Montana is a great place for vacations, no doubt about it. But if you’re here for an extended vacation, and have some extra time, you may want to pay a visit to the Canadian Rockies.

Canmore, Alberta offers great Rockies vacations, not too far from Montana.

One of the top places to visit in the Canadian Rockies in Canmore, Alberta. If you start in Whitefish, Montana and drive north, you can be in Canmore in 6 hours.

It’s a prime Canadian Rockies destination for several reasons, as it sits right on the border of Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park. Here you’ll find lots of great Canadian Rockies activities, such as rafting, hiking, mountain biking, skiing and backpacking.

You can get a preview of Canmore by checking out the Canmore webcam here.

Here are 5 great things to do if you should visit Canmore, Alberta:

1. Hiking: Like Montana, the Canadian Rockies is known for its great hiking, and Canmore is certainly a great base for this vacation activity. With Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country as neighbors, Canmore is surrounded by some of the greatest hiking in the world. You’ll find hikes suitable to all levels, ranging from casual walks on in town trails, to significant backcountry excursions. In addition, there are incredible cross country skiing and snow shoeing in wilderness settings.
2. Horseback Riding & Pack Trips: Riding in the Canmore Kananaskis area is a stunning experience, no matter what time of year you visit. The terrain is phenomenal and the rides come in short trips and day rides to multi-day pack trips. Horseback riding is a great year round activity, but winter riding opportunities can be limited by temperatures and ground conditions. Trips are not available below –10C/+10F.
3. Guided Interpretive Walks or Hikes: If you want to get the most out of your time here, try a guided walk or hike. You’ll get to learn about the local flora and fauna, history, and find places only locals know.
4. Sightseeing/Photography/Wildlife Viewing: Whether it’s winter or summer, these are great activities in the Canmore, Alberta area. There are stunning vistas, great for just taking in or photographing, and a wide array of wildlife, including bears, lynx, cougar, bobcat and wolf. Guided tours are usually one of the best ways to ensure that you’ll get a glimpse of the local fauna.
5. Heli-sightseeing, skiing and hiking:  This is a great activity year-round. Take a heli-tour and be truly amazed as the full majesty of Alberta’s Canadian Rocky Mountains is laid out below you. You can go sightseeing year-round, heli-hiking in the summer, and heli-skiing in the winter.

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Enjoy panoramic views of the entire Flathead Valley

Soak up the sun and surf from this beautiful 4 bedroom home in heart of the Flathead Valley.

Beautiful Flathead Lake is four river miles from the access 1\4 mile from the huge 1 full acre property. The large master suite features a King sized bed, large bathroom with jetted tub and separate shower.

Vacation rentals do not get any better than this. Imagine relaxing on a large deck, with views of three mountain ranges. Now you can make that dream a reality by spending your next vacation at The Valley View Home. Perfect for the large family, or reunion. The home comfortably sleeps 10 with facilities for RV’s on the property.

Property Features:

• Large Master suite with King bed
• 1 Double bed
• 2 sets of Bunk Beds
• Fully Equipped Kitchen
• Formal Dining with seperate sitting and living rooms
• Comfortably sleeps 10
• Facilities for RV’s onsite
• 3 Full Bathrooms w\ jetted tub in master suite
• TV and Phone
• Large outdoor deck
• Gas Bar-B-Que
• 1\4 mile from water access

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Vacation on the scenic shores of Flathead Lake

This property features a hot tub, dock and buoy for your boat. A gas barbecue, surrounded by outdoor furniture, provides a fantastic place to relax as well.

Enjoy the super panoramic views of some of Montana’s finest scenery… Flathead Lake and the Swan range of the Rocky Mountains when you vacation at the Barrister Home in the beautiful Flathead Valley.

This nicely furnished and comfortable home is approx. 1500 square feet and features knotty pine ceiling with a TV\DVD in the living room.

Property Features :

• Sleep 6 comfortably with three bedrooms featuring 2 hand crafted queen beds, plus bunk beds.
• Fully furnished kitchen includes pots, pans, dishes, range, refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker.
• Bar-B-Que provided on the outdoor patio.
• Two 1\2 bathrooms
• Washer and dryer included
• Fireplace and firewood furnished
• TV\DVD in living room
• Approx. 75 Feet of lake frontage with a dock and shore station.

