Bow River topographic map

Calgary, Alberta, is uniquely positioned in the transition zone between the rolling Canadian Prairies to the east and the rugged foothills of the Canadian Rockies to the west, creating a landscape of undulating hills, plateau-like uplands, and deep river valleys. The Bow and Elbow Rivers carve prominent bluffs…

Average elevation: 3,629 ft

Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River, at an elevation of 671 m (2,201 ft). It is North America's northernmost city with a metropolitan population over one million. It is at the same latitude as Hamburg (Germany); Dublin (Ireland); Manchester (United Kingdom); and Magnitogorsk (Russia). It is south of…

Average elevation: 2,264 ft

Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately 126 km (78 mi) west of Calgary and 58 km (36 mi) east of Lake Louise. At 1,400 to 1,630 m (4,590 to 5,350 ft) above sea level, Banff is the community with the second…

Average elevation: 5,299 ft

Lake Louise is a hamlet within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Named after Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, it lies in Alberta's Rockies on the Bow River, 3 km (1.9 mi) northeast of the lake that shares its name. Initially settled in 1884 as an outpost for the Canadian Pacific Railway, Lake Louise…

Average elevation: 5,305 ft

Grande Prairie is located just north of the 55th parallel north, and is 465 km (289 mi) northwest of Edmonton, lying at an elevation of 669 m (2,195 ft) above sea level. The city is surrounded by farmland to the north, east, and west. To the south lies a vast boreal forest with aspen, tamarack, lodgepole pine,…

Average elevation: 2,192 ft

Its high elevation of 929 m (3,047.9 ft) and close proximity to the Rocky Mountains provides Lethbridge with cooler summers than other locations in the Canadian Prairies. These factors protect the city from strong northwest and southwest winds and contribute to frequent chinook winds during the winter.…

Average elevation: 3,012 ft

Average elevation: 2,464 ft

Average elevation: 2,254 ft

Average elevation: 2,234 ft

Average elevation: 2,323 ft

Average elevation: 2,073 ft

The community lies at a lower elevation than most other parts of Alberta, so under the right conditions it can be a "hot spot" for Alberta.

Average elevation: 1,132 ft

Average elevation: 2,664 ft

Average elevation: 2,238 ft

Average elevation: 2,454 ft

Average elevation: 2,343 ft

Average elevation: 2,267 ft

Average elevation: 1,847 ft

Average elevation: 2,526 ft

Average elevation: 5,846 ft

Average elevation: 3,041 ft

Average elevation: 3,028 ft

Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately 126 km (78 mi) west of Calgary and 58 km (36 mi) east of Lake Louise. At 1,400 to 1,630 m (4,590 to 5,350 ft) above sea level, Banff is the community with the second…

Average elevation: 4,662 ft

Average elevation: 4,114 ft

Average elevation: 5,869 ft

Average elevation: 2,323 ft

Average elevation: 3,097 ft

Average elevation: 3,855 ft

Average elevation: 9,062 ft

Banff National Park has a subarctic climate with three ecoregions, including montane, subalpine, and alpine. The forests are dominated by Lodgepole pine at lower elevations and Engelmann spruce in higher ones below the treeline, above which is primarily rocks and ice. Mammal species such as the grizzly bear,…

Average elevation: 6,063 ft

Average elevation: 2,306 ft

Average elevation: 3,629 ft

Average elevation: 2,920 ft

Its high elevation of 929 m (3,048 ft) and close proximity to the Rocky Mountains provides Lethbridge with cooler summers than other locations in the Canadian Prairies. These factors protect the city from strong northwest and southwest winds and contribute to frequent chinook winds during the winter.…

Average elevation: 2,976 ft

Average elevation: 5,948 ft

Average elevation: 2,805 ft

Average elevation: 4,577 ft

Average elevation: 1,424 ft

Average elevation: 4,232 ft

Average elevation: 2,799 ft

Average elevation: 1,906 ft

Average elevation: 1,906 ft

Fox Creek is a town in northwest Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 43, approximately 259 km (161 mi) northwest of Edmonton and 199 km (124 mi) southeast of Grande Prairie, and has an elevation of 808 m (2,651 ft).

