It has been a wonderful summer not to be in Pennsylvania. Weatherwise anyway. Yes, I miss my friends and unlike last summer when the house was usually full of family, this year it’s been just the two of us. But the compensation has been looking out onto the blue waters and green mountainside here in Idaho and being able to be outside and enjoy the beauty. The cool, damp spring didn’t yield to summer until much later than usual, resulting in plentiful lake water levels and green hillsides even now in August. We have had some temps in the upper 90’s, but with 20% humidity it cools off nicely in the evening and really isn’t uncomfortable in the shade, especially down by the water. I am blessed to have the opportunity to be here.

But we did get away to explore some of the other splendors of the northwest. The Canadian Rockies have been on our travel wish list for a while, so now that the border is open, we took the opportunity to head 100 miles north to the Canadian border and beyond. A few logistical thigs to keep in mind. To go to Canada you need a passport and proof of Covid vaccination. They have a website and even an app that lays out the requirements and allows you to upload your documents. I filled it out and printed the confirmation with the barcode and we were through the border about a minute after handing that and our passports to the border agent. The website says this is required but judging by how slowly the cars and trucks ahead of us moved through the border I am guessing that most people didn’t use it.

Banff National Park is huge, over 2,500 square miles and is one of four adjacent national parks in the Canadian Rockies. In three full days we only hit the highlights of the southern part of the park. There is a lot more to see, especially if you have the time to go all the way up Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park which is even bigger.

While I am hardly an expert, in the last few years we have visited several US parks including Grand Teton and Yellowstone- a few observations on the differences between US and Canadian National Parks.

1. Less controlled pay gates. If you drive from Jackson Hole WY to Yellowstone, you pass through Grand Teton NP and must stop and buy entry passes for each park or an annual or lifetime pass. You don’t get past the gate otherwise. In Canada, the Trans Canada highway passes through several parks and you have the option to just drive on through. We stopped at the entrance of Kootenay National Park, the first NP we came through and bought an annual pass. As the highway entered Banff NP there were stations to stop and buy entrance passes but otherwise you just drive on past. When getting off the highway and heading to the various park sites and trail heads there were no pay gates. Plenty of signs saying you must buy a pass but we didn’t observe any one checking. Imagine that in the US!
2. No big visitor center, no exit through the gift shop. We were looking for some swag and never found any. In a couple of the big park hubs there were a couple of rangers under an awning to answer questions. The internet is your friend, if you have signal, which in many places you won’t. Check out the park websites in advance. For hiking I use alltrails.com to find trails and directions- you can also download trail maps for offline use.
3. Less people, more glaciers. While hardly deserted, there are less people than major US parks. Glacier National Park in the US with its 30 some glaciers is supposedly beautiful, we have never been. You now have to make a reservation to traverse the road through the park. It was booked weeks out when I checked. Banff National Park has around 1,000 glaciers and other than a few crowded spots noted below, you can see whatever you want.

We stayed in Canmore, Alberta about 15-20 minutes from Banff town. Banff town is loaded with hotels, restaurants, shops, and people. Canmore has the first 3 with less people, less traffic and less cost. Since cars don’t have to line up at the park entrance like at US parks driving in is a breeze. Although a car is not necessary- there is a bus system that can take you almost anywhere, and some places where it is the most practical option.

 We arrived in Canmore after a lovely 6 ½ hour drive through the mountains. Priority one for our first full day was getting the slow leak in a tire fixed. We were able to make a late afternoon appointment, pumped it full and headed off to the park to hike Johnston Canyon. This is a popular trail, but a good percentage of hikers don’t go past the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls.

The next day was Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, the most photographed area of the park and one of the most difficult to get to. Do not just drive up thinking you will stroll up to some of the most beautiful viewpoints in the world. Research your options as they change depending on the time of year and as the park and transit systems attempt to adapt to demand.

Moraine Lake is a jewel box of a lake nestled in the mountains about 15 minutes up a steep twisty road from Lake Louise. You may not know the name, but you have likely seen the pictures. To see it you hike up the Rockpile Trail (exactly what the name implies) from the parking area. The very small, parking area, which fills up by 5AM. A better option is to take transit. We took the Roam bus from Canmore to Lake Louise with a day pass that gets you access to the Parks Canada Lake Connection shuttle to Moraine Lake. Check out the various reservation options, those were new when we were there and we heard they are working on improving it.

Lake Louise and the Chateau that bears its name is likely the most famous spot in the park. If you can, take one of the trails that gets you away from the crowd by the lakeshore for a better experience. It is amazing the difference even half a mile makes. There are lots of hikes in this area. We hiked up to Lake Agnes tea house. Somehow after hiking 2 miles up, the last thing I was interested in was waiting in a long line for tea and cookies, but lots of people do.

For our last full day we had lots of choices, but based on advice from one of the Park guides we hiked the Tunnel mountain trail. Despite the name there is no tunnel. It is a steep trail but there are great views from the top.

We also took a look around the Fairmont Banff Springs resort

Would I stay here? Maybe. It is a lovely facility and hanging out on that patio seems like a great way to rest up from a day of hiking. But if I had to guess, the clientele leans more toward golf than hiking as an outdoor activity. And it is not within walking distance of the restaurants and shops of Banff town. We enjoyed being able to walk from our hotel to downtown Canmore. Regardless of your travel style, whether you enjoy plopping yourself at a luxury resort, being in the hustle and bustle of Banff town or the more relaxed vibe of Canmore there are plenty of options for anyone who enjoys the chance to experience some of the loveliest scenery in the world.

Food and Drink

Restaurants, Breweries and Distilleries abound, here are a few to consider

Tank 310 in Canmore is the restaurant at Grizzly Paw Brewing – food and beer both good in a nice setting with a view. the brewery has an additional location downtown.

Canmore Brewing is low key; good beer with a sense of humor.

Sheepdog Brewing, in Canmore has good beer in a industrial setting.

Blake Brewery and Distillery in Canmore has good food and plentiful beverages in a converted garage.

Three Bears Brewing and Restaurant in Banff is brand new. Good food in a really nice setting. It is popular, and Banff is crowded, so consider making a reservation.

Coming Up: Iceland and Greenland- stay tuned for our next adventure!