Making Every Adventure Possible

We believe Canmore and Kananaskis is for everyone.

Discover the venues and activities that prioritize accessibility and inclusion for people of all abilities. Whether you’re looking for barrier-free spaces, adaptive programs, or sensory-friendly environments, these options are designed to support participation for all.

We will update the page, as we discover all the ways that Canmore and Kananaskis are accessible to all people.

Help us keep our page up to date! Share your feedback or updates at [email protected].

Accommodation – Indoor Activities – Outdoor Activities – Retail & Rentals – Transportation

Canmore Downtown Hostel

Canmore Downtown Hostel has a private room with disability access available. They also provide a shower stool. If you need or prefer a chair, they can accommodate if you can let them know with advance notice.

Here is the width of the various doors:

• Outside entrance: 41.5 inches
• Corridor door and entrance to the private room: 35.4 inches
• Bathroom door: 33.5 inches

Please note that the hostel is located on the second floor, but there is an elevator for easy access.

 

William Watson Lodge

William Watson Lodge provides year-round, barrier-free, wilderness lodging and seasonal camping for persons with disabilities and seniors, along with their families. It prioritizes residents of Alberta, although those from other provinces may also access it, with a reduced booking window.

The facility includes the main lodge, 22 accessible cabin units, a small campground, and one comfort cabin, as well as over 20 kilometres of accessible trails, multiple accessible picnic sites, a gazebo, and a playground.

Verification of eligibility is required for all guests at check-in. Failure to provide documentation will result in the loss of the stay without a refund.

Albertans with disabilities may reserve 120 days in advance, while those from outside the province may reserve 60 days in advance.

More information is available on AlbertaParks.

 

artsPlace Canmore

artsPlace Canmore is dedicated to creating an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. This commitment is reflected in programs and initiatives designed to support individuals with sensory sensitivities, neurodivergent conditions, and disabilities.

To support visitors with sensory sensitivities, the Sensory Cart offers tools for comfort and self-regulation, including noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, weighted blankets, wobble seats and footrests, and light-dimming glasses. It is available to anyone who may benefit, supporting a more inclusive and welcoming arts experience.

artsPlace Canmore also has other inclusive and accessibility initiatives to support neurodivergent individuals and those with disabilities. Some of these include:

• Caregiver support, so those accompanying neurodivergent individuals can attend workshops and concerts free of charge
• Staff and volunteer training so the team at artsPlace Canmore can feel confident supporting neurodivergent participants
• Creative Wellness Programs that focus on emotional well-being through artistic expression. The classes are fully accessible and supportive, catering to people of all ages and abilities
• Discounted rates for Indigenous individuals and those qualifying for the Town of Canmore’s Affordable Services Program.

Check their website for more information about their sensory cart.

 

Canmore Museum

Located in the Canmore Civic Centre, the museum offers automated doors on both east and west entrances and nearby paid parking, and is a short walk from Roam Transit stops.

The museum is committed to being accessible to everyone. For questions, please contact (403) 678-2462 x 3 or [email protected].

 

Canmore Recreation Centre

Canmore Recreation Centre is designed with barrier-free access, elevators between floors, and accessible change rooms and toilets. Visitors are encouraged to contact the facility for specific accessibility needs (i.e. for the hockey rink).

It is committed to providing sensory-friendly and inclusive recreational opportunities for all with sensory sensitivity, autism, or other neurodivergent conditions. On specific dates, it offers sensory-friendly public skating sessions. The sessions are conducted without any music, and free sensory kits are available at the front desk. Children under seven must be accompanied by an adult. Helmets are mandatory for skaters under 13.

Check the Recreation Calendar to know when the sensory-inclusive sessions take place.

 

Elevation Place

Town of Canmore’s Elevation Place features an aquatics centre, climbing gym, fitness facilities, the Canmore Art Guild gallery, and the Canmore Public Library. It is thoughtfully designed for all mobility types:

• Barrier-free entry and elevator access between floors
• Designated wheelchair-accessible parking stalls
• Inclusive washrooms and change areas on both levels
• Wheelchair-friendly seating around the gym, pool, and lounge areas. The library and gallery spaces also feature wide aisles and automatic/push button doors
• The swimming area has accessible pathways and pool entry equipment
• The climbing and fitness areas are both open-concept
• Visitors are encouraged to ask at the Customer Service desk about specific accessibility support aids.