Average elevation: 2,703 ft

Rocky Mountain House has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that borders on a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). Daytime temperatures are in general representative for the latter, but the larger diurnal temperature variation with the high elevation ensures frequent frosts. The…

Average elevation: 3,241 ft

Cochrane is situated at the base of Big Hill in the Bow River Valley. It sits at an elevation of 1,186 m (3,891 ft). The town is intersected by Highway 1A and Highway 22. Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture, which can easily be felt when one wanders the streets (particularly Main Street). The…

Average elevation: 3,953 ft

Whitecourt is a town in Northern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by Woodlands County. It is approximately 177 km (110 mi) northwest of Edmonton and 279 km (173 mi) southeast of Grande Prairie at the junction of Highway 43 and Highway 32. It has an elevation of 690 m (2,260 ft).

Average elevation: 2,359 ft

Average elevation: 4,678 ft

Average elevation: 2,421 ft

Banff National Park has a subarctic climate with three ecoregions, including montane, subalpine, and alpine. The forests are dominated by Lodgepole pine at lower elevations and Engelmann spruce in higher ones below the treeline, above which is primarily rocks and ice. Mammal species such as the grizzly bear,…

Average elevation: 6,063 ft

Average elevation: 7,756 ft

Average elevation: 2,159 ft

Average elevation: 5,840 ft

Average elevation: 3,924 ft

Average elevation: 2,234 ft

Average elevation: 3,642 ft

Average elevation: 2,018 ft

Average elevation: 2,133 ft

Average elevation: 2,054 ft

Average elevation: 3,241 ft

Average elevation: 4,961 ft

Average elevation: 2,018 ft

Average elevation: 2,359 ft

Average elevation: 7,575 ft

Average elevation: 1,857 ft

Edson lies in the McLeod River valley, immediately east of the Canadian Rockies foothills. The surrounding landscape consists of primarily taiga forest with sand hills and muskeg. The town is located at an altitude of 925 metres (3,035 ft). Two provincial parks are located west of Edson: Sundance Provincial…

Average elevation: 3,045 ft

Average elevation: 3,973 ft

Average elevation: 2,448 ft

Average elevation: 8,146 ft

Average elevation: 3,638 ft

Average elevation: 3,488 ft

Average elevation: 3,048 ft

Cochrane is situated at the base of Big Hill in the Bow River Valley. It sits at an elevation of 1,186 m (3,891 ft). The town is intersected by Highway 1A and Highway 22. Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture, which can easily be felt when one wanders the streets (particularly Main Street). The…

Average elevation: 3,937 ft

Average elevation: 2,113 ft

Average elevation: 1,798 ft

Average elevation: 2,221 ft

Average elevation: 2,680 ft

Average elevation: 2,933 ft

Average elevation: 3,570 ft

Average elevation: 1,496 ft

Langdon is located 12 km (7.5 mi) east of the City of Calgary at the intersection of Highway 560 (Glenmore Trail) and Highway 797, approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) south of the Trans Canada Highway and 7 km (4.3 mi) north of Highway 22X. It has an elevation of 1,005 m (3,297 ft).

Average elevation: 3,304 ft

Average elevation: 4,692 ft

Average elevation: 1,778 ft

Grande Prairie is located just north of the 55th parallel north, and is 465 km (289 mi) northwest of Edmonton, lying at an elevation of 669 metres (2,195 ft) above sea level. The city is surrounded by farmland to the north, east, and west. To the south lies a vast boreal forest with aspen, tamarack, lodgepole…

Average elevation: 2,182 ft

The Columbia Icefield sits on a large area of relatively horizontal layers of rock. Because flat-lying layers erode more slowly than the surrounding tilted areas, the surface remains higher-altitude and therefore colder. The icefield was formed during the Great Glaciation, or Illinoian period (238,000 to…

Average elevation: 8,192 ft

Average elevation: 2,211 ft

Average elevation: 3,921 ft

Average elevation: 2,986 ft

Average elevation: 2,129 ft

Average elevation: 2,995 ft

Average elevation: 2,037 ft

Average elevation: 2,385 ft

Average elevation: 3,333 ft

Average elevation: 2,812 ft

Average elevation: 2,359 ft

Average elevation: 2,293 ft

Average elevation: 1,985 ft

Average elevation: 2,539 ft

Average elevation: 2,126 ft

Average elevation: 1,985 ft

Average elevation: 2,799 ft