One of the best parts about living in Calgary is that the mountains are only an hour drive away; this is definitely a perk all year round! Banff and Canmore are what the Hamptons are to New Yorkers. I still love the city life but every once in while you need a little break, so over the weekend some friends and I headed out to Grassi Lakes near Canmore. With so many hiking options, we chose this one cause its only a 3.9 km hike/trail. On the way up you have two options, easy or more difficult route, we of course took the easy route. It's a pretty fun hike as it's pretty mellow and doesn't take all day, but you still get some amazing views. The lakes at the top are really amazing in their turquoise blue color, and super clear water. They really looked tempting to jump in, although the glacier temperature would be a little too refreshing! Next time you're in the area, take a couple hours and do this hike, and then after take on Ha Ling Peak (Which I've also done once before, for a slow-average hiker like me, that takes all day)! 

To find out about more trails/hikes in the area, check out trailpeak.com