Day 14-17: Yoho National Park – Icefields Pkwy – Banff National Park
We ended spending only one day in Yoho National Park. Somewhat disappointing as we were hoping for a few days of backpacking. We were really discouraged by the rangers claiming bad weather and trail conditions, some trails were closed due to snow still on the ground at higher elevations. The weather that day was really not too good, foggy and rainy. So we drove to Takakkaw Falls and Emerald Lake just to walk around. Both places are worth visiting and mountains in low clouds looked at times interesting too. We settled at Waterfowl Lakes CG in Banff NP (recommended) for 4 night as our base for day-hikes. The campground has flush toilets and hot water washroom, very nice and convenient cooking shelters.
The following day we stopped briefly at Peyto Lake Viewpoint just off Icefields Pkwy and then continued to Bow Lake for 10 km (230m elevation gain) hike to Bow Glacier Falls. The trail goes around Bow Lake and then up along Bow River to the base of the falls at 2100 masl. Plenty of space and rocks to explore to look at the falls from different angles. Joanna honed her rock hiking skills. Patches of snow on rocks, but nothing on the trail. Great mountain scenery. Pleasant day, with good weather (rain passed at night) and few people further away from the trailhead.
Mistaya River connects Upper nad Lower Waterfowl Lakes with the campground located on the river bank in between them. Chephren & Cirque Lake trailhead is just across the bridge over the river. No need to drive anywhere. We spent all day walking (total 13 km, 330 m elevation gain). Good and easy trails, relaxing walking mostly through forest and some wetlands, with panoramic mountain views at both lakes. We heard from another hiker first report of bear (grizzly?) sighting on a trail (to Chephren Lake), couple of hours before we came (we only saw bear scat).
Finally, on the last day we walked only 3 km along the river to both Waterfowl Lakes. Rested at camp.
Days 11-13: Banff National Park
Approaching Banff we were prepared for crowds as the National Park is very popular. Not a big surprise, scenery all around is fantastic. It was crowded, but not overwhelmingly in most places. Fewer people further away from main atractions along roads. Normally we find campsites at the end of the day, but here we secured sites a day or two in advance or in the mornings when campers leave, and sometimes switched to different sites that we liked more.
On day 11, with car packed, we drove a short distance from Two Jack CG along Two Jack Lake to Lake Minnewanka. As we were walking along the lake (crowded), we decided to hike along Cascade River into Stewart Canyon (fewer people up there) – just easy 6.5 km. We did not spend much time in Banff itself, other than talking to rangers at the Visitor Center about day-hikes and possible backcountry backpacking. Higher elevation trails that we were interested in were still closed because of snow. Of course we stopped at the famous Banff Springs Hotel at the end of the day. For the night, we moved to Tunnel Mtn Village I CG located outside Banff with Tunnel Mountain Rd and Banff Ave wrapping around it – you get great views already from the roads (photos below).
Johnston Canyon is worth visiting, but it was packed with visitors (not even weekend). Walking in line and waiting 20 mins to get to viewing platform at Upper Falls. Beyond this point, along Johnston Creek and around Ink Pots, the crowd thinned quickly making for a nice walk. Springs bubling quietly in the pots are fun to watch. Rocky mountains all around. Good, easy walking (12 km, almost 500 m up and down).
Our Lake Louise campground was called “hard-sided” (cars and campers, but no tents) in case bears come knocking on your door. Trail along Bow River neaby was closed to protect their habitat. Bear warnings are everywhere and park rules for camping are quite strict (same for all parks from now on) – pretty much nothing can be left outside when nobody is around to watch/protect. For us it meant extra packing.
