This is SUCH a BEAUTIFUL and rather easy hike, a lot more peaceful than the rest of the hikes in…read moreBanff (I'm looking at you, Lake Louise). If you're staying at Sunshine Village (the hotel), you MUST do this hike because the lift ticket to the top of the mountain is included in your hotel booking PLUS you're already halfway up the mountain. If you're not staying at a hotel, I believe you can buy a ticket from Banff that includes bus, gondola, and lift. It's actually a pretty popular hike, so come early in the morning when the lift opens at 8:30am to get the place to yourself. You basically start at the top of the mountain and work your way down to the alpine lakes after the Standish viewpoint where you can see all the trails and lakes. The trails are very clearly marked so there's no way you'll get lost :) Standish viewing deck has a view of the 3 lakes and is GORGEOUS. Rock Isle Lake is the most picturesque. Simpson viewpoint has a breathtaking view of the rockies. There's a lot of small wildlife in the area and once in awhile a black bear or grizzly sighting.. chances are slim, but just in case make a lot of noise and travel in packs! Definitely some flies and mosquitoes in the area but it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be (and I normally get eaten alive) so I guess it really depends on time of day and year. Take care of the wildflowers and preserve the area by not stepping off trail and taking out what you bring in :) Sometimes certain trails aren't open due to weather/snow still melting. So to avoid disappointment, do your research before coming here!

My hike at Sunshine Meadows was the perfect capstone to my Rockies vacation. The gondola and…read morechairlift rides were smooth, efficient, and scenic. The staff were available to answer questions exactly where you needed them to be. The views were out of this world. I wish I could have spent all day sitting on the observation deck. Fantastic!

Bow Lake is one of the MUST-DO stops along famed Icefields Parkway. It's located right off the side…read moreof the road, 37 kilometers (or 23 miles) north of the Lake Louise area. And...it's situated just past Crowfoot Glacier. So...if you do stop at Crowfoot Glacier, be prepared to immediately stop again here at Bow Lake. Interestingly, I found Crowfoot Glacier to be absolutely wonderful, in terms of the incredible snowcapped setting from a quick pullover perspective. Now...here at Bow Lake, you still receive those wondrous snowcapped mountain viewpoints...but I had anticipations that the lake would be colorful and turquoise green/blue...and that was not the case, which disappointed me a little because of my sky high expectations. Yet...looking back at my photos and reflecting...I still have to give Bow Lake 5 stars no matter what! The scenery here would put many other lakes to shame throughout the world! The atmosphere was beautiful. It's just...this whole area in and around Lake Louise, even further south in Banff and just being along Icefields Parkway offered many glorious moments being in nature...I think I got spoiled by it all! Lol. I had this unblemished, postcard image in my head of Bow Lake, especially since there was fresh snow and ice floating in the water. So, when I didn't view any coloring to it (which would have been the pinnacle of it all!), it still remained terrific regardless of a slight letdown I may have had. A little north from Bow Lake is stunningly magnificent Peyto Lake. And...Peyto Lake has a short walk to a viewpoint (less than 1 mile) where you're standing "above it all" and it's there....where you'll discover those incredibly turquoise green waters. Now, lol, I know I'm being critical but, I do want to mention a few factors about maybe why, the waters weren't turquoise at Bow Lake... I visited back in late afternoon time and with the position of the sun in the sky...the surroundings weren't ideal for picture taking. My face was shadowy, which I'm trying to say that I was looking into the sun. I believe now thinking back...I would have been better served coming here in the morning time. This way, the sun could be at my back and help lighten up the backdrop and possibly offer that colorful effect into the waters. Another factor... Coming to Bow Lake, all you have to do is pull into the parking lot and walk a short distance to the edge of the waters. It's simple. But, now being nit picky about my exploring, lol...I think Bow Lake could have been perfect if I viewed it from an overlook perspective, where I'm looking down on the landscape. I find (in my travels) that seeing something at eye level doesn't always do justice. I guess maybe that's why they created gondolas and sky trams? Another element was...since it was already late in the day bordering on early evening, maybe I never gave myself enough exploring time around the lake to find those colorful perspectives. I think, just, when you compare Bow Lake to Peyto Lake, the comparisons much favored Peyto Lake, in my eyes. Ultimately, while writing this...Bow Lake is still fantastic and very, very worthwhile for stopping at while driving Icefields Parkway. Some last extras... - Here at Bow Lake, you can start the trailhead for Bow Glacier Falls - a 9 kilometer roundtrip hike that was recommended by other tourists. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to hike it. - I used 20 - 25 minutes to casually walk over to Bow Lake's edge and admire the views. There's nothing like taking in sights of snowcapped mountains among nature. - Make sure to stop at Crowfoot Glacier before you arrive here...and stop at Peyto Lake once you leave here. - This section of Icefields Parkway is probably the most scenic you'll find along the journey from downtown Lake Louise north to Jasper...and vice versa. - Remember, if you can...visit here in the morning time. - Lastly, I came to Bow Lake in the middle of June, 2022...and the conditions were perfect outside without rain or wind. Also, there weren't many tourists around for the season yet, so I'm glad I got a head start seeing the popular attractions without all the congestion. Alright, well, this is Bow Lake, located along Icefields Parkway within the Lake Louise area of Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Beautiful and scenic stop along the Highway of the lake. Amazing blue colour that is so clear and…read morereflective of the mountains and tree. The mountains in the background with snow peaks adds to the majestic view. Definitely a great stop to take photos that's quick and easy.