Elevation Place offers sensory-friendly fitness, climbing, and swimming sessions, providing a comfortable and peaceful space for individuals who benefit from reduced sensory stimulation. Activities offered include:

• Climbing: the music is turned off, and fan speeds are lowered
• Fitness: music is turned off in the weight room, and sensory kits are available at the Customer Service desk at no charge
• Aquatic Centre: music and water features are turned off, blinds are lowered, and sensory kits are available at the Customer Service desk at no charge.

Check the Recreation Calendar to know when sensory-inclusive sessions are taking place.

Activity Providers

The following activity providers offer accessibility options to help make your experience in Canmore and Kananaskis enjoyable for everyone:

Most locations visited as part of the Alberta Food Tours are wheelchair-accessible. Please check with the operations manager to confirm.

Banff Canmore Ghost Walks takes a wheelchair-accessible route. Service animals and family pets are also allowed to tag along for the adventure. Be sure to let them know at the time of booking.

The Brewster’s and Stewart Creek Golf Courses offer a medical blue flag for guests with mobility issues. Placing the flag on your cart allows fairway access to all holes, regardless of current cart path rules. Guests are reminded to respect distance guidelines around greens, tee boxes and long fescue areas.

Canmore Walking Tours offers a shorter version of its Welcome to Canmore tour. Travelling less than two kilometres, the tour is designed for those with mobility issues and/or who cannot walk as far. The route stays on sidewalks and paved trails.

Howling Dog Tours offers guided tours for most accessibility needs or anyone with an injury. Guests are encouraged to take winter temperatures into account. If a limb is immobile, there is a greater risk of frostbite.

Radventures offer a variety of tours with varying activity levels, including seniors with mobility issues. Guests should contact Radventures directly to discuss mobility needs and discover all suitable options.

Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary offers a wheelchair-accessible experience as part of its Intro Tour and Sanctuary Walk, with pathways that are smooth and level. Its Interactive Tour is currently not wheelchair-, walker- or cart-accessible. Unfortunately, service dogs are not allowed on-site to protect the well-being of the wolfdogs.

Canmore Nordic Centre

The Canmore Nordic Centre (CNC) Provincial Park is a year-round outdoor recreation hub located just minutes from downtown Canmore. The CNC is committed to accessibility, offering a range of features and services for visitors with disabilities or mobility challenges.

• The entire Day Lodge is fully wheelchair-accessible, including an elevator and accessible washroom and showers.
• All ski-wax rooms are wheelchair-accessible with lowered waxing benches available in public access Wax Rooms #1 and #2.
• Designated accessible parking stalls are available beside the Day Lodge.
• Snow ramps are available for sit-skiers.
• Guides or helpers assisting persons with accessibility needs receive complimentary trail passes.

 

Nakiska Ski Resort

The resort, located in Kananaskis, is a winter recreation site that is accessible for all abilities, including designated parking spaces, wheelchair storage, and accessible bathrooms. Its lifts are ready to take sit skis, as required. Rocky Mountain Adaptive runs lessons from Nakiska Ski Resort.

 

Playgrounds

The Canmore Lions Playground
The Canmore Lions Inclusive Playground is designed to provide a welcoming and accessible play experience for all abilities, ages and stages. From the wheelchair-accessible spinner, a language board, and ground-level play elements through to the ramped main play structure and calm zone, this multi-faceted playground offers a diversity of playground equipment so that all children can explore, spin, swing, climb, or just hang out with friends.

Centennial Park Playground
The playground is designed for all abilities, including wheelchair-accessible equipment, ground-level play elements, and a calm zone for sensory regulation. Like the Canmore Lions Inclusive Playground, it includes pour-in-place rubber, allowing for mobility devices and enhancing safety.

 

Rocky Mountain Adaptive

Rocky Mountain Adaptive (RMA) is a charitable organization that makes mountain adventures accessible for individuals living with physical and/or neurodivergent challenges, both during summer and winter seasons. The minimum age for participation is four years old.

Whether you are interested in biking, kayaking, paddling, hiking, or skiing, RMA has the adaptive equipment you may need. They offer programs as well as rentals. Please note that a lesson may be required before equipment rentals are permitted.

Choose your adventure with Rocky Mountain Adaptive.

 

Trails

Canmore and Kananaskis offer numerous accessible trails designed for strolling, rolling or pushing a stroller. Always check trail conditions in advance, in case of bear warnings or construction impacts.

