Johnston Canyon may be a bit of a hike but it truly is magical. The trails are accessible for most…read morehikers and lead you to the canyon, over bridges with rushing turquoise water underneath. The Upper Falls is worth the extra kms of trail and the sounds of the powerful falls enraptures you. I love that it's challenging enough to feel like an accomplishment but still manageable for a casual day trip. It's busy during peak summer, but the views are worth it.

Just stopped here while on a tour with Vancouver Journey. We only hiked to the lower falls and in…read morethe snow/ice it takes about an hour to walk there and back. ~350 ft of elevation gain per my Apple Watch. Beautiful icy sights in late March. Definitely wear crampons! Wish we had more time to see the upper falls.

Nice park in Canmore. Very close to Canmore downtown. There are lots of green at this park and also…read morethere is a nice kid playground. Cool

Beautiful park in the heart of Canmore. The field is perfect for soccer or throwing a ball around,…read morethere's also a dirt running track and outdoor exercise equipment. The playground for the kids is excellent and has the rubberized soft surface in case anyone falls. Swing sets and a gravel digging station give the kids lots to do. Canmore is lucky to have such a nice park, in such a central location!

What an amazing time I had at this park! I am a big National Park junkie back in the U.S. and was…read moreexcited to visit my first Canadian National Park. I came with my running group and they combined our runs with various activities around the park. Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park and was established in 1885. It is known for its mountain peaks and turquoise glacial lakes (Lake Louise and Moraine are the two popular ones). Banff offers year-round outdoor adventures like hiking, wildlife viewing, cycling and skiing. The Town of Banff has lots of shopping and restaurants for those that aren't into the outdoor activities. Banff National Park is located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains and has several large glaciers and icefields. Nearby are Yoho, Jasper and Kootenay National Parks. The Town of Banff is at the center of the park in the Bow River Valley. The park itself has a variety of recorded mammal species. Banff National Park has been successful at reducing the number of animals killed on the roads by building wildlife crossings. We drove under a number of these while driving through the park. They are such a clever idea. My running company booked three runs in and around Banff National Park. The views were gorgeous as we did our trail runs. When I first arrived, we took a tour bus to Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Emerald Lake (in nearby Yoho National Park). I really enjoyed the beauty of those lakes and was able to do some photography work at them. They are just as pretty in person as the pictures that you see on the internet. The huge crowds in the summer was the only downer part. For activities, we canoed down the Bow River. That was a lot of fun and we got great views of the mountain ranges while on the river. We also did the Via Ferrata at Mt Norquay. It was my first time doing one of these and it was easily one of my favorite activities. On my final day, I took the Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. You can see the whole Town of Banff from there and the breathtaking mountain ranges all around. The Town of Banff has lots of retail stores, gift shops and restaurants. I ate very well on this trip. Overall, Banff was an amazing experience for me. The flight to Calgary from Arizona wasn't too long and my running company did a great job in booking all of my activities. I look forward to a trip back someday!

I started this draft in 2019. I had to go back to Banff in 2025 as I forgot why I wanted to give…read morethem 5 stars and what to write. Banff National Park is a place where everyone needs to go! They have something for everyone. Nature is at its finest here with lakes, mountains, and wildlife. Even with all the tourists, Lake Louise is awesome. The lake itself is stunning with its turquoise blue water. If you don't feel like walking, go inside the Chateau Lake Louise and have afternoon tea or go souvenir shopping at the gift shop inside the hotel. Moraine Lake is another place that is picturesque. It isn't as popular as Lake Louise, but, it is just as awesome. They have cabins and a gift shop that was closed for the season when we visited. Access to both Lake Louise and Moraine lake is limited. They don't let you drive there anymore. You need to either join a tour, or take the shuttle bus. The city of Banff is a huge populated area inside the park with many hotels, restaurants, shops and even a supermarket. Horseback riding is available. You can take a gondola ride or even go to a hot spring. Banff is a great park. Even my city loving wife, enjoyed our visit to this wonderful national park of Canada.

Absolutely breathtaking! Pics don't do this garden justice! Definitely one of most beautiful…read moregardens we have been to (and we have been to many many gardens including Buchart in Victoria). Free to enter, free parking too! We spent about 2 hours here just soaking in all the manicured beauty! And an easy walk to all the shops and cafes in Banff Village :)

It's a free garden just outside of downtown. I found it quite bland just because everything is…read morequite artificial and not very natural but it is a free attraction near town, so there's that. Quick 30 minutes walk through the garden.

Busy stop, located just off the road with about 1mi total trail length to check out all if the…read moreviewing spots. We spent about 2hrs here, a bit longer than we initially planned. Large parking lot & plenty of restrooms. This one is definitely worth a stop.

