Elkhorn at the Lodges

The Resort and Its Setting

Elkhorn at the Lodges is an independent timeshare resort affiliated with RCI, located in Canmore, Alberta. As an RCI-affiliated resort, owners aren't limited to using their week on-site — they can also deposit it into the exchange network and book stays at other RCI resorts elsewhere in the world. That flexibility is one of the main reasons people hold onto a week here rather than selling it straight away.

Canmore itself sits in a mountain valley along the Bow River, just outside the boundary of Banff National Park, which puts owners within easy reach of some of the most recognisable scenery in the Rockies without the peak-season crowding of Banff townsite itself.

The Area and Things to Do

Canmore has grown from a coal-mining and railway town into a proper four-season mountain base, with a walkable downtown of restaurants, outfitters, galleries and shops about 3 km from the resort. The Bow River runs right through town and is popular for fly fishing, rafting and riverside walks.

From Canmore it's roughly a 30–40 minute drive to Banff National Park, home to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake — both regularly cited among Canada's most photographed landscapes, though both get busy in July and August and increasingly require timed entry or shuttle arrangements in peak summer. Calgary, with its international airport, is about 90 km away, making it the usual arrival point for owners and renters flying in.

Summer (roughly June to September) is hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking season; winter (December to March) brings downhill skiing at the nearby resorts plus snowshoeing and other snow sports. Spring and autumn are quieter, with lighter crowds and lower rates generally available across the area.

Selling or Renting a Week Here

If you own a week at Elkhorn at the Lodges and are thinking about selling or renting it out, BidMyTimeshare.com works as an owner-to-owner marketplace: you list your week yourself, set your own asking price, and buyers or renters contact you directly through the platform. There's a one-time listing fee to post, and no commission is taken from the sale — unlike agency-brokered resales, the full price you agree with a buyer belongs to you.

Because this is an independent resort, resale isn't handled through a major brand's transfer department. Ownership changes typically go through the resort's own owners' association or management company, so before agreeing a price with a buyer, both parties should confirm directly with Elkhorn at the Lodges management what the transfer fee is, whether the association holds a right of first refusal, and what the current annual maintenance fee stands at. These details vary resort to resort and aren't published figures, so get them in writing before any deposit changes hands.

What a resale buyer actually acquires is the ongoing right to use (or exchange, via RCI) that week going forward, along with responsibility for future annual fees — not any past dues or resort decisions made before the transfer date. A buyer renting out the week rather than using it personally should also check whether the resort or association places any restriction on rentals.

Renters, meanwhile, are typically looking for confirmed dates, clarity on what's included (unit size, season, whether it's a fixed or floating week), and straightforward contact with the actual owner — all of which a direct listing on the marketplace is set up to provide.

Practical Notes

Canmore sits at around 1,300 metres elevation, so visitors arriving from sea level may want to allow a day to adjust before tackling strenuous hikes. A car is genuinely useful here — Banff, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are all drives rather than walks, and public transport options are limited. Mountain weather can turn quickly regardless of season, so layers and a rain shell are worth packing even in midsummer. RCI members planning to exchange into or out of Elkhorn at the Lodges during peak winter or summer weeks should request well ahead, as high-demand periods fill fast.