BRAGG CREEK

Bragg Creek is a rural hamlet nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, 40 km (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, an Indian 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 settlers 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.