This was my favorite spot in Banff one because it is pretty close to the city, about 5min drive…read morefrom Banff and second it is almost always empty. Banff can get very crowded and touristy and if you need to take a break from all of that and relax just by yourself, this is the place to be. This place is very quaint and tranquil and you'll also find some wildflife (deer) nearby. Drive all the way to the very end until you reach the last pier. Just sitting by the lake and watching the water move overlooking the mountains, can't beat the view. You can also spot the train going through the forests. It's just perfect. I could spend the whole day there.

Scenic and peaceful spot just outside of Banff. Great for kayaking or SUP; water is very calm. It's…read morelocated right alongside the biking trail and is a nice change of pace.

I must talk about this hidden, under the radar gem of a waterfall called...Silverton Falls!…read more Most visitors and tourists coming to Banff and the Lake Louise area pass this easy hiking trail to a triple cascading waterfall behind, in favor of much more popular Johnston Canyon Falls. But...do not sleep on Silverton Falls! During my 2nd visit to the Canadian Rockies this summer, I was looking for extra sights and attractions to explore upon and Silverton Falls perfectly fit the bill! Lets get to it!.... Unless you're specifically searching for it, Silverton Falls can be missed. It's located along Bow Valley Parkway 28 kilometers south of Lake Louise but just 6 kilometers north of Johnston Canyon. When driving, make a turn into the Rockbound Lake Trail Parking Lot. Yesterday when I came by, the parking was almost full with maybe 15 total spots available. I grabbed the last one, fortunately. Now, it's not just Silverton Falls that can be explored in this part of Banff NP. At the trailhead, you can also gain access to hikes for.... - Tower Lake - 7.5 km - Rockbound Lake - 8.4km Although I'm not familiar with those trails, the setting here is among a beautiful forest with green trees, really a calming and therapeutic walk among nature. And all it takes to arrive at Silverton Falls is just 0.9 kilometers! Granted, the last portion of the way is mostly uphill, still, it's overall very simple and a huge success to capture such a terrific looking waterfall without having to work hard and exert energy. My only drawback (if you could call it one) is the size of the overlook observation point. It's very small. So, with a few hikers here wanting to grab their best photos, people had to rotate around affording everyone an opportunity for their special moment. For instance, during my first view I grabbed photos for a few seconds. Next chance I got...I recorded videos. Then finally for my 3rd go-round, lol, I asked a stranger to take my picture, which at about 12pm was ideal having the sun reflecting brightly upon the falls. In total, I had 10 brief minutes to see Silverton Falls. Eventually there were just too many hikers coming along and the pathway at the peak is extremely narrow to fit a crowd. But, I got fulfilling enough time in before returning back towards the trailhead parking lot. Here are my lasting impressions.... For the few glimpses I got at the viewpoint, I was dazzled by 50 meters high Silverton Falls. And especially, not one person ever mentions it...even when I'm overhearing conversations with guests and park rangers at the Visitor Center. Granted, ya know, there are the prime highlights like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, etc...but...for a quick and convenient little side-trip, Silverton Falls is a winning attraction!

