for grizzly bears across the project area. The number is not the focus of the plan, but it indicates the scale of improvement that could occur if human activity is shifted into more concentrated and predictable zones.

How the Network Changes

The plan does not simply remove trails. It adds new ones, redesigns others, and offers a clearer structure for who belongs where. Overall, the proposed network contains more designated trail kilometres than what exists today, but it also includes the decommissioning of a significant portion of the informal routes that cut through wildlife habitat.

Some key themes include:

• New community loops around neighbourhood edges. These would absorb daily dog walking, family outings, and shorter evening sessions without pushing deep into the valley.

• More deliberate uphill and downhill bike routes. These are designed to reduce conflict with pedestrians and provide better riding options in areas suited to that type of use.

• A reduced and simplified set of trails in wildlife corridors and habitat patches.

• Better trail alignment to limit erosion, braiding, and creek impacts.

• A clearer set of rules and categories for climbing access, scramble routes, equestrian use, and motorized activity.

The plan also outlines an enforcement approach for new unauthorized lines. It includes identification, signage, closure, and, if needed, full rehabilitation of the ground. This is meant to discourage a return to the pattern of informal trail building that has shaped the valley over the past two decades.

What the Plan Means for Well Known Areas

Harvie Heights and Montane

This area would see some of the most noticeable redesigns. Trails would be aligned more sustainably, with new climb and descent options for bikes, improved pedestrian routes, and a more organized loop structure. The popular bench line above Harvie Heights remains, but informal routes spilling into wildlife patches would be reduced.

Lady MacDonald

The main route would stay but would be realigned in some sections to reduce erosion and trail braiding. The goal is to protect the slope while preserving the nature of the climb.

G8 and Horseshoe

These areas have grown into a dense network of trails that overlap wildlife habitat and mineral lease boundaries. The plan proposes consolidating them into a smaller set of sustainable loops. Some new bike optimized routes are included, but others would be retired to give wildlife more room.

Northeast Bow Valley

Prospector is identified as a candidate for full designation once access issues are resolved. The surrounding slopes near Jura Creek are flagged for mixed use, including a possible trials motorbike zone, while adjacent flats would stay non motorized.

River Flats

The plan calls for a significant simplification of the tangle of informal trails near the Bow River. The new network would prioritize pedestrians and give wildlife a much larger buffer.

Canmore Nordic Centre

Small refinements are proposed, including improvements that make certain routes easier for people using adaptive equipment such as sit skis, handcycles, or adaptive mountain bikes. Some additional seasonal closures are also proposed in areas where Nordic Centre trails overlap with wildlife movement.

What Residents Said in Early Feedback

In 2024, more than 600 Albertans completed the first round of engagement, and nearly two thirds of them were Canmore residents. A majority supported the overall direction, especially the need for stronger ecological protection and a clear, consistent framework for managing trails. Concerns centered on the possible loss of familiar informal routes and uncertainty about how the plan would affect tourism, which received lower support than other categories.

This draft reflects those themes by offering more structured recreation opportunities while setting firmer ecological boundaries.

Why This Matters Locally

The Bow Valley has struggled for years with how to balance recreation and wildlife protection. Trail use affects everything from neighbourhood livability to road congestion at trailheads and long term wildlife survival. A formal network with predictable access points, clear rules, and better designed trails could reduce conflict between user groups and reduce pressure on sensitive habitat.

For many residents, the plan may also influence daily routines. How you walk your dog, where you go for a lunch hour loop, and which trails remain open near your neighbourhood will all be shaped by this document.

How to Provide Input

Albertans can review the draft and complete the province’s online survey until January 9. The province recommends reading the draft plan or viewing the project area map before sending feedback.