Tag Archives: banff

#3 Johnston Canyon – Up Close

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It’s not often you can reach out and touch the  upper part of a waterfall as it cascades below.  You can almost do that at Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park in Canada.  There is a rock tunnel (for lack of a better word) that brings you breathtakingly close to the waterfall.  Brendan at Johnston Canyon Resort told me that it’s believed nature created a big indentation in the rock  and a pioneer  bore a hole through it, creating a small viewing area.  It offers a spectacular view of the lower waterfall which drops about forty feet.  You’ll get drenched by the mist of the waterfall and the roar of the rushing water sends a clear message from Mother Nature about who’s boss.

There is an easy twenty minute hike on a paved walkway to the lower fall and for the more serious hiker, you can venture further on to the upper fall.   That hike will take about two hours roundtrip I am told.

Unless you’re into ice climbing you might want to wait until late spring of summer to visit.  Alberta’s frigid temperatures ice over  the lower falls.

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#2. Jasper – where the moose (or is it meese?) come out at night

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It’s always nice to see wildlife on a hike.  If you come from the city like me, you will be amazed at the wildlife in Jasper, especially moose sightings. They can be viewed during the day but they really come out once the sun goes down.  I stayed at the Fairmont Jasper in Banff National Park and sure enough they came walking down the road, snacking on grass right in front of my room! I couldn’t believe it. (Fairmont didn’t pay me to write this – I paid full freight)

There is a fantastic lake at the hotel and it’s a nice walk around.  The lake is also a water source for the area so there’s no swimming allowed, but you can kayak and canoe, which is also nice.  There are great walks all around this area. It’s spectacular.

You will also see a fair amount of deer and mountain goats – all you have to do is look.

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Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

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How many beautiful walks are there in Canada’s Banff National Park? Too many to fit in a single blog entry! The best I can do is tell you about my favorites … and there are many.  Instead of overdosing you on all of them, I am going to roll them out one at a time.

Drum roll please…

#1 The Crystal Waters of Lake Louise

Lake Louise is one of the most popular spots in Banff National Park and for that reason, you will have plenty of company on your visit. But who cares – the blue waters of this glacial lake in the mountains are picture perfect and offer an authentic alpine experience.  The Fairmont has a resort on the lake but it is open to the public.  There is a nice walk alongside the lake that is truly pleasant. You can hike further to a teahouse, about a four and a half mile walk.

This is a  big ski area – I visited in the summer and the weather was stunning. Clear and cool.

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Filed under Banff National Park, WorldsBestWalks