Jul 29, 2023 – Reflections on Banff National Park

When our friends Spencer and Lorraine pulled into the campground, Vivian and I had been in Banff National Park for an entire week. During that time, we did some hiking around the area, visited the town of Banff a few times, drove to Calgary to buy a spare leaf spring (and do laundry while we were at it) and simply enjoyed spending time around the campground. We were saving the best parts to share with our friends.

Where there are mountains, there are canyons. Considered to be one of the best hikes in Banff National Park, a relatively easy paved walking path in Johnston Canyon gives you incredible views of waterfalls and people viewing waterfalls. It is no wonder that it is one of the most popular sites in Banff National Park.

We intended to visit the canyon one late afternoon following the crowds, but instead, we drove into the 3/4 full parking lot at about 8:30 am. This was after we learned that our guided hike to Hidden Lake was cancelled. Our first full day of exploring Banff National Park with our friends commenced unexpectedly at Johnston Canyon which eased us into the crowds that prevail in these popular locations. While the canyon walls carved by Johnston Creek are an impressive display of the Rockies, it was how the park created an experience within the canyon for even the least likely person to get out and hike that impressed us the most.

Starting in a glacial valley, Johnston Creek flows eventually to a gorge known as Johnston Canyon. Then it empties into the Bow River between Banff and Lake Louise. The canyon is an impressive display of erosion that has created sheer canyon walls, waterfalls, tunnels and pools. A man-made bridge allows you to look straight down into the canyon, several dozen feet above the powerful water accelerating its way down the rocky inclines over boulders and trees, continually carving away at the walls of the canyon. Somewhere above us, the water escaped its icy tomb to fall over a rugged landscape and eventually entering the Bow River headwaters where it will continue a more gradual journey east to the prairie flatlands.   

Johnston Canyon was a good start in Banff, but for us, it could not live up to the alpine lakes of the Canadian Rockies. The next day, we drove out of Banff National Park to the adjacent Yoho National Park where a reserved shuttle awaited us to take us to Lake O’Hara. Without the reservation, one would need to walk seven miles on a gravel road up a grade until reaching the lake. The hike around the lake is about 3 miles, mostly easy but with some drop offs and inclines.

The initial view of Lake O’Hara was breathtaking – and then it just continued to get better. It did not matter in which direction the sun shone on the iridescent blue lake, because the mountains and trees received a perfect mirror image of themselves no matter the direction. The rocky details, even the shadowed parts are clearly drawn in the still water. No wind was there to interrupt the calm interlude between water and land. They came together and presented a symphony of noted colors, shapes and textures. Directed by the sun, blue and green tones played together on the water’s surface. See for yourself.

I’m going to interrupt this story of our beautiful hike around an idyllic alpine lake to share an experience that I would not wish upon anyone. Bear spray is carried by almost everyone walking about the national parks. It’s as much a staple as a bottle of water. On our way back to our shuttle bus along with a dozen others, someone’s bear spray accidentally went off as he was walking up the bus steps with his toddler son in hand. Fortunately for me, Vivian, Lorraine and Spencer, we were back far enough to mostly escape the sharp fumes that were now causing distress among the man’s wife and two children, as well as the bus driver.

On our way back to the campground, we took a detour to see Takakkaw Falls as recommended by our Canadian friends. They warned us of the road with several hairpin turns leading up the falls, so we made Spencer drive his shorter truck. Good thing we did because this is what we encountered on the way up.

And again on the way down.

But it was worth it.

The next day, we drove an hour to the Lake Louise Resort parking lot where another reserved shuttle awaited us. This time, it was to take us to Moraine Lake and afterwards the infamous Lake Louise. By 9 am, crowds were already forming around Moraine Lake, some preparing to venture out on the water with bright red canoes, some climbing up the Rockpile for a classic selfie view of the lake surrounded by peaks. From there, we continued hiking along Moraine’s western shoreline.

The sun had barely begun to appear from behind a tall peak, still shadowed but yet reflecting on the clear water. The sun does not demonstrate its full power on the mountains all at once, only a portion will receive its glow. Little by little as we walked the shoreline, the sun turned to face the mountains and the water below danced with joy as it wrapped itself with the likeness of the mountain. The water represents the mountain, it knows the mountain – every contour, crack, tree, color – every part of it is given away to the brilliant hues and tones of the translucent water. Only the shoreline, bejeweled with small rocks and an occasional downed tree interrupts the watery mountainscape.

The crowds in Banff were relentless, but we knew that before we got there and prepared accordingly. Despite the crowds, including the rule breakers among them, the experiences you have in Banff National Park transcends way beyond any frustrations or inconveniences that come with those crowds. This place is so vast that you could wander away from them if you are the type of person who can do so. But even if you cannot escape the crowds completely, the Canadian Rockies are so commanding that no matter how hard you try, you will never experience them enough.

RV Tip

Preparing to cross into Canada caused us a little bit of stress, but it really should not have. Simply do your research. If you are fulltime like us, everything you own is in your rig. That means you’ll have to find another place to store your firearms and you’ll have to remove most if not all fresh fruits and vegetables and certain meats (frozen or or not), and whittle down your alcoholic beverages. There is a bit of confusion on what foods can and cannot cross the border, but don’t get frustrated by that, it can change from season to season. To be safe, we removed all fresh foods and frozen meats. All that to answer a few questions truthfully and we were on our way. Will border patrol inspect your RV for items of interest? Possibly, yes. Stayed tuned because that is another story for another day.