Canmore

NAME	DISTANCE / ELEVATION	SURFACE	DESCRIPTION
Bow River Loop	2 km loop / mostly flat	Compacted gravel	A path that runs alongside the river and across the Engine Bridge.
Policeman’s Creek Trail	From 500 m to 8 km return / mostly flat	Paved / Compacted gravel / Boardwalk	The path runs along Policeman’s Creek from Main Street to the neighbourhood of Spring Creek. There are a few stairs where the boardwalk begins on Main Street, however the paved path on the south side of the creek does not have any stairs.
Quarry Lake	1 km loop / mostly flat	Compacted gravel	There are designated parking spots. The Quarry Lake Loop offers a scenic walk around the lake. The path is not very wide, which may make it difficult for two people, particularly those using wheelchairs, to pass each other comfortably.
West Bow River Pathway	6 km return / mostly flat	Paved	The trail runs along the Bow River from Downtown Canmore.
West Bow River Pathway (Add-on)	8 km return / approx. 40 m elevation	Paved	You can add an extra four kilometres to travel all the way to the Three Sisters neighbourhood. Expect some elevation as well as hairpin turns.

Kananaskis

NAME	DISTANCE / ELEVATION	SURFACE	DESCRIPTION
Bill Benson Trail	1.4 km return	Paved / Compacted gravel	A trail that connects the main William Watson Lodge to the shoreline of Lower Kananaskis Lake, offering beautiful views of the lake and mountains.
Bill Milne Bike Path	Up to 10 km one-way / 100 m elevation	Paved	The path travels from Kananaskis Village along Ribbon Creek and passes near the Kananaskis Country Golf Course and Mt. Kidd RV Park to Wedge Pond. The route is paved but has some elevation.
Elbow Falls Interpretive Trail	600 m / small incline	Paved	An 800-metre trail to the viewpoint over Elbow Falls. The upper part of the loop is wheelchair-accessible. Specialized equipment or assistance is recommended to manage the grade.
Highwood Meadows	1.2 km return / flat	Compacted gravel / Boardwalk	A short trail of compacted gravel and a boardwalk in an open meadow with views of the surrounding rugged peaks of Kananaskis.
Kananaskis Village Rim Trail	1.3 km loop / mostly flat	Paved	This loop in Kananaskis Village offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
Marl Lake Interpretive	3 km loop / 80 m elevation	Compacted gravel	A three-kilometre loop that starts from the Elkwood Amphitheatre and follows a compacted-gravel trail. Due to the steepness of grades and distance, Alberta Parks recommends a companion for wheelchair users.
Mt. Lorette Ponds	700 m to 930 m loop / flat	Paved	A gentle, wheelchair-accessible outdoor experience with asphalt surfacing and minimal elevation change. It includes a main loop and a secondary loop. Amenities include accessible parking, picnic areas, and a vault toilet. Weather can impact accessibility, especially in winter as the trail is not snow-cleared.
Rockwall Trail	1 km loop / flat	Paved	A trail starting at the Peter Lougheed Park Discovery and Information Centre.

 

Canmore Safeway

The grocery store offers sensory-friendly shopping hours every Monday night from 7 to 9 p.m. During this time, Canmore Safeway dims the lights, turns off music and intercom announcements, and minimizes other sensory inputs to provide a more comfortable experience for those with sensory sensitivities.

 

Gourlay’s Clinic Pharmacy

Wheelchair rentals are available at Gourlay’s Clinic Pharmacy. Please contact the pharmacy directly for information regarding availability, rental duration, and cost.

Parking

Accessible parking stalls in Downtown Canmore’s paid parking zones are free of charge, making it easier for everyone to explore comfortably.

You can find a map of all accessible parking stall locations across the Town of Canmore’s website.

 

Roam Transit Bus

All Roam Transit buses can accommodate wheelchairs and mobility scooters of average, typical or standard size. The entire bus fleet is equipped with fold-out ramps, a kneeling (lowering) front entrance, priority seating for seniors and others with reduced mobility, and scooter/wheelchair access. All buses also feature audio stop announcements for riders with visual impairments, along with front-mounted display screens that show upcoming stops for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Please be aware that certain mobility devices, especially four-wheeled scooters, may face limitations in fitting on a Roam bus. Any equipment that cannot navigate the tight turn from the ramp at the front door to the aisle leading to the seating area may be restricted, even if they fall within the specified size limits mentioned above.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind photo identification cards are accepted on all Roam Transit routes, giving complimentary travel for the card owner. Note that the routes throughout Canmore (i.e., 5C, 5T and summer route 12) are free for everyone.

Check the Roam Transit website for more information.

 

Traffic Signals

Canmore’s traffic signals use accessible audio cues to make street crossings safer for blind or visually impaired people.