Banff

I spent about a week there, and I could have spent a lot longer. Much longer. Didn't have enough time to drive up to Jasper or through the Icefields Parkway (rated one of the top drives in the world!) so definitely want to come back. 

The pictures above are from Lake Louise, which is one of the most famous/touristy lakes there! For good reason - it is SO pretty. The water is so blue. There are so many hikes around there, and a well-known hotel right next to it called Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which was quite pricey so we didn't stay there, but it was mentioned in many blogs I read before going. 

We did the hike up to the Lake Agnes Tea House, which is a cute little tea house that is accessible only by hiking in and out, so staff have to make that trek every day to run it. It was so cute and so worth it. We got tea biscuits and jam, and also some hot cocoa I think. There was a long line when we got there of other fellow hikers making the trek. 

After that we continued on to The Plain of Six Glaciers trail, which was a beautiful winding hike up to some pretty stunning glacier valleys. It was a little smoky when we were there because of nearby fires during that season. Still pretty. It was such an enjoyable hike. Not a lot of people made it all the way up, so it was nice to have a solitary moment at the end of the trail, surrounded by these huge, beautiful mountain cliffs carved by glaciers. 

Coming back down, we made our way through some foresty areas, and finally back to Lake Louise, where the beautiful, stunning blue made its appearance through the trees.

Next stop was Moraine Lake, an equally stunning lake. Didn't get to spend as much time here since we spent so much time at Lake Louise, but got to walk around a little. Met an angry chipmunk who chittered at me quite aggressively. So, so, so, so, so, so pretty. I can't emphasize that enough.

Went horseback riding along Bow River! Also a beautiful blue. It was everywhere. Every so often, the horses would dip their head down to eat, which we were instructed to yank up on the reins when they did, because they weren't allowed to eat along the way. My arm strength was minimal, so my horse snuck in a lot of extra food along the way. 

Made it to the Natural Bridge, in Yoho National Park, a beautiful and interesting geological rock formation created by the powerful Kicking Horse River.

Witnessed Takakkaw Falls from afar, a giant waterfall cascading out of the cliffside in Yoho National Park. Second-tallest waterfall in Canada! Glacier-fed. Awe-inspiring. 

Peyto Lake is a beautiful turquoise lake in the shape of a wolf's head. Very cool. We hiked up to a secluded look-out point, that included walking through lots of greenery and passing by TONS of mushrooms along the trail. So. Many. Mushrooms. I don't think I've ever taken more photos of mushrooms than I did in those few hours. 

Nearby was Bow Lake. Didn't spent tons of time here, but it was very pretty and serene. 

Okay, I'm not usually a big food person, but this might have been one of the best and most unique meals I've ever had. Was recommended a restaurant named Sauvage which featured a delicious, elegant, foraged tasting menu. It was delightful both on the eyes and tastebuds. Highly recommend. They also gave us a packet of wildflower seeds to take home and scatter, which I really loved. 

Went to Johnston Canyon, both the Lower and Upper Falls! Beautiful, both. I enjoyed the hike up, and though I didn't love the railing all the way up, I understood why they put it there. A beautiful blue coloring to the water, as with most of the bodies of water in Banff. 

For a couple nights, we stayed at the Sunshine Mountain Lodge, and I LOVED it. It was tucked away on a mountain top, accessible only by gondola. There was another Gondola at the resort which took you further up the mountain where there were several trails. It was so peaceful, cozy, and just overall lovely. 

This might have been my favorite parts of the trip (among so many others to choose from). Canoeing on Bow River. Oh my God, it was just so wonderful. Beautiful, peaceful, fun, relaxing, just enough activity to be enjoyable, and chill enough to be almost meditative. Couldn't recommend enough. Thanks, Banff Canoe Club! We also saw a plethora of small wildlife along the way - fish, birds, and something that looked like an otter but wasn't an otter. Poor thing was swimming furiously away from us as we tried to get a little closer to look at it (we couldn't paddle that fast).

Finished out the trip with a failed attempt to find a hot spring hike called Mist Mountain Hot Springs. I was really sad we didn't make it, and looking back it was comical how much went wrong that day and how much it cost time- and money-wise for an unsuccessful journey (wasn't funny to me at the time). Started off in Banff for a last meal I think, then drove to Canmore to get some bear spray, and then got stuck in this giant traffic jam due to the train lines shutting down in town and blocking all roads in and out. When we finally got out on to the highway hours later, we were sprinting against the sun, and it was a 1.5 hour drive to get to a several-hour hike. Had to purchase a pass to get into the area, and when we finally arrived at what I thought was the right entrance, we started hiking down the wrong path (they were all vague entry ways into forested area). Anyway, eventually realized we were going the wrong way (it was a very overgrown path of forest that definitely was not the right trail), and by that time the sun was setting and we wouldn't have had time to hike up with enough light, make it down, and make it to our flight (hours-drive away). Oh well. Look up the hike online, the hot springs nestled in the mountains are supposedly very pretty and cool, but I'll probably never find out for myself. 

What a beautiful place to exist on earth, Banff. Stay beautiful. 

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