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Enjoy the scenery among the towering Douglas Fir trees

This is a place where song birds perch in a piece of natures finest handiwork. A truly memorable setting for a reasonable price. Great things really do come in cozy packages, and this cabin is one of them.

The kitchen has everything you will need to prepare your vacation meals and gourmet delights. The towering, centuries old Douglas Fir trees and the lush green of the lawn lead to the waters edge just a short 40′ stroll away.<

Young families, retired couples and honeymooners… here is a wonderful 1 bedroom, 1 bath cottage right on the shore. A fold out couch allows bed space for up to 4 guests. You will love the old fashioned charm of this shoreline cottage almost as much as the panoramic lakefront views.

Property Features :

• One Bedroom Cabin
• Accommodations for four
• Fully equipped kitchen with microwave
• Bar-B-Que
• Washer and dryer
• beachfront
• TV and phone
• Scenic vistas
• Outdoor furniture

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On beautiful Peaceful Bay in Lakeside

Just minutes from downtown Lakeside, you will find this graciously appointed home on one of the most desirable bays on Flathead Lake.

This house is tailor made for fun! Active families will enjoy the spacious 3 bedrooms and the 3 baths with extensive use of windows allowing sunshine to fill the house.

Savor meals prepared in the well equipped kitchen, from casual to formal we can promise your satisfaction. All this while you soak in the breathtaking sunsets from the decks and listen to the waves lapping at the shoreline. The perfect place for family togetherness. Bed space for up to six adults.

The king size bed plus two queen size beds offer a good nights rest. You can even cuddle up by the fireplace on a cool evening & enjoy your favorite novel.

Park your boat at the dock, sun yourself on the beautifully landscaped grounds, or enjoy the quiet of the teepee in the backyard. Equiped with double bed and electricity.

Property Features :

• 3 bedrooms & 3 baths
• 1 King and 2 Queen beds
• Fully equipped kitchen with microwave
• Washer and dryer
• Fireplace
• Boat docks, and 100 feet of beach front
• TV and phone
• Beautiful quiet Bay

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“You’ll build memories to last a lifetime…”

Property Features :

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2 Bedroom condominiums Living room with deluxe queen hide-a-bed Twin beds in second bedroom Queen bed in master bedroom Washer and dryer in condo Cable TV Outdoor Bar-B-Que Lunch on your private balcony

Fully equipped kitchen with microwave & accessories Swim in the pool, soak in the hot tub Great scenery Boat docks Formal & informal eating areas Fireplace in most condos Lake frontage with beach

Other important information :

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• A deposit of 50 percent will confirm your condo
• A week is Saturday to Saturday
• 5 percent discount during Value Season on 5 or more nights
• Senior discounts during Value and Mid-Seasons
• Rates are for 4 people. For additional people up to six, add $10 per person, per night to the base rate
• Maximum of 6 people per condo, this includes children
• Cribs are available at $4 per night, please reserve in advance
• Boat slips are available
• $500 refundable cleaning/damage deposit required
• Kennel for pets available in town, no pets at condos please
• Restaurants nearby
• Check in after 4PM, check out by 10AM – Sorry, no refunds for early checkout
• Cancellation Policy : Deposit is refundable upon receipt of written notice received in this office 90 days prior to arrival. Deposit may be refunded if condo or home is re-rented. A $65 cancellation fee is deducted from all returned deposits.

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Count on Montanans to create some of the zaniest events in the lower 48. Vacation travelers who visit the Big Sky state during the autumn months can enjoy some really unique offbeat events that appeal to the kid in us all.

Running of the Sheep
Hop over to Reed Point, population 185 to emulate the runners in the faraway world of Pamplona, Spain. Here you can don your beret, dress in your best white, and make your escape from a herd of sheep rather than the more treacherous bulls found in the more reckless Spanish version. Join the locals as you run through the town’s streets and make sure you stay as far ahead of those wild and wooly devils or you may find yourself slightly worse for wear!

