With National Parks reopening at the start of June, I planned a mid-week road excursion with a couple friends. We fit a lot in during our three day road trip from Edmonton. The trip ended with exhausted legs and sleepy eyes but happy hearts.
My friends and I struggle at making decisions so I created an itinerary in advance to help us along. If you are looking for places to eat in Canmore I highly recommend Tank 310, Rocky Mountain Bagel Company and Grizzly Paw. In Banff you need to go to Park Distillery. There is also Banff Ave Brewery and Athena Pizza.
We hit the road on Wednesday morning with the intention to spend time in Canmore, Banff/Lake Louise area, and then Kananaskis country on the way home.
It was a great three day road trip from Edmonton that had us seeing different locations and varying hikes.
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is honestly one of my favorite places to go. If I didn't love where I lived, I would be living in Canmore full time. Due to timing we didn't do a big hike in town. But if you are looking for a few good ones check out Grassi Lakes, East End of Rundle (EEOR pronounced like Eeyore from Christopher Robin), Lady MacDonald and Ha Ling.
After having lunch we headed to Quarry Lake. This is an easy stroll but a beautiful spot. I recommend bringing a picnic lunch and bathing suit. It is a great place to stretch out your legs after driving for a few hours. You can also stroll around the Bow River or shop around town.
Banff
We stayed right on the main street in Banff. It was the calmest I've ever seen the town which I guess is a good thing for social distancing purposes. They have a farmers market on Wednesday's you should take advantage of if you can. If you are looking to find good spots to watch the sunrise and set, Two Jack Lake and Vermillion Lake are common spots. Pro tip is have a coffee during sunrise under a blanket with two best friends. It is basically nirvana.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
While it wasn't the perfect time to see the lakes thawed with red canoes breaking up the waters stunning colors, it was the perfect time to experience them without other people around. We arrived at Lake Louise early in the morning and were the only three people in sight. It felt like a once in a life time experience. From there we headed just down the road to the start of Moraine Lake Road. We knew it was closed to vehicles but open to walkers and cyclist. Filling our backs with food and breakfast beers for the end destination, we began our 12k walk there. Following the road on foot was a nice change as we were able to make pit stops for waterfalls and stunning scenery. When we reached Moraine Lake it was half thawed, stunning and deserted. Another amazing setting to just enjoy. If you want to hike in the area the Tea House Trail up to Lake Agnes is one of my all time favorite spots.
Kananaskis Country
While I love Edmonton, I am very jealous that this area is basically Calgary's backyard. There is so much great hiking in this area for different abilities. If you are looking for a challenge and a half, try Mount Yamnuska. It has stunning views, especially in the fall, and will get your heart going. We planned two casual hikes, including Heart Creek Bunker which was a short excursion. We then headed to Barrier Lake. If you are looking on All Trails app, the picture is a bit misleading. If you want to reach the summit to look down on the lake you will need to take a trail like Prairie Mountain Trail (6.4 km) and not the lakeshore route. When you reach the first major viewpoint it is typically very busy. From there, you have five less than enjoyable minutes to the summit. The whole trail is up. So if you are thinking it will be a short jaunt like we did, it will hurt. If you know what you are getting into, it is a beautiful hike close to Calgary.
If you are looking for a fun filled three day itinerary and want to fit in Canmore, Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country I highly recommend this route. It had the perfect mix of hike levels, views and resting spots.
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