Marble Canyon is one of the popular activity spots within Kootenay National Park. It's located 7…read morekilometers southwest from the entrance border, on the righthand side of the road. Marble Canyon is easy to navigate about. It's simply a 30 minute self-guiding roundtrip walk along a clear cut dirt pathway passing into and out of canyon ravines. There'll be a bunch of bridges and viewpoints for you to stand above the canyon floor watching the Kootenay River zigzag in between the narrow gorge passageways. I wasn't totally impressed with the sights here and looking among Marble Canyon. In fact, initially, I kind of felt like this place was a waste of time in comparison to the other wonderful sights situated around Banff...the park beside this, Kootenay NP. But...as the hiking pathway climbed higher and higher towards the top, I discovered a few cool instances where I was gazing out onto the snowcapped mountainous backdrop. It was then I realized how beautiful the setting was. Next thing, I got my camera stand out and started snapping photogenic moments from this upper portion of the trail, before finally returning back down to the start. So...I wasn't really enthused by the sights of Marble Canyon's rugged walls hovering over the Kootenay River. It was only until I ventured up to the pinnacle of the hike where I had an epiphone realization that Marble Canyon may not be so great, but taking a long term outlook and perspective made Kootenay NP marvelous in its own right. I recommend that you come to Marble Canyon and complete the entire 30-minute roundtrip trail. Make sure to be on the lookout for the snowcapped peaks standing high and mighty in the backdrop. That's the real winning aspect. It'll certainly give you a liberating sense of freedom that I was feeling in the moment. Lastly, what's great about this eastern portion of Kootenay NP is that all the worthwhile attractions are located here. Just 4 kilometers before Marble Canyon is Stanley Glacier Trail, a moderate hike good for taking in some undisturbed views. And, just 3 kilometers past Marble Canyon are the Paint Pots, a muddy walkway but terrific for arriving at colorful hot springs' pools. Reflecting back and thinking about this whole beginning area of Kootenay, it's really where you'll discover your best and most memorable moments. I enjoyed it all.

Beautiful and exhilarating, the Canadian Rockies in general, and The Three Sisters in particular…read more When asked, a local tour guide said their individual names are Faith, Hope and Charity. Very nice. The second tour guide disagreed, saying their names are Big Sister, Middle Sister and Little Sister. I found this was repeated on Wikipedia ... and is there any higher authority? Why, yes, the lady at the Canadian Tourist Information Kiosk, who said the locals, the real people who live here, refer to the Three Sisters as Beebee, Ceecee and Deedee. So, what's in a name? The Three Sisters, by any name, are Beautiful and Exhilarating. Five-Stars.

As gorgeous as they are iconic - The Three Sisters stand guard over, no that's not right... The…read moreThree Sisters are all about fun, not protection. They're an icon for a town that exists for outdoor recreation and natural beauty. While The greatest cities in the world are know for and defined by their skylines, none of them even come close to Canmore's. Whether you'd prefer to enjoy them while camping, hiking, biking, or enjoying a glass of wine with a fine meal, Faith, Charity and Hope will make your experience all that much better.

Same thought with Peyto Lake; too many tourons that only want an Instagram picture and climbing…read moreover railings and acting a fool. 3rd world country stuff here. If you take the trail off the beaten path, you can hike for miles without another person and get some peace and quiet to yourself! The overlook is a 2/5 for me, the trail is a 5/5!

This is a scenic and attractive lake with an entrancing deep turquoise color. It is conveniently…read morelocated right off of the Icefields Parkway about halfway between Banff and the Columbia Icefield, so there's really no excuse for not stopping for a view. There are actually two parking levels and only tour buses are allowed on the top level closer to the Kodak viewing lookout. Private cars need to park on the lower level and folks need to do a modest hike upward to the lookout. This lake is fed by a receding Peyto glacier that is in view also. We saw quite a few lakes on this trip, but they are all worth seeing and all spectacular in their own individual way, and this one was no different in that regards.

Grassi Lakes are amazing!!!! Truly emerald color and crystal clear waters. Since the easy trail was…read moreunder construction and closed, we took the difficult trail, which was much more steep. Totally worth the climb. Loved it.

So grateful for the recommendation we received from a local Calgarian Canadian to try this trail!…read moreThe views are absolutely spectacular!! This hike is located near a residential area in Canmore. Follow your GPS navigation which ultimately will take you down a single road, surrounded by tall evergreen trees, and a small dirt lot on the left for parking before you embark on the trail. A few recommendations: Park on the street as the lot fills up quick, bring sunscreen, and take the harder trail. Initially when starting the hike there will be two signs for the "Easy" and "More Difficult" trail paths. Trust me when I say the more difficult path is worth the extra strenuous steps. We had no idea that halfway through the path you stumble upon a gorgeous waterfall and incredible views of a giant lake surrounded by beautiful mountains. Then as you continue on this trail, you'll ultimately come to a clearing with emerald and turquoise lakes which is the perfect spot to stop, indulge in a quick snack, and soak in all those spectacular views. All in all if you take the not so easy trail you'll complete the entire thing within an hour and a half, including those moments where you stop and contemplate just gorgeous this country is. One final tip: bring Bear spray and attach bells to your hiking gear. The last thing you want to do is startle a bear and end up in a frightening situation. Luckily we did not see any bears on the trail, but we did see a Black Bear crossing the road as we were leaving the parking lot! We heard from locals that Canmore has a lot of Bear sightings so just plan ahead, be aware of your surroundings, and enjoy your fantastic hike on this beautiful trail!

This hike is listed on a number of local websites and tourist brochures, and after talking to…read moresomeone at a visitor information center, my husband and I decided to try it out. All the descriptions list this hike as "easy", and as someone who is in pretty good shape but not an experienced hiker, I would have described this trail as being of "moderate" difficulty. The area is a little remote, and I would have felt more comfortable with bear spray or bear bells to scare off any locals. There is a small parking lot in the area, and the trail is located at the wooden trailhead sign (not the wider vehicle path heading into the forest in the opposite direction). The trail is steep and narrow in a number of sections, so much so that I wondered if we had the wrong trail at one point, and in one area the trail snakes along side of a slope with a fairly significant drop on one side and a sharp upslope on the other. Good hiking shoes are highly recommended for extra traction and stability. That being said, the views of the falls at the end are spectacular. The waterfall is roaring, powerful, and totally awesome. The return trip took us just about two hours, with about 15 minutes at the falls themselves. It's a great shorter hike, and only 20 minutes from Radium Hot Springs.