Time for Lake Louise, another popular destination. We took community bus from the village, inexpensive and convenient (good advice from Visitor Center). Parks Canada shuttles were all booked (to Moraine Lake also ). Lake shore near the parking lots and Fairmont Hotel, another famous building, was quite crowded. But we quickly started walking on trails to Mirror and Agnes Lakes and Little Beehive. Still many hikers, but not too bad. Each lake is different and views from the trail higher up are realy nice. With little time to spare (to catch last bus back to the village), we made it a 12-km loop, 550 m up and down. Now we felt like we were hiking in the mountains.
For the second night we moved to soft-sided part of Lake Louise campground complex protected by electric fence. Plus showers. Campgrounds in Banff NP are very good.
Days 7-10: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and dinosaurs in Alberta badlands.
Day 7 and 8 were all about driving 1300 km across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and into Alberta. Endless flat highway, small green hills, fields and pastures. We stopped briefly in Winnipeg to retorque car wheels and then at Portage Spillway PP MB for driver’s nap and watching pelicans and gophers. Very good Echo Valley PP Campground SK was almost empty. After walking around the park in the morning we were back on Trans-Canada Hwy. Stopped for lunch break in Moose Jaw, passed by sodium sulphate mine in Chaplin SK, another driver’s nap in Swift Current SK. With weather deteriorating we decided to park for the night at Tel Star Motor Inn in Brooks AB.
Day 9 and 10 were all about dinosaurs in Alberta badlands. We liked it so much that we decided to stay an extra day in the area to have enough time for both ☞ Dinosaur Provincial Park AB and then Willow Creek Hoodoos, ☞ Midland Provincial Park and ☞ Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller AB. Hours of walking the badlands and studying fossils at museums. Interesting and worthwhile even on very hot days (walking) and in sometimes crowded spaces (museums). We found refuge camping in very quiet and “local” Little Fish Lake Provincial Park.
But end of the day brings dramatic change of scenery. We are in Canadian Rockies camping the first night at Two Jack Campground in Banff National Park.
Days 1 -6: from Chicago to Manitoba.
The plan was to cover the first 1000 miles in four days. With anticipated slow start out of Chicago and a day or so to check out Voyageurs NP. Driving was slow as Piotr needed frequent rest stops (after intense and tiring events just before the trip). One rest stop was at three-way continental divide (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Hudson Bay) near Anchor Lake MN. First two campgrounds, Harstad on Eau Claire River WI and Woodenfrog on Kabetogama Lake MN, were nice and relaxing. We managed only short evening walks in both places.
The following day we stopped at Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center (Voyageurs NP) just to look at the lake and later at Ash River Visitor Center. Here we spent more time walking on Blind Ash Bay and Sullivan Bay Trails, both short. Stopped at Kabetogama Lake and Beaver Pond Overlooks. At this point we realized how hard it is to see anything of the Voyageurs”waterpark” from shore. Quick decision to stay extra night in hotel (RiverFront) in International Falls MN and take morning National Park boat trip on Rainy Lake, with short stop/walk on Little American Island for a history lesson about gold mining. The 3-hour trip was about observing the lake, its islands and shore. With good interpretative talk by our guides. Water everywhere around.
We crossed Canadian border (International Falls MN/Fort Frances ON) in the afternoon. As we were driving on scenic Trans-Canada Hwy (Hwy 71), we could hear screeching noise coming from the breaks getting louder and more frequent. By the time we arrived at Rushing River Provincial Park ON campground it was clear we needed car mechanic. Now it was all about fixing our car. Next morning we drove slowly to Canadian Tire in Kenora ON and spent most of two days in town waiting. Walked from Travelodge motel to stores and spent some time relaxing in Anicinabe Park. Luckily they were able to bring all the parts next day and get the car ready just before closing. Really great service.
We packed resupplies and started driving west on Trans Canada Hwy (Hwy 1), but made it only short distance past Ontario-Manitoba border. After driving for a while on side/dirt roads we found a decent site on sandy flats, first wild camp of the trip, only to be swarmed by mosquitoes (in retrospect, the worst case of the entire trip including Alaska). We ate something in the car and spent some time hunting insects until all inside were incapacitated.
