Lake Louise
Travel Notes
We traveled to Banff and Lake Louise with our friends Debbie and David, beginning the day after Labor Day. The park, said to be Canada’s busiest, was quiet. Apparently the just missed the crowds.
From Wikipedia (edited):
Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, is mountainous, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. The Icefields Parkway extends from Lake Louise, connecting to Jasper National Park in the north. Provincial forests and Yoho National Park are neighbours to the west, while Kootenay National Park is located to the south and Kananaskis Country to the southeast. The main commercial centre of the park is the town of Banff, in the Bow River valley.
Below are our travel notes:
We flew into Calgary, where we met Debbie and David. We used Alamo (via Hotwire) which was fast and flawless. For some reason, our GPS was painfully slow in finding us, but after about 15 minutes, it finally figured out where we were.
The drive to Banff is spectacular. Calgary is on the plains, and the Canadian Rockies are barely visible in the distance. But after 15-20 minutes, they appear on the horizon, looming impossibly large. It took us just over an hour to reach Canfield, our rented apartment.
Apartment: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1495142
This condo was perfect in every way! Location: a few minutes from the center of Canmore, easy to park with a dedicated indoor parking space; stunning views of the mountains; ample room for two couples; complete kitchen; and nicely furnished. It’s close to the highway, supermarket, and liquor store.
We hiked most of the short walks, and many intermediate hikes. Our favorites:
Lake Louise trail
Lake Agnes Teahouse hike
Hoodoo Trail
Ink Pots
Trails: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/brochures.aspx
