The Canadian Rockies – Letting go of the FOMO
October 9, 2022
I don’t know how else to say this but, 5 days is not enough time for the Canadian Rockies! Â I literally had a list longer than my arm of places to visit. Â There’s so much to see.. Â Aaah, what to do!
Unless you are here for oh…about 10 years. Â You absolutely cannot see everything. Â Think small and be thankful for every piece of beauty you are privileged to witness. Â Be in the moment and let go of your FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Â I know, I sound like a yoga instructor..
What I will say is, even though we only had 5 days (we did also see some great things on our 4-day road trip getting there), it’s amazing how many truly splendid sights we actually saw. Â Just driving to and from places is a visionary joy with plenty of opportunities to stop, admire and take photos.
One thing is certain….we are definitely coming back!
The toughest choice - Where to visit in The Canadian Rockies?
How do you choose where to go in The Canadian Rockies? Â My advise…go with your passions. Â Our choices centred around; amazing scenery, photographic opportunities, hiking and avoiding tourist hot-spots and crowds. Â So, what did we decide on for our 4-day stay in Canmore?:
Day 1 - Johnston Canyon and The Inkpots
- Distance – 7.3 mile circular
- Time – 4 hours
- Elevation – 460 meters
Johnston Canyon was on my list of places to go. Â A canyon and 3 waterfalls…sold. Â Add to that a loop trail taking us to the Inkpots (I know! what are they?) Â and it made for a great day out. Â The first part of the walk in Johnston Canyon is 2 miles to the upper falls. Â Unfortunately the upper part of the trail at this time was closed so we had to back-track and find another route to the Inkpots. Â It became apparent this part of the walk is very popular. Â It was nose to tail people, even people with prams. Â Once on the Inkpots trail the crowds disappeared and we were mostly alone. Â Peace.
The walk to the Inkpots was through beautiful woodland with glimpses of the mountains. Â We arrived in the ink pot valley, where the trees cleared and we were greeted with a wall of stunning mountains. Â An opportunity to sit, eat and dip our toes in the Johnston river was also a very welcome respite.
The ink pots themselves are 5 spring-fed pools of water of the most amazing aquas and greens.  They are called ink pots because of the black inky colour of the circles where the spring water and air percolate up from the bottom of the pools.  Pretty cool to watch and at 4℃, pretty cool in temperature.
Day 2 - The Giant Steps Waterfall and Lake Moraine
- Distance – 13.6 miles total on a there and back route.
- Time – 7 hours
- Elevation – 760 meters of total ascent.
This was definitely one of our favourite hikes in The Canadian Rockies. Â The walk started immediately in peaceful woodland which opened out each time we crossed the river, giving us snippets of the mountains that surrounded us. Â Half-way to the waterfall is the dramatic Lake Annette, a glacial aqua blue lake towered over by the snow-topped Mount Temple. Â The waterfall itself is so different to other waterfalls we’ve seen, and it lives up to its name as the water tumbles over 4 or 5 big steps.
It sounds like a long hike, but being stopaholics, we had no end of pauses to enjoy our environ and take photos. Â 7 hours went by in no time. Â And the destination, The Giant Steps Waterfall…totally worth the hike.
Things to note for this hike: Â
- It’s in proper bear country. Â You should have bear-spray with you. Â In fact, we were stopped at the junction to this hike and asked if we had bear-spray. Â On our response of “no”, we were sent to get some before we started our hike.
- Top tip – you can rent bear spray for about $10 a day from “Wilson Mountain Sports” near Lake Louise – and they give “training”. Â Clark would like to demonstrate:
Lake Morraine
Top Tip: Â If you just want to admire the lake and take some photos, go later in the day. Â There is free parking, but it’s limited and usually full before sunrise. Â The road is then shut and you can only drive there if space becomes available, there isn’t anywhere to wait. Â There’s a shuttle bus, but you need to have a reservation (so book ahead if you’re able…we didn’t know about this). Â
We went around 5pm and were easily able to park. Â Of course, this means less opportunity to hike, but it’s worth going for the views alone:
Day 3 - A day around Banff
We started our day with a drive to Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka. Â Both were short stops to admire the views of the lakes and take photos, then on to Banff.
Honestly Banff itself felt like Disneyland; the main street was full of eateries, stores and people in a non-stop pedestrianized stream. Â Venture away from that and there are treasures to be found:
Banff National Park Administration Building and gardens
A walk along Bow River to Bow Falls
The famous Fairmont Springs Hotel (and UNESCO world heritage site)
We couldn’t resist checking out the iconic Fairmont Springs Hotel, which looks over Banff and The Rockies. Â Art Deco splendour that was frequented by the likes of Nat-King-Cole et al. Â It is vast and has a shopping street area, spa, swimming pool, outdoor terraces, 4 restaurants, 2 bars…phew. Â We thought it rude not to partake in a beverage.
Day 4 - Lake O'Hara
- Distance – 7 miles to the lake. Â 2 mile circuit of the lake. Â (potential 7 mile return hike from the lake)
- Elevation gain – 400 meters
- Time – 2 hours on the road (we walked very fast). Â A leisurely 2 hours around the lake.
Although on my list, we were initially put off going to Lake O’Hara. Â The reason? Â You can’t drive to the lake and there’s a 7 mile-long road to walk before you get there. Â There is a shuttle-bus, but it’s on a lottery system (only able to apply between March 1-30. Â I know, random). Â So, we had decided not to go to Lake O’Hara. Â But on speaking to some local hikers, it was highly recommended. Â It’s possible to get the return bus, but only if there’s space after “ticketed” people are on (it’s on a first come first on system – unknown fact, there are 2 buses at 4.30). Â We decided to risk it and walked the 7-miles to get there. Â It’s easy walking on a gravel road, with 400 meters of elevation but never very steep. Once at the lake, we took our time walking around the lake. Â It’s an easy path with small undulations and a slight detour to see the 7 Veils waterfall half way. Â It really is one of the most stunning lakes. Â Good news, we easily managed to get on the bus back to the car.Â
Know before you go in The Canadian Rockies
- Banff and lake Louise are very popular and therefore very expensive. Â Check-out Canmore. Â It’s drivable to all the sights, the town has plenty of eateries and some great breweries and it has a lovely sense of calm.
- A little bit of research goes a long way. Â Have some idea of places and spots you want to see…and then have back-ups in case your first choices don’t work out.
- Research your research. Â Do you need to reserve shuttle buses, gondolas, park and ride etc. Â We didn’t do this and had to adjust our plans accordingly.
- This is bear country. Â There are black bears and grizzly bears. Â It is recommended to travel in tight groups and make noise. Â Some areas have more bear density and require you to carry bear spray. Â See day 2 above.
- The obvious and main tourist spots are very crowded. Â We tried to avoid these but it’s not always possible. Â Lake Louise parking is a particular problem and we were advised to get there at 6am. Â Hello. Â I’m on holiday, therefore no Lake Louise. Â I mean, everything here is amazing, did we really miss out? Â I think not.
- Some destinations have a “lottery” for places on the bus. Â How are we meant to know these things? Â To be honest there’s so many choices for things to do and see, if this happens…pick something else.
Our Canadian Rockies adventure isn't over yet...
Although this was the end of our stay in Canmore, there’s still the drive to Jasper. Â A beautiful full-day drive with so many stunning stops along the Icefields Parkway….
Lovely when’s the next instalment amazing photos
We are dreaming with you!!
Ciaooo!
Clark has a future as a Park Ranger, he’s so handy with the bear spray!! 🧸