With a busy schedule at work and at home, we were so ready for a getaway! We flew to Calgary for a long 4 day weekend to check out the most beautiful national park in Canada – Banff National Park. Here are some highlights.
1. Moraine lake is probably one of the most visited lakes in Banff. I can see why. Its gorgeous turquoise water is mesmerizing. The first time we went there, it was cloudy and rainy. So we decided to come back when the sun was up, but so was the number of visitors. We thought we would need bear spray before the trip but what we really needed was people spray instead 🙂 I didn’t expect October to be this packed. A short hike to what looks like a pile of giant rocks leads to a stunning view of the lake.
2. Lake Louise is another popular stop.
A two mile hike to lake Agnes starts from lake Louise. The trail is only 2 mi but it’s all uphill and the altitude makes it pretty difficult. We were huffing and puffing like two old ladies. During the hike, you get glimpses of the turquoise water of the lake through the canopy of evergreens.
The best part of the hike is the tea house at the end of the trail. They have no electricity or running water, but they manage to serve a large variety of teas, soup with homemade bread, some pastries and sandwiches. It’s a nice break before heading back down. Highly recommended.
After a full day of hiking and in near freezing temperatures, it was nice to relax in the hot water at Banff Upper Hot Springs.
On the way back we checked out the gondola in Lake Louise. We were starving by the time we got up the mountain. We had an amazing lunch at the Whitehorn Bistro on top of the mountain.
3. Bow Pass has a nice view of Peyto lake. It’s a 3 min walk from the upper handicap and bus parking lot or 1 mi from the lower regular parking lot. We were there after sunset so we used the upper lot to quickly run to the viewpoint as it was freezing outside.
We are not the type of travelers to stay 4 days in one place, so we visited Jasper and Yoho National Parks as well 🙂 Coming soon!
