Canmore Nordic Centre
Nordic skiing & mountain biking centre
West of downtown Canmore the land quickly begins to rise and the town starts to thin out, so that by the time Spray Lakes Road has climbed to Canmore Nordic Centre, you’re only left with views of the urban area.
This modern former Olympic facility provides more than 65km (37 miles) of groomed and track-set trails for both classic and skating Nordic, or cross-country skiing, which cater to all ability levels.
Mountain Biking
It’s every bit as popular in summer, since some 70km of trails are maintained for mountain biking, with suitable options for every level of rider.
If you’re an experienced rider try combining the signposted orange (medium • 7km) and yellow (hard • 5km) loops which should take about 2 hours and will introduce some of the best riding – though there are many more trails to explore.
Trail maps are available, as are bike rentals (road or mountain bike $45/day; kids $15/day); lessons and guided tours ($60/hr).
Cafe & Facilities
The Nordic Centre itself has a Fresh Trax Café, which is open for breakfast and lunch and has good homemade soups, sandwiches and burgers for $5–8.
Conveniently the centre also has changing rooms, lockers, showers and a big fireplace.