All About the Three Sisters Mountains in Canmore, Alberta

If you have visited the town of Canmore or nearby Banff, you have likely seen or at least heard about the Three Sisters in Canmore. They are easily the town’s most recognizable peaks and some of the most unique in the Canadian Rockies. The Three Sisters are my three favorite ladies in Alberta, and even though I see them every day, they never get old.

However, when we first moved to Canmore, I had never heard of them and knew nothing about the Three Sisters Mountain. Even after a few months of living literally directly under the Little Sister, I knew there was much to discover about them. Here’s all you need to know about the Three Sisters!

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An Intro to the Three Sisters Canmore

In 1883, when Canmore was known as a mining town, Albert Rogers named these three peaks the “Three Nuns” following a winter storm that left the peaks snow-capped and resembling nuns in white veils.

In 1886, they were renamed by George Dawson, a Canadian geologist, and surveyor, to the Three Sisters. The names of the Three Sisters are individually known as Big Sister, Middle Sister, and Little Sister – or Faith, Hope, and Charity, respectively.

Îyârhe Nakoda, the traditional language of the First Nations Stoney Nakoda, also refers to the peaks as the Three Sisters. Although the name refers to Ĩ-ktomnĩ, the old man who would promise ‘three sisters’ in marriage whenever he was in trouble.

The Big Sister is the biggest at 2,936 meters, the Middle Sister is 2,769 meters, and the Little Sister is 2,694 meters.

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Can You Hike the Three Sisters in Canmore?

The Big Sister and the Middle Sister can both be summited in a day. The Big Sister is a difficult out-and-back scramble. The scramble should be saved for experienced scramblers only, as a few tricky steps might make your butt clench if not prepared.

It’s also very easy to get turned around and find yourself off route on this scramble. To summit the Big Sister will require scramblers to climb 1,244 m in 2.6 km, or in other words, it’s incredibly steep up loose scree.

The Middle Sister is an easy scramble but a much longer day that requires following a laborious creek bed for almost 7 km of the trail, followed by the climb to the summit, only to turn around and take the same boring creekbed trail out. The Middle Sister Trail will have hikers gaining 1,521 m in 17km. It’s not considered a favorite among the scrambling community here.

The Little Sister requires technical climbing skills and is likely only summited a few times a season. You cannot hike all Three Sisters in one day. The Three Sisters Traverse is a dangerous climbing route rarely attempted even by the most experienced.

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Where Can I Photograph Three Sisters Canmore?

You can see the Three Sisters from almost anywhere in Canmore. However, there are a few locations that are real standouts.

The first and easiest place to see them is right from the Canmore Bridge over the Bow River, near the public boat launch. If you are lucky, some elk might cross the river as you photograph them. You can see this photo from above. Yes, I know, I’m a poor substitute for some awesome Canadian elk, but I’ve never been lucky enough to see them crossing while I have my camera.

Another great spot to see them is along the Three Sisters bike path connecting downtown Canmore to the Three Sisters Mountain Village (residential area). If you walk or bike away from town past the West Canmore Park you’ll eventually hit a wide-open field with the Bow River on your left, housing on your right, and the beautiful Three Sisters straight ahead.

The next best spot to see them and a photographer’s favorite is from Policeman’s Creek. See the photo above. The Three Sisters Viewpoint can be found across the street from the town’s off-leash dog park.

Cross the Bow Valley Trail road and go under the train tracks, and you’ll find a faint path leading you to the photo point in about five minutes. Get there early in the morning or in the evening for awesome creek reflections.

While the Three Sisters are amazing at any time of day, the light shines best on them in the morning. Get up early to catch sunrise there! In the summer, you can catch the first light hitting the Little Sister around 6am (depending on the time of year).

Winter in Canmore however, is slightly harder to get a picture-perfect sunrise photo as the sun doesn’t rise in just the right spot to hit the sisters.

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Other Ways to See the Three Sisters in Canmore

It’s one of the best things to do in Canmore, and the most expensive way to see the Three Sisters. However, if you can swing it, we recommend a heli ride with Alpine Helicopter Tours. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will give you a unique view of the sisters. If you go in the summer, you may even see a few scramblers on top of Big Sister.

There’s an awesome hike in Canmore called Grassi Knob. It’s a quick one (for Canadian Rockies standards), however, it’s quite steep and involves 800 meters of gain. At the “summit” of the knob, you’ll get in-your-face views of the sisters.

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Other Favorite Photos We Took of the Sisters

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Hopefully, this gave you some insight into the beautiful Three Sisters in Canmore. If you have any other questions leave a comment or see our Canadian Rockies travel guide for more articles about photography spots, lakes, hikes, and everything else.

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