Category: Canada Hikes

Canada Hikes

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, Banff National Park

5 Comments

We woke to our second day in the Canadian Rockies with super sore throats and a sluggish feeling. We were sick while traveling. Ugh! Despite feeling icky we decided to at least spend the day sitting in a pretty place.

Lake Louise seemed the perfect option. It was crowded, but for good reason. Steep mountains covered in glaciers rose 4000 feet above the turquoise water. We found a nice spot to sit and take it all in. People in red canoes paddled about the lake.

Lake Louise
Lake Louise

Birds like this Clark’s nutcracker hopped along the shore.

Clark’s nutcracker

When we got cold, we went inside the Fairmont Chateau hotel and ate a late lunch overlooking the lake.

Driving back to the campground, our curiosity got the better of us, even though we were low on energy and sneezing. We decided to take a detour and check out Moraine Lake. We were glad we did. It was much less crowded, and just as magnificent.

Read More “Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, Banff National Park”

Canada Hikes

Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park

2 Comments

Rewind to last September when we hiked the Teton Crest Trail as our honeymoon. The Tetons were amazing, but our exploring didn’t stop there. We drove north into Canada to sample their slice of the Rockies.

When we arrived in Banff National Park, it was cold, raining, and clouds hid the enormous mountains we suspected were all around us. The good news was that the bad weather made other people depart early, and we were able to score a vacated campsite at Two Jack Lakeside campground. We set up camp. With several hours left in the day we wanted to stretch our legs and go on a hike. Johnston Canyon seemed a good choice because the clouds wouldn’t affect the experience.

Just steps from the trailhead, we found ourselves on a boardwalk, dangling over the canyon edge. The water, turquoise blue due to its glacial origins, rushed by below.

Johnston Canyon

After an easy and scenic three quarters of a mile, we reached Johnston Canyon Lower Falls. The trail presented many vantage points of the falls, including a small tunnel. We ducked through to experience an up close and personal view of the waterfall as it thundered down, spraying our faces with mist.

Johnston Canyon Lower Falls
Johnston Canyon Lower Falls

The trail climbed as it followed Johnston Creek upwards. A raven, probably begging for food, perched near the trail. It was cool to observe this huge bird at close proximity.

Read More “Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park”