Brokeback Mountain country

Most first-time visitors head straight to Banff National Park, ignoring Kananaskis Country, the dramatic foothill area that sprawls along its eastern boundary.

The scenery here is no less dramatic, as anyone who's seen the film Brokeback Mountain - which was shot here - can confirm.

Yet Kananaskis remains almost the exclusive preserve of locals, who come to ski in the winter and to hike, bike and camp in the summer.

The town of Canmore is the area's natural focus - with all the outfitters and restaurants you'll need - yet it retains an unhurried and far less touristy feel than other regional centres, particularly nearby Banff, and accommodation is a good deal cheaper too. Plenty of excursions are possible on foot from the town itself, but to get deep into adjacent provincial parks you'll need your own transport.