Banff NP
Banff NP is the most known, visited and crowded national park in Canada for very good reasons. Most iconic places are in this park and are often easily accessible, Banff is an heaven for tourists and an ideal hub to reach every destination, Lake Louise is the most photographed place in the country, the Icefields Parkway is worth a trip on its own, both Summer and Winter offer plenty to do… and it just takes a pleasant one hour drive to reach the park’s gate from Calgary. All considered, to spend some time in the park is a must for everyone, even locals, but for a better experience it requires serious planning.
My original plan was to avoid tourist traps, choose less crowded options or proper times when in the iconic places and be flexible since I had almost an entire week at my disposal not being on a tour. Unfortunately once I got to Banff I also had to take into account the Verdant Creek wildfire which made impossible to reach a couple of chosen destinations; it also spread its smoke in the Bow Valley ruining the views and affecting air quality while I was there so that a couple of rainy days were considered a bless.
In the end I was able to at least see almost everything on my list, the only regret not being able to go in the Mount Assiniboine area which was completely evacuated days before my arrival and still closed when I left. Apart from that, exploring Banff NP delivered a lot of unforgettable moments and I must say its fame is well deserved.
Below is a little recap of the main areas of the park I did visit while there, excluding the Southern part of the Icefields Parkway since I drove it after visiting other national parks and will be treated in a separate post.
Banff town area
Banff is a nice little town, nothing to say, crawling with tourists; the main scope seems to be to provide them all the amenities and services required, so it may be not for everyone, especially if you like to explore away from crowds. Nevertheless it is a good base for exploring Banff NP and there’s a lot to do in the town itself or at a close walking distance.
Main attractions are the gondola for the views, which I avoided completely given the smoky or rainy days; Vermillion Lakes and Mt. Norquay for great views of the town with Mt. Rundle in the background; the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the birthplace of Canada’s national parks; dozens of easy walks and trails all around town and up to the summit of Tunnel Mt.; the hot springs for a relaxing evening after a hiking day.
Because of the rain I also decided to visit the museums in town and I have to say both are really well managed and provide a lot of historical information. I recommend a visit to first timers before delving into the national park itself if time is not an issue.
Lake Minnewanka
Close to Banff is one of the biggest lakes in the Rockies; Lake Minnewanka. It has something for everybody since it is possible to take a cruise around the lake, hike following the shoreline and beyond when bears are not in the area, or just enjoy a sunny day (with the crowds).
I have decided to go hiking along the shoreline which was a pleasant long stroll and great for wildlife spotting since there I took a lot of the pictures seen in my previous post about wildlife.
Sunshine Meadows
Sunshine Village is well known among winter sports enthusiasts, but is lately gaining a good reputation as a Summer hiking destination too. It is usually reached via a gondola ride and offer easy hikes since in the meadows elevation gains are never extreme. During late July and August wild flowers are in full blossom and are probably the best feature together with Rock Isle.
Unfortunately it is really close to Verdant Creek so the wildfire there was always a major issue and limited my time and possibilities in the area, but I don’t regret the decision of going anyway since I still enjoyed my time and was always safe.
Bow Valley Parkway
Banff and Lake Louise are connected by the Trans-Canada Highway but, having time, it is way better to use the old road and enjoy the scenery featuring the famous Castle Mt. On the way there’s also the popular Johnston Canyon, which is a must see but can become an awful experience if not timed correctly because of the crowds. If travelling early in the morning or late in the evening, the Bow Valley is also a great spot to see wildlife, but it requires extra attention since animal are usually found directly on the road.
I usually took this road when moving in the area, so I enjoyed it at different times. My visit at Johnston Canyon instead was in the evening, after 6 pm, which was perfect to cool off after a hot day and only a few people were still around. I also managed to find and enjoy the “not so secret spot” along the trail with just another small group around so it was a really great way to end the day.
Lake Louise area
Picture wise, the most famous locations in the park are found in Lake Louise or nearby. To beat the crowds is a must since everyone will stop here even for just an hour to enjoy the scenery and some pictures, but there are also a lot of long and strenuous hikes to be enjoyed where a lot people will never be seen. Furthermore the best time to visit most of the places is early in the morning because of the incredible lights at sunrise, so once you leave the parking lots at the proper time and start exploring, it may become one of the best experiences of the trip.
I spent two days there, the first one hiking from the shores of Lake Louise to Lake Agnes, then up to the top of the Big Beehive then down and up again in the Valley of the Six Glaciers before heading back along the shoreline. It was probably the longest hike of my trip and one of the best for sure. Starting early in the morning and spending a full day on the trails, I didn’t even notice the crowds probably in the area.
On my second day, after a photo session at dawn from the Rock Pile for the iconic “20$ dollar bills” view, I explored Moraine Lake and its surroundings relaxing a little after the previous day fatigues. It was probably one of the best days overall and Moraine Lake was my favourite for sure.
