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.

Even though my trip to Canada mostly cantered around Banff, my tour bus did take us into Yoho…read moreNational Park for a part of the day. Yoho is the smallest of the four contiguous national parks. The other ones are Jasper, Kootenay and Banff National Parks. Yoho is an interesting name for a National Park and comes from the Cree language. It means "awe and wonder". After a stop at Lake Louise and Moraine, we ended up finishing our day at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. One of the things that I enjoyed about this park and lake was that it was less crowded than Banff and the other two popular lakes. I ended up walking the nature trail around beautiful deep-green Emerald Lake. I enjoyed the views and came across a plaque about the fossil-bearing deposits of the Burgess Shale in the area. Sadly, Emerald Lake was the only area of Yoho National Park that I was able to explore. Hopefully I am able to see other areas like Takakkaw and Wapta Falls, Lake O'Hara and the Natural Bridge next trip.

After spending most of our week stay exploring Banff and Kootenay National Park's, we decided to…read morecheck out Yoho as well. We stayed at a timeshare in Radium Hot Springs, which was a perfect central location for exploring all three! Yoho was less busy than Banff and Kootenay, which we appreciated after almost a week of crowded stops. Our drive up to Golden was gorgeous in the Fall. We then headed over to Field, to visit Takakkaw Falls and Emerald Lake. Both were gorgeous! We even had lunch at The Emerald Lake Lodge during our visit. You can rent canoes on Emerald Lake. It's cheaper and less crowded than the more popular Lake Louise in Banff National Park. We also stopped to visit Natural Bridge. The glacial blue water was absolutely beautiful. My husband enjoyed the Spiral Tunnels stop more than I did. He found all the placards interesting. It would have been cool to see a train enter or exit the tunnel, but it didn't happen during our visit. Overall, we enjoyed our time here. It was much more relaxing than the busier ones. Don't sell this national park short. If you have extra time, it's definitely worth a visit!

I go to see three beautiful lakes on my first day in Banff National Park. Our last stop was at…read moreEmerald Lake in Yoho National Park. Yoho National Park is one of the four contiguous national parks in Canada's Rocky Mountains. Emerald Lake is a freshwater lake near the town of Golden. The lake has a emerald green color to it and is enclosed by mountains of the President Range. I had a nice time here. I did some of the hiking trials and saw a little bit of wildlife along the way. This lake is less crowed than Louise and Moraine lakes which I enjoyed. I enjoyed the views while hiking and came across a plaque about the fossil-bearing deposits of the Burgess Shale in the area. I grabbed lunch at the Cilantro on the Lake restaurant before heading out. There are canoe rentals at Emerald Lake if you want to get out on the water.

Highly recommend this stop while visiting Yoho National Park! The lake is a gorgeous emerald green,…read morehence the name. They offer canoe rentals so you can get up close and personal with the beautiful water. We walked around the lake then up to the lodge for lunch. We came during Fall, so the crowds were tolerable. The parking lot was full, so we parked along the road by the parking lot entrance. Highly recommend!

this is one of the most beautiful lakes that I have ever been to and it probably remain one of the…read moremost beautiful lakes that I have ever seen for a very long time.

After spending time at Lake Louise, our shuttle took us over to Moraine Lake. Seeing both of these…read morebeautiful lakes in person was awesome. Moraine Lake is only open during the summer season and requires a park shuttle to reach. It can get really crowed here. Moraine Lake is at an elevation of 6,181 ft and is situated in the Valley of Ten Peaks. There is an info sign in the front that shows you where the ten peaks are. Moraine Lake has a beautiful torquiest blue color to it. The color comes from the sunlight bouncing off the rock sediment in the lake and the surrounding glaciers. The water comes from the snow that melts in the glaciers. Moraine Lake has no dam and has not been altered by humans. The views of the lake are incredible. Because of the crowds, I hiked up to a higher point on top of a rock pile to get a better view. It was cloudy when I was here and it added to the beauty of the photos that I took. I really enjoyed my brief time at Moraine Lake and hope to come back and explore it a little more next time.

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.

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.

Me and my mother went here and this is more of a place for families who have kids. Except if you…read morewere brave enough to cross that bridge. I thought you would just cross the bridge and be done but apparently it's a whole trail that takes about an hour. We unfortunately didn't have time to do the whole thing because we had an appointment at the glacier icefields. But I was OK with that because the bridge was very wobbly to me and you're not supposed to jump on it, but there were kids jumping on it and to me it was just wobbling too much from side to side so I was a no for that one. We turned around and Went right back to our car. Plus it's SO FAR from everything else.

A fun experience although nerve wracking if you are afraid of heights. There are two bridges to…read morewalk across that connect the canyons. My wife and I were glad we experienced this but it was scary to see how high up we were. The bridge also moves and shifts as people walk across making it feel unsteady at times. The views were spectacular.

The iconic landmark in Banff that everyone has to see! However since we came in early March, the…read morelake was frozen over and was a winter wonderland! Although we didn't get to see the clear blue waters of the lake, this was an entirely new view that was just as memorable! Note: You need a Banff Park Pass to enter! You can buy it online or at the booths when you get to the entrance of the park. - PARKING - We parked in the lot right next to the lake as directed by the parking attendants there. There's a lodge with bathrooms in the same parking lot too! You simply walk into the tree area, about 3 minutes, and you'll see the sign of Lake Louise and the lake beyond it! - EXPERIENCE - There are signs of thin ice, but there were so many people walking, running, and even sliding on the lake! We had shoe grips on just in case, which I think were nice to have as we walked - felt very sturdy! I did see other people without grips and they just had to walk a bit slower. They also had an ice rink and snow bar outside! - OVERALL - A beautiful sight to see, even in the wintertime!

Coming to Lake Louise was a last-minute addition on my first trip to Banff National Park. I could…read morenot come all the way here and not see this beautiful lake. Lake Louise is a turquoise-colored glacial lake that is surrounded by high peaks in Alberta's Banff National Park. It is a popular destination for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. Lake Louise is known for its hiking trails, skiing and canoeing. Lake Louise is 30 minutes west of the Town of Banff. Parking here can be a real pain during peak season. Thankfully I was on a bus that dropped us off at the front. I came here during the summer and the crowds were crazy. But it was so worth it to finally see this lake in person. The water is crystal clear and has a greenish-blue color to it and is surrounded by a mountain range. Lake Louise lake's color is a result of natural geological processes and not artificially enhanced. In the distance you can see the Victoria Glacier. Lake Louise is named after Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. The historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is located at the edge of the lake and offers beautiful views for those that stay there. There are several hiking trails around the lake. I ended up walking the nature trail for a little while to get photos of the lake at different angles. It was hard to get clear shots because there were so many people. But I really enjoyed my time exploring the surrounding area. Coming to Lake Louise was totally worth it and a highlight for me on my trip to Banff National Park. Entry to Lake Louise requires a Banff National Park entry fee or pass. It is highly recommended to ride the shuttle here as parking is limited.

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.