A view of the wide Kananaskis River from the Flowing Water Interpretive Trail in Bow Valley. This is a really pleasant, short, and easy walk with some fantastic scenery and lots of wildflowers. There’s even a beaver dam (but apparently the beavers were bunking down in their little log cabins out of the gloom on the day my hubby and I were there. I would have liked to see some babies, but alas). The trailhead begins in Willowrock Campground and is well-marked and worn. This is another good hike for young families – there is one section of wooden stairs, but they are not too steep. The stairs would make it tricky for anyone with mobility issues, but the rest of the trail is accessible.
I’m always fascinated by place names – and as I’ve lived here in southern Alberta for several years, I was familiar with the idea that the word “Kananaskis” meant “meeting of the waters.” But it turns out that’s an erroneous marketing gimmick – the real truth behind the name is actually far more fascinating and…well…bloody. Check out the historical account here.
Have you ever come across any “tourist” information that wasn’t really true? Isn’t it interesting how stories are altered over time (or depending on agenda)?
Flowery Prose 
Fantastic landscape
It is a very beautiful place!
Thanks, I would love to go to Canada!
I hope you one day get the chance! We have many wonderful places to see!
Thank-you Sheryl. This is a really interesting post and I liked your photo of the river. What a pity it was a gloomy day and you didn’t get to see the beavers. It is very strange the way the meaning of the river and area name has been covered up. I think it would attract many people if they knew what the real meaning is or that there was some mystery about it.
The real story in this case is more interesting than the more “acceptable” meaning of the name, that’s for sure! The funny thing is, even our own government leaders (and our prime minister is actually from this part of Alberta) have used the more sanitized meaning when promoting our region to the world.
How strange!
I went to college at Penn State and their mascot is a Nittany Lion, a mountain lion named in conjunction with a mountain in the area. There’s this whole involved story about the word “Nittany” and an Indian princess and a white lover and angry brothers, etc., etc. All very romantic and all fiction!
That’s really interesting! I have heard of Penn State’s Nittany Lion mascot (my hubby watches college lacrosse on TV when games are broadcast here) but never knew about the “Nittany” backstory.
Looks like a beautiful nature spot. Also I like any trails that are short and easy. As for misleading tourist info, what bugs me here in Illinois are all the statues and monuments to Stephen Douglas. He’s always described as a great statesman and brilliant orator. Basically, though, he wanted to let the Southern States export slavery into the western territories and was a slaveholder himself. (Though he lived in Illinois, a free state, through marriage he acquired a Mississippi plantation with 100 slaves.) If you read the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, Douglas is always saying things that boil down to “Yeah, but would you let your sister marry one?” OK, rant over. Sorry.
Now there’s an extremely good example of how history is revised according to an agenda!
Bad tourist information is pretty much equivalent to revisionist history in my experience. Or it’s a nice story made up to cover up for something less savory. Lovely sounding hike in any event!
Yes, I think that’s true…I guess it all depends on who is telling the story. 😉
Lovely area. I want to pull out a picnic basket and sit, eat chicky and watch the river.
Jean
That sounds like a glorious plan! 🙂
where are you travelling to this weekend?
Unfortunately, I’m working – might try to get out for a hike later next week, though! 🙂 How was your trip Down Under?
You live in such a beautiful area Sheryl and have access to so many wonderful areas!
We do love it here, that’s for sure ! 🙂