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9 PARK 1 a BANFF B k ( e re k NATIONAL C t e a e o r G t C n a ry Spray Valley Eau Claire Sp 23 B Summer Trails Trails For Hikers, Mountain Bikers & Horseback Riders The way to the Spray Valley TRAIL ACCESS REMARKS Backcountry Permits WATRIDGE LAKE Mount Shark Day Use An easy trail to a beautiful emerald Backcountry permits are required to camp at any of the backcountry 3.7 km one way lake. campgrounds in Kananaskis Country. Permit information is available at Canmore Nordic Centre 30 m/100 ft. Bow Valley Wildland any Kananaskis Country Information Centre, the backcountry reservation Provincial Park Provincial WATRIDGE LAKE Spray Lake West Follows the Spray Lake shoreline to line (403) 678-3136, or the Kananaskis Country website Park Campground Canyon Dam. www.cd.gov.ab.ca/parks/kananaskis

Trails For Mountain Bikers & Hikers Trails For Hikers

TRAIL ACCESS REMARKS TRAIL ACCESS REMARKS

BANFF TRAIL Canmore Nordic An easy forest trail through the Nordic BULLER CREEK Buller Mountain Day Gradual uphill climb through trees 6 km one way Centre parking lot Centre Trail System. Leads to the Banff 9 km one way Use and alpine terrain with great views. 70 m/227 ft. Park boundary. 671 m/2100 ft. Continues over Buller Pass to Ribbon Lake Spray Valley CANMORE NORDIC Smith-Dorrien/ Site of the 1988 Winter Olympic Provincial Park CENTRE Spray Trail Nordic events, this site has hiking and GEORGETOWN Canmore Nordic Centre A forested trail to the banks of the 50+ km mountain biking trails in summer. Pick INTERPRETIVE Bow River and the site of the old up a detailed map at the Day Lodge. 3.5 km one way mining town of Georgetown. GOAT CREEK Goat Creek Day Use An intermediate forest trail crosssing GRASSI LAKES West of Canmore A steep walk to reach two aquamarine Peter Lougheed 19.3 km to Banff Goat Creek and the Spray River to join INTERPRETIVE Nordic Centre on lakes. Views of Canmore and the Provincial Park 150 m/500 ft. the Spray River Fire Road in Banff 3.5 km return Smith-Dorrien/Spray Bow Valley. Signs tell the history of Trail Lawrence Grassi, master trailbuilder, National Park. Most of this trail is in who lived in Canmore and built the Banff National Park. original trail. MOUNT SHARK Mount Shark Day A series of intermediate to advanced KARST SPRING Watridge Lake Trail Branches off the Watridge Lake Trail 15 km one way Use rolling trails with forest and views. 0.8 km one way 3.9 km from the trailhead. A walk 30 m/100 ft. through trees to a spring that gushes out of a wall of rock.

Aerial View of Spray Reservoir BBee EELKLK WWaryary BBee BBEAREAR SSmartmart BBee COUGARCOUGAR AAlertlert All elk can be dangerous. Do not approach elk or their calves. If you’re planning on some outdoor If you encounter a bear, never run; it may Cougars make Kananaskis Country Cougars often cover their kills with For More Information adventure, remember that you are trigger an attack. Slowly back away. You their home. forest debris. Female elk can be especially aggressive Give elk plenty of room. travelling in bear country. should appear passive; do not raise your In order to be cougar alert: Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre ...... (403) 673-3985 during calving season in May and June. Keep at a distance of at least Keep children close to you. If you encounter a cougar, Here are some important items to bear voice or make direct eye contact. Climbing Service Alberta Call Centre (toll free in Alberta) ...... 310-0000 During autumn rut (September to 3 bus lengths. in mind: a tree is an option, but offers no guarantee always leave room for a cougar to escape. November) male elk can also be Avoid surprise encounters. Immediately pick up children. of safety. Black bears are excellent climb- www.cd.gov.ab.ca/parks/kananaskis aggressive. Keep your dog on a leash. Avoid surprise encounters. A loud shout ers, and grizzlies have also been known to Make noise to alert cougars of Do not turn your back on a cougar. your presence. Cougars generally Do not run. regularly or singing loudly, is more climb trees. Campground Reservations avoid people. Back away slowly. effective than bear bells. Watch for Backcountry camping permits ...... (403) 678-3136 fresh evidence of bears: tracks, droppings, If the bear charges you, appear non- Make yourself appear as large as Keep your dog on a leash. possible. diggings, or overturned rocks and logs. threatening. It may be one of a series of WILDLIFE AND HIGHWAYS bluff charges. Stand your ground, and Maintain eye contact with Emergency If possible, travel in groups and speak to the bear in a normal voice. If it Avoid any area where you smell a the cougar. While travelling through Kananaskis Country you may see during daylight hours. continues to charge, try shouting or direct dead animal. If a cougar attacks, fi ght back with wildlife gathering near or crossing the highway. If you require Fire, Ambulance, Police or Mountain Rescue assistance, pepper spray into its face. anything at hand. To keep wildlife safe: immediately call 9-1-1. Tell the operator you have an emergency in Keep your dog on a leash. Kananaskis Country. Keep your speed down. The posted speed limit on In the event of an attack by a grizzly, drop You might consider carrying to the ground face down, interlace your the Kananaskis Trail is 90 km/hr, but you may need to reduce this bear (pepper) spray. fi ngers over the back of your neck and The Spray Valley area is part of the Central Rocky Mountain Ecosystem. at dawn and dusk when animals are often crossing the road. spread your legs to make it more diffi cult The wildlife that you see here move throughout this large ecosystem. To report a sighting of a bear or a cougar: Leave the area if you see a bear or for the bear to turn you over. By playing To help protect the animals and the health of the ecosystem, please Please call Kananaskis Dispatch at (403) 591-7755 Avoid pulling over to view animals along the sides of the roads. if you see or smell a large dead animal. dead, a grizzly will likely lose interest in minimize your impact on the environment. This can habituate wildlife to people, you. If a black bear attacks you, fi ght it potentially leading to an animal’s death. off with any weapon you have, including It’s also hazardous to other motorists. your fi sts. ISBN: 0-7785-4340-4 Printed March 2006