KANANASKIS COUNTRY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 234

MM BRAGG CREEK
Bragg Creek is a rural hamlet nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, 40 kilomet-
ers (25 miles) west of Calgary. It lies on the edge of Kananaskis Country, at the entrance
to the Elbow River Valley. The town and its quiet, tree-lined streets are a far cry from the
hustle and bustle of nearby Canmore and Banff, providing an ideal retreat to kick back and
do some golfing, dining, and relaxing in one of the mountains' true gems.
The Stoney Trail, a native trading route that passed through the area, had been in
use for generations when the first white people arrived in the early 1880s. The first set-
tlers were farmers, followed by Calgarians who built weekenders in town. Today many of
Bragg Creek's 1,000 residents commute daily to nearby Calgary. The ideal location and
quiet lifestyle have attracted artists and artisans. The town claims to have more painters,
potters, sculptors, and weavers than any similarly sized town in Alberta.
Sights and Recreation
Arriving along Highway 22 from either the north or south, you'll be greeted upon arrival
in Bragg Creek by a slightly confusing four-way-stop intersection with a treed triangle of
land in the middle. Take the option along the north (right) side of the distinctive polished-
log Bragg Creek Trading Post II to access the main shopping center, a Western-themed
collection of basic town services interspersed with craft shops and cafés. White Avenue,
also known as Heritage Mile and originally the main commercial strip, has more of the
same and leads through an appealing residential area. This road continues southwest to
122-hectare (300-acre) Bragg Creek Provincial Park, a day-use area alongside the El-
bow River. With a basket of goodies from one of Bragg Creek's many food outlets, leave
the main parking lot behind to enjoy a picnic lunch on a riverside picnic table.