3 days ago
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Seven wonders of Banff National Park, Canada
Glacier-fed lakes, Rocky Mountain peaks, wildlife-filled forests – here are seven ways to experience Banff National Park. Canada’s oldest national park will ruin all other parks for you.
Fraternise with the wildlife
Moose, elk, cougars, coyotes, grizzlies and black bears all call the park home. But it is 6641 square kilometres, so you’ll need a bit of strategy to maximise your chances of spotting them. Summer is the best season, particularly dawn or dusk along the Bow Valley Parkway (spotting elk on the Fairmont Banff Springs golf course doesn’t count). To further increase your odds, join Banff Highlights and Wildlife small-group tour with Radventures. radventurescanada.com
Take the waters
In 1883, three young prospectors stumbled upon a mysterious head of steam coming from a cave, a discovery that led to the formation of Banff National Park. A hotel was built, bathhouses were constructed and the country’s spa industry was off to a bubbly start. A boardwalk through the Cave and Basin National Historic Site reveals the origins of this mineral-rich water. park.canada.ca
Stay in iconic lodgings
Whether you stay at Fairmont Banff Springs or Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, you’ll be the king or queen of your own alpine castle. Built in the late 1800s by the Canadian Pacific Railway, both are considered crown jewels of the Canadian Rockies. Visit during the warmer months for hiking, biking or canoeing, or in winter for a snow globe of frosted trees and fireside cocktails. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise offers a complimentary shuttle to Lake Louise Ski Resort. fairmont.com
Play the blues at Lake Louise
Aqua or azure? Teal or turquoise? However you try to describe the colour of Lake Louise, you’ll fall short. Not only does it glow with a milky luminescence, it changes with the shifting light. The secret ingredient is rock flour, a sediment produced when glaciers grind against bedrock high in the mountains. Carried to the lake by meltwater, the suspended particles scatter sunlight, reflecting shades of blue and green. Hire a canoe (May to September) from the Boathouse at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Chase waterfalls, crowd-free
The early bird gets the worm, sure. But at Johnston Canyon, early risers get crowd-free views of thundering waterfalls and expansive canyon landscapes. As this is one of the park’s most popular hikes, it pays to set your alarm, or visit in winter when the masses have left and the falls freeze into glittering curtains of ice. Strap on crampons for a 2.7-kilometre hike to the Upper Falls, or tackle the 5.8-kilometre walk to the mineral-rich Ink Pots. See banfftours.com
Climb Sulphur Mountain
If you visit just one scenic viewpoint, make it the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Ditch the hiking poles and instead, take the eight-minute ride on the Banff Gondola, to where you’ll be rewarded with a 360-degree view of the Canadian Rockies. Top the experience with a stroll along the boardwalk and a sunset dinner at Sky Bistro (again, early birds get the window seats). The Sunset Festival rocks the patio during summer evenings, or visit in winter to see the summit aglow with Nightrise, a digital art installation created in conjunction with the Stoney Nakoda Nation. See banffjaspercollection.com
Head out on the highway
This is for you if you love a ribbon of tarmac. The coast-to-coast Trans Canada Highway runs for a whopping 7476 kilometres, and the 182-kilometre section from Calgary, through the Banff National Park to Lake Louise, is one of its prettiest stretches. You can do it in just over two hours, but with stops for waterfalls, wildlife and the cafes of Banff village, it can take all day. If you prefer someone else to drive, the Brewster Express is a comfortable alternative. See banffjaspercollection.com
The writer was a guest of Destination Canada and Banff & Lake Louise Tourism. See canada.travel; banfflakelouise.com
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