Calgarians explore lesser-known mountain destinations to avoid long weekend crowds

As many people flock to popular spots in the mountains over the Heritage Day long weekend, others are choosing to explore places and trails less travelled.

Bragg Creek is about 40 minutes outside the city, near Kananaskis Country. It has mountain views, along with hiking and biking trails, but without all the crowds.

"Usually, when I go to Canmore, Banff, I find those areas to be quite a bit busier," said Madie Neis from Calgary.

"So, I like coming out here to kind of have a little bit more freedom on the trails, and you're not running into someone every 30 seconds."

Fewer crowds also mean less stress finding parking, especially on a long weekend.

"The parking lot is half empty right now, which is awesome. You don't have to worry about parking your car on the side of the highway," Neis said.

Some say the trails offer relief with extreme heat warnings still in effect for Calgary and other parts of southern Alberta on Saturday.

"There is shade along the way, so if you can try and run in the shade or be in the shade at least part of the time, it really helps," Warren Grice said.

Furry friends can also get some exercise while staying cool.

"We wanted to give the dog a chance to run with some freedom, so a slow bike ride, let the dog run before the weather gets too hot for the day," said Bob Lee, whose dog also went for a dip while walking the trail.

While the trails may not be as busy as other mountain destinations, the businesses still are.

The Handle-Bar is an outdoor adventure guiding business offering everything from bike rentals to coffee and other treats needed to fuel each adventure.

"People are coming out more and more, and we'll probably get busier and busier," said owner Moritz Kniebel.

He said his business tailors its experiences to local people rather than international travellers.

"Realizing that domestic tourism was going to increase drastically. People are not travelling as far. They're expecting more out of what they're getting."

Kniebel said it's exciting to see more people exploring hidden gems like Bragg Creek.

"It requires us to look at services we still need, like hotels, getting those in here to accommodate overnight stays," he said.

"But, other than that, it means that we can offer more products that are difficult to have when there's less people coming through. It provides job opportunities for young people that want to be out here."