The lake is just gorgeous!!! I know there are many beautiful lakes around here, but this one is…read moresimply iconic We decided to take the hike up to the Agnes teahouse and had some amazing views of this lake along the way. I do want to specifically mention a couple things regarding this hike as many people start off doing this from the Fairmont. It is 3.6 km or approximately 2.2 miles to the teahouse. The way out is completely uphill and you will gain an elevation of 1300 feet. It is a serious hike, I would highly recommend you have some hiking shoes on as you navigate potentially loose gravel, and slick rocks. You will also come up on mirror Lake. There are several areas along the way to stop and rest to sit on a rock or a log. There is a two story staircase as the final elevation to get to the teahouse. We arrived around 1 PM and they said the usual way to get tea and order treats is about an hour. There are pit toilets here as well, but there is no running water to the facilities so nothing else other than what you purchase. It is definitely a beautiful hike. It took us about 2 1/2 hours round-trip.

Very badly managed. Parking fill up by 6 AM. You are then sent to Ski resort parking only to learn…read morebus tickets are sold out. Private shuttle companies prey on tourists charging exuberant fees that go up every year. If you get lucky, you will find a spot in a dirt parking lot over a mile away. You'd have to pay $42 to park in the dirt and dust and walk on a road where there are no sidewalks and your option is to take a chance at getting hit by passing RVs and trucks or fall into the valley! Getting to the lake, we were greeted by high dusty wind followed by thunder and rain! Did I mention getting harassed by police on the way who ticketed us $400 for speeding when everyone else was passing us and going faster than us. The gov here will charge you for everything. The people look at you as an ATM machine and will overcharge you for everything from hotel stays to food. On top of that, you are not welcome and they treat you badly. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else!

I came here on a Sunday morning, took the shuttle from the Park and Ride, parking at the lake was…read morealready full. Lots of people at the lake and ran into a ton of people coming down when we were going up. The hike wasn't too steep at the beginning to Larch Valley which was really beautiful. The hike up to Sentinel Pass was a lot steeper and there was ice and snow, which was not the most pleasant. Views at the top were amazing, especially with the larches. On the way down, the snow had mostly melted and turned into slush a bit, ran into quite a few people and it started snowing a bit closer to the lake. Really beautiful hike, definitely recommend!

As with many hikes in Banff, Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass is a must see. It begins at Moraine…read moreLake which can get quite busy at the parking lot so you'll want to go before 10 in the morning if possible. When the bears are out, it is the law to go up with a group of four or more. My wife and I were just two but we had read that it doesn't take long to find others who are going up. Many people came up to the base but mainly to take a picture of the sign stating that bears are in the area. Lame. We were beginning to doubt that other hikers were going to come but it turned out all right. We probably waited about 10-15 minutes before some nice hikers around our same age range came along. Simone, Eric, their dog Chico, along with their four friends from New Brunswick were nice enough to let us join them. Thankfully they were also about the same speed as us. We did see many groups less than four and even some solo hikers. Naughty. The hike starts with a series of switchbacks within the treed canopy. After a while you hit a fork in the trail with one route taking you to Eiffel Lake and the other to Larch Valley and then onto Sentinel Pass. Soon after you will hit an alpine meadow area which is huge, and then the larches. I did this in July so the trees were still green but if you do it in the fall, apparently everything turns yellow! When you get past Larch Valley and make your way to Sentinel Pass you see a huge 'Z' shape way off and high up in the distance. We weren't sure if we would have to climb that but yes. The 'Z' is the final switchback before you can be rewarded with the view. In July the higher elevations still had snow, which made it a bit tricky to trek through. In some parts the hike would take you through a very steep mountainside with snow. Thankfully we made it through without mishap and finally made it up the last switchback. At the top there is a 360 degree panoramic view. On one side you have the great view of Paradise Valley. On the other side is Larch Valley where you climbed up, and a view of Valley of Ten Peaks. Unfortunately the day we went was quite cloudy. Obviously it'd be better with clearer skies but it was still enjoyable. We had lunch up there as most people do before making our decent. I would budget about 5 hours round trip for this hike. Make sure to go in a group of four as they can fine you up to $2000 and carry bear spray.