Bow Valley

For the community in the United States, see Bow Valley, Nebraska.

Bow Valley is a valley along the upper Bow River in Alberta, Canada.

View from Morant's Curve in Banff National Park

View from Canadian Pacific Railway, 1914

The name "Bow" refers to the reeds that grew along its banks and which were used by the local First Nations people to make bows; the Blackfoot language name for the river is Makhabn, meaning "river where bow weeds grow".

Community

There are several communities in the Bow Valley, including Banff, Canmore, Kananaskis, and the hamlets of Dead Man's Flats, Exshaw, Harvie Heights, Lac des Arcs, and Lake Louise. Local residents are culturally diverse, with growing immigration trends since the early 2000s.

Parks

Three Sisters ridge above the Bow Valley

Bow Valley Provincial Park (part of the Kananaskis Country park system) was established east of the Canadian Rockies in the arch of the valley, while the upper course of the Bow River flows through Banff National Park. The Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is located between the Banff National Park and Canmore in the Bow River Valley.

Numerous other recreation areas dot the valley. Provincial Recreation Areas are established at Three Sisters, Gap Lake, Grotto Mountain, Lac des Arcs, Heart Ridge, Heart Mountain, Ghost Reservoir and other locations.

Lakes

Many lakes, glacial and artificial, are found in the Bow Valley:

• Bow Lake
• Hector Lake
• Vermilion Lakes
• Lake Louise
• Gap Lake
• Lac des Arcs
• Ghost Lake