CANMORE NORDIC CENTRE, AB

Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, located just 3.5 km west of Canmore, was originally developed to host the cross-country ski events of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. Now, it is one of a handful of operational Olympic Nordic Skiing venues in the world. Visitors can enjoy expansive recreational ski trails, with more than 65 km of groomed machine-made and natural snow trails. Most of the trails are suitable for both classic and skate techniques, and we saw both methods being used by skiers when we visited! While many people come to the Canmore Nordic Centre to cross country ski, please note that the site also offers ice skating, tobogganing, fat biking, and winter disc golf.  

As we were new to cross country skiing, we decided to take a one-hour private lesson with an instructor. I reserved this lesson online, along with the appropriate rentals needed for this activity (cross country skis, appropriate boots, and poles). Once we arrived, we checked in at the Canmore Nordic Centre Day Lodge, where we were able to purchase Canmore Nordic Centre Trail Passes and a Kananaskis Conservation Pass, as both types of passes are needed to access the Canmore Nordic Centre.

Then we hopped across the road to Trail Sports Rental, where we were able to pick up our equipment and meet our instructor, Dave. First, we went over how to fall (a very important skill for me, as I fall a lot) and then we practiced on tracks that were already carved in the snow. After working on that skill, we moved up a hill to work on going down a hill and subsequently slowing down to then stop. Dave was extremely patient, encouraging, and knowledgeable. He informed us that there were many trails to discover at the Canmore Nordic Centre, and that when our lesson was complete, we could spend the rest of the day exploring.

We absolutely loved our time at the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, and would absolutely go again!