On the Road Again - Part 2 to Banff Canada

Part 2 of our fall trip took us from Glacier National Park into the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park. The entry went smoothly into Canada through customs at Roosvelt Canada. We drove north along the Canadian Rockies which are amazing! They appear more majestic than the U.S. Rockies, so I googled “Canadian Rockies” and found interesting info on Wikipedia. The Canadian Rockies are more glaciated than the American Rockies, resulting in sharply pointed mountains separated by wide, U-shaped valleys created by the glaciers. The American Rockies are more rounded, with V-shaped valleys carved by rivers. Canada has larger rivers and more glaciers, and the tree line is lower than in the U.S. mountains. We definitely enjoyed the scenery along Trans Canada Hwy 1 as we headed north.

We rented a lovely VRBO condo in Canmore which is south of the town of Banff. After very long lines at Safeway and limited inventory on some items like hamburger, we settled in for the night to a spaghetti dinner and unpacking. 

The next morning, we were up early to head to Lake Louise. I was a bit stressed about parking in the town of Banff, but luckily there were plenty of free spots at the train station. It was an easy walk to the Banff High School Transit Center where we picked up a shuttle bus to Lake Louise. With advice from a friend, we had bought shuttle tickets the month before and the shuttle system worked smoothly. The weather had gotten colder but we were prepared with layers to keep us warm in the 30- and 40-degree weather.

We enjoyed two beautiful blue lakes that day – Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. From Lake Louise a second bus took us to Moraine Lake. There we took a short climb to the top of the Rockpile – which literally looks like a pile of rocks – for a spectacular view of Moraine Lake with reflections of the mountains in the calm blue water. We hiked along the lake before returning to Lake Louise. After a chilly lunch in the bus shelter, we hiked along the shore of Lake Louise to the far end of the lake. It was a wonderful hike with views of the lake, mountains, and glaciers in the distance. Both lakes are fed by glaciers and are a beautiful turquoise color due to the rock flour carried by the meltwater. The lakes attract up to 15,000 visitors a day in summer!

View of Moraine Lake from a top the Rockpile

On the shore of Lake Louise

The next day was 34 degrees with rain forecasted, so we adjusted our plans and headed to the town of Banff. First stop - the Cave and Basin National Historic Site which was a delightful experience that wasn’t high on our list of Banff areas to explore. It combined history, hiking, and nature. We learned about the cave and natural thermal mineral springs that were found in the 1880’s and led to the creation of the first national park in Canada. The site also had a small Interment Museum on the people who were held in Canada during WW1, as well as a boardwalk along the marsh that was created by the hot springs. Driving back into town, we stopped at the Bow River and Falls, and saw the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Banff Gondola in the distance. We had lunch at Three Bears Brewing and shopped in the many cute stores in downtown Banff.

Cave & Basin Visitor Center with the thermal springs pool in the foreground

The boardwalk over the thermal streams and along the marsh

Paul & Leslie relaxing on the red chairs that are found throughout the Canadian parks

Bow Falls with the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in the distance

Our final day in Banff was spent driving north on the Icefields Parkway, north of Lake Louise. That drive is a must-see when visiting Banff. We were treated to spectacular views of the mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls! Along the way, we stopped at the Columbia Falls Tent Campground to have our picnic lunch. Not too many campers in late September, so we picked a spot with a picnic table and enjoyed the warmer temperatures. We also met a young family from Fort Smith in the Northwest Territory. Due to the smoke from the wildfires and lack of groceries in their town they were traveling and camping for a few weeks. Below are a few of the highlights from the Icefields Parkway drive:

Bow Lake – a half mile hike provided a great view of the lake, waterfalls, and glacier. It also had a coffee shop, so we enjoyed hot chocolate, coffee, and pastries after our walk.

Peyto Lake – a short but steep trail leads to the overlook with beautiful views of the lake and glacier.

Mistaya Canyon – a short .3-mile path down an old roadbed led to the canyon. The river has cut through the limestone to create a deep canyon with water rushing through it!

Columbia Icefield – just inside Jasper National Park this area has 6 major glaciers. We took a steep path to near the foot of the Athabasca Glacier to get an up-close look. It is crazy and sad how fast it is receding – 5 meters per year.

Back in Canmore we forewent cooking dinner and had a wonderful meal at Tank310, a restaurant above the Grizzly Paw Taproom.

Alas, it was time to head home the next day. We stopped for breakfast at Phil’s Restaurant in Calgary, a classic diner with all the basic breakfast foods. We learned about chubbies - patties of pork (think breakfast sausage), hamburger or chicken which came with the egg meals. We stayed in Moose Jaw for the night. Of course, we had to take pictures of Mac the Moose, a large statue near our hotel, especially since my Steve has been “Moose” since college. This area of Saskatchewan also has many saltwater lakes. Sodium sulphate is mined in the area, and we could see huge white piles of salt from the highway.

Windy lunch break at a rest stop in Saskatchewan

Mac the Moose in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan

The next morning as we headed to the U.S via Fortuna, North Dakota we saw many oil pumps. I discovered that North Dakota ranks third in the nation for crude oil reserves and production. In our quest to avoid nonstop driving days, we had one more attraction to see before arriving back in Minnesota. We stopped at the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Steve and I had visited the South Unit but had not been north. The north section of the park is more compact with a beautiful twist and turn scenic drive through the badlands. There are two resident bison who often hang out at the entrance sign. We enjoyed talking with the rangers about the morons who get too close to the animals in a quest for the best picture! We drove along the 14 mile scenic route and stopped at several scenic overlooks.

Cannonball Concretions – round rocks formed like pearls in the butte.

Riverbend Overlook – provides a panoramic view of the North Unit, with a stone shelter build by the Civilian Conservation Corps which stands at the edge of the butte.

Paul photobombing my pic of Fred & Vicki

Oxbow Overlook – at the end of the scenic road this spot has beautiful views of the Little Missouri River and the valley.

Bison wandering along the road (pic taken from the safety of our car!)

After a night in Bismark, North Dakota the last day of our trip was spent on the road with just necessary stops. This was another wonderful trip with great friends, experiencing so many amazing sites and beautiful country! On to planning the next trip! 

But for now, it is nice to be home and sleeping in our own beds.

References:

Canadian Rockies - Wikipediea