John Colter Run
Here’s another running event that could get you in a lot of trouble if you try to emulate the tradition’s founder. Way back in 1806, the Lewis & Clark explorer John Colter broke from his ranks to go on a beaver trapping trip at the headwaters of the Missouri river. He somehow antagonized the Blackfoot natives, who stripped him and had him running for his life, making him the first streaker known in US history. Retrace Colter’s path with the locals, but please… keep your pants on.

What the Hay Festival
Who ever said that fine art and ranching weren’t a perfect combination? Check out the enormous sculptures made of hay, an exhibit that takes up 20 miles of some of Montana’s most glorious land. With titles such as Hay-lery Clinton, Har-Hay Davidson, and Cook-Hay Monster, this ingenious art form may be slightly corny, but Hay, why not?

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After the long cold winter, Montana’s snow-capped mountains start to melt, their waters reaching down to fill the creeks and rivers of Glacier Country. This is the time when paddlers of all kinds begin their trek to their favorite runs, whether it’s for canoeing, kayaking, or rafting.

Here is a short list of some favorite haunts as recounted to me by some of Montana’s long time rafting vacation travelers:

Alberton Gorge at the Clark Fork River is sensational for whitewater rafting, whether you’re a novice of a seasoned professional. Go during the spring when the gorge is full and the flows are as high as they can get. Once summer comes around, warmer waters enter the scene, creating some great surf waves that the locals have named “Fang,” “Cliff Sides,” and the like. Just 30 minutes downstream of Missoula, the gorge features a class II – IV stretch that brings vacationers and locals together for some truly great rides.

Brennan’s Wave at Clark Fork River is terrific for kayaking fans. Go downtown under the Higgins Street Bridge where Brennan’s Wave (named for world-class kayaker Brennan Guth who passed away while kayaking in Chile in 2001) entices you to play in this enhanced souse hole.

Kootenai River in Libby is one of the biggest rivers in Montana. Not for the meek, this class III-V 1.5 mile run starts with a 20 foot waterfall and continues to challenge rafters with monsters such as the “Superwave,” known as one of the most exciting surf waves in the region.

Middle Fork of the Flathead River in the West Glacier is home to approximately 75 miles of whitewater. Here you can enjoy class II-III rapids of John Steven’s Canon. For those up to class III-IV rapids, head up to the Upper Middle Fork by hiking, going by horseback, or taking a fixed wing plane to enjoy the narrow pool-drop waters.

Swan River in Bigfork features the “Wild Mile” that runs right next to downtown. With its high octane III-IV class rollers, the waters connect the Swan Reservoir with Flathead Lake and really give you a run for your money!

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Besides its obvious above ground pleasures, Montana boasts some of the best underground hot springs in North America. With temperatures remaining constant, you can melt your muscles and dissolve your tensions in any one of the many settings throughout the state. You can book some time in a back-country resort where you are far from the cares of the world or in a historic setting where the restorative waters will revive your zest for adventure. Take the entire family for an afternoon or evening of basking in the healing bubbles.

After a long day adventuring, there is nothing like taking a long soak while emptying your mind and releasing your body into the caress of silky warm Montana hot spring waters.

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Way back in the day, Montana was part of the west’s big mining boom. Once the boom dwindled down, many of Montana’s mining towns lay abandoned for years and years until restoration began in order to draw more tourism to these history-laden communities.

Visit Virginia City and Nevada City to get the feel of true mining towns that thrived one hundred years ago. Beautifully restored, these towns are living museums that offer a wonderful range of activities come summer. Take a guided steam train tour to the H.S. Gilbert Brewery (Montana’s first) where you can revel in the risqué delights of the Brewery Follies, or simply walk around these communities to soak in the authenticity as your boots hit the dirt and your eyes feast on true west charm.

Bannack, Montana’s original state capital, should be another must on your go-see list. This is the site of the first gold strike in the west and is now a world-class state park. Take a Ghost Walk tour on October 26 or 27 to have a pre-Halloween outing that will leave you quaking in your jeans.

Another important landmark is Lauren, where you can see the rope mark on the makeshift gallows at Hangman’s Tree, just outside the town. This is the site where twenty four of the area’s most notorious criminals were hung by the locals on January 14, 1864. Take a shot of the site for a great photo to show your friends back home. The west doesn’t get any more authentic than this!

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