Turquoise and emerald water, majestic snow-capped mountains and carpet of evergreens. A trip to Banff’s must-see lakes did not disappoint and there was an unexpected bear sighting too!
Our visit to both lakes on the fifth day of our week-long trip worked to our advantage, as the weather was great.
As we learned through our preparation, it’s best to take public transit to Lake Louise – an hour-drive from the town of Banff – as it saves on cost and avoids the stress of finding parking, as the lot fills up as early as 5 am during peak season.
The views and the experience did not disappoint.
We spent an hour exploring the lake at ground level.
We could have easily spent a day there, as there are numerous hiking trails, canoe rentals and also the Fairmont Hotel to explore, but we felt more than satisfied with our visit.
The breathtaking views will be tattooed in my memory for a long while.
Just to keep it real, the crowds were packed, see below, so don’t let my serene photos make you think otherwise. 😆
We then headed to Moraine Lake, a 30 minute drive from Lake Louise.
It is only accessible by transit or private shuttle during summer months due to how busy it is.
Gazing at the other-worldly emerald lake, it’s easy to see why thousands of people visit each day.
There were people canoeing in the glacial lake and we wished we had time to do so during our hour-long stay.
Our budding parkour artist enjoyed climbing and exploring the rocky terrain, with that thick carpet of trees in the background.
The views were spectacular and the fresh air was refreshing. I miss it already.
On our way back to town, we spotted a bear!
It was on the other side of a highway fence, so we were able to safely watch it from afar on the side of the road, along with other awe-struck tourists.
It was a beary lovely way to end the afternoon!
Explore our Banff Trip
- Day 1 & 2 – Tunnel Mountain, Fairmont Banff Springs, Bow River
- Day 3 – Riding Banff Gondola Up Sulphur Mountain
- Day 4 – Cycling the Legacy Trail and to Johnston Canyon
- Day 5 – The Quiet Beauty of Banff’s Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
- Day 6 – Hiking Takakkaw Falls and Canoeing Emerald Lake at Yoho National Park
My Life With T 
I love the word “beary” in your conclusion, and the use of the word “tatooed” in your memory.
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I’ll have to write about his stuffed bear Beary more one day. He is a really big!
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Such stunning beauty, I could sit and stare at these views all day…..and lucky bear living in the midst of it all!!
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Thanks Cherryl. The views were fantastic and I miss them already. Nature is amazing and the wild animals do have such spectacular homes.
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Wow what a gorgeous place to see Ab! Your pictures are amazing and I want to live there! WP said my last comment didn’t go through so delete this if its a repeat. Lol
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Thanks Diane. It was a truly gorgeous place and I wish we were there still. 🙏 Your WP comment looks good to me. I don’t see a repeat. 😊
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I had to show my husband the pictures of all of your trip, One of your pictures he has a painted picture of it framed.
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I bet the painting looks great!
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Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are gorgeous, especially when the sun is shining! Glad you managed to see both of them. Your pictures look amazing. How fun that you spotted a bear as well! I’ve been following the wildfire in Jasper on the news (it’s so sad). Thank goodness you went when you did and didn’t have to deal with any smoke.
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Thanks Linda. I was thinking about my blessing as I read about Jasper. It’s horrible. And so sad that it’s reached the town too and one of the longstanding lodges got burned down. 😔
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It’s very sad. I’ve been following it closely on the news. While some structures are still intact, the town and park have forever changed.
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How beautiful. It is so sad to see that the fire reached Banff!
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Thanks Margie. It’s very sad to see the wildfire. I’ve been following it too. It looks like it’s at Jasper, which is three hours away from Banff. I hope the fire doesn’t spread further as the devastation is so sad to think about for the locals.
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Oops…I think my brain just translated Jasper to Banff. Hopefully it will be under control soon.
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Oh Ab!!! How absolutely beautiful!!! I could do without the crowds, but those locales are gorgeous and make me long for a little cabin in a place just like that! Thanks for sharing these fabulous views with us! And wow … T is really growing!!!
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Thanks Jill. The crowds were quite packed but thankfully there were parts where we could spread out