06/23/2022
An adventure in the Canadian Rockies 🏔🗻
The Canadian Rockies are, quite simply, spectacular. No photo can truly capture the awe-inspiring experience of looking up at the soaring mountains, down into seemingly endless canyons, across ancient glittering glaciers, and into turquoise blue lakes so pristine and perfect it’s hard to believe they’re real.
Places to go:
The natural wonders of the Canadian Rocky Mountains are protected in a series of incredible parks along Alberta’s western border, including Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kananaskis Country, and Waterton Lakes National Park.
Banff National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was established in 1885 as the first national park in Canada, and it continues to draw visitors from around the world. Discover the natural beauty of this mountain paradise that has more than 1,600 kilometers of maintained trails for hiking, cycling, and horse riding to explore. Come back in winter and ski exhilarating deep powder.
Here are some unmissable spots.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake:
The Canadian Rockies are home to some of the most beautiful lakes in the world. What sets these alpine gems apart is their stunning aquamarine color, a result of the “rock flour” — fine-grained silt — suspended in their glacier-fed waters. Set against a backdrop of magnificent snow-capped peaks, it’s a picture-perfect combination that’s hard to beat.
Most photogenic in Banff National Park is Lake Louise, anchored at one end by the Victoria Glacier and the other by the stately Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Moraine Lake is another turquoise beauty, nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Rent a canoe or walk the shores, just make sure you bring your camera; the views are stunning. Lake Louise is less than a two-hour drive west of Calgary. From Lake Louise, it’s about an hour and a 20-minute drive to Moraine Lake, which makes for a perfect day trip into the park, but we bet you’ll want to stay longer — there’s so much to see and do along the way.
Lake Minnewanka:
Minutes from the town of Banff, Lake Minnewanka is the longest lake in the Canadian Rockies at 28 kilometers long. Hike or bike the trails along its northern shores, or take the hour-long guided boat cruise to see the lake’s breathtaking beauty from every angle and learn about its fascinating history. For instance, the summer village of Minnewanka Landing, built-in 1912, can only be visited by scuba divers as it is now completely submerged, and the First Nations who hunted and lived along its shores for as many as 10,000 years named it minn-waki – Lake of the Spirits. The descendants of the elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, grizzly and black bears that sustained the First Nations who lived by the lake still populate the area today.
Cave and Basin National Historic Site:
Commemorating the 1883 discovery by railway workers of a natural hot spring that led to the creation of Canada’s first national park, the Cave and Basin National Historic Site traces the history of the thermal springs used by First Nations for thousands of years before being accidentally stumbled upon by three railway workers in 1883. Take an evening lantern tour through the rock tunnel that leads to the original pool.
Jasper National Park:
The northernmost national park in the Rockies, Jasper National Park is also the largest, at 10,878 square kilometers. There is so much to explore in this immense park, starting with the beautiful Athabasca Falls. The 23-meter waterfall might not be the world’s highest, but its power is striking. Another highlight is Maligne Canyon, carved 50-meters deep by the churning water, where you’ll find fascinating fossils, a roaring waterfall, and all kinds of flora and fauna.
Columbia Icefield and Glacier Skywalk:
The Columbia Icefield is the largest remaining icefield in the Rockies covering almost 230 square kilometers. To experience it first hand, stop in at the Glacier Discovery Centre on the Icefields Parkway and sign up for the Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure. You’ll board an Ice Explorer – an oversized all-terrain vehicle with huge rubber tires specifically designed to take you right up onto the Athabasca Glacier, the most accessible glacier in North America. Walk out onto ice up to 365 meters thick and drink fresh glacial water. Afterward, your tour will take you to the Glacier Skywalk, a cliff-edge glass-floored observation platform cantilevered 280 meters over the Sunwapta valley. Simply, breathtaking.
Athabasca Falls:
At 23 meters in height, Athabasca Falls isn’t the tallest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies but it is extremely powerful because of the glacial water of the Athabasca River forced through the narrow gorge. Platforms and walkways where you can safely view and photograph the falls can get slick with the spray so watch your footing and by no means venture beyond the barriers. Located 32 kilometers south of the town of Jasper, it is accessed from the Icefields Parkway using Highway 93A. There’s plenty of free parking and it’s an easy stroll to the falls.
Maligne Canyon:
More than 50 meters at its deepest, Maligne Canyon is a sight to behold in the summer. It plays home to fossils, waterfalls, unexpected animals, and lush plant life. Walk the self-guided interpretive trail crossing the gorge on four different bridges, each with its own unique views. Come back in winter when the temperature drops below freezing and the waterfalls turn to towering walls of iridescent blue ice. Go with a guide, who will supply you with ice cleats and the fascinating geology of this place as you walk the canyon floor.
Maligne Lake:
Take a boat cruise on this gorgeous aquamarine lake and be sure to bring your camera as you’ll visit Spirit Island, one of the most photographed scenes in the world. Hiking and mountain biking trails abound. Half the fun is getting here – it’s an incredibly scenic 48-kilometer drive from the town of Jasper with lots of opportunities to spot wildlife.
Upper Waterton Lake:
Upper Waterton Lake is the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies. Take the Waterton Shoreline Cruise, and learn about the history and geology of the area and nip into the USA en route at Goat Haunt, Montana.
Red Rock Canyon:
Red Rock Canyon is a short drive from the village of Waterton through the Blakiston Valley, keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Once you get to the canyon, follow the trail around its edges and across the top for perfect views of the unusually colored rock that gives the canyon its name. Once you’ve done the loop you can climb down into the stream bed at the bottom. Bring a picnic lunch – it’s the perfect place.
Cameron Falls:
Cameron Falls is located right in Waterton, making it one of the most accessible natural attractions in the park. Take the short trail to the top of the waterfall for a dazzling view.
Akamina Parkway and Cameron Lake:
Take another short drive from Waterton, on a winding mountain road along the Cameron Valley to placid Cameron Lake. It’s the ideal spot for a picnic lunch and a refreshing paddle, then a stroll around the lake.
Ready to start planning your ROCKIES trip? Contact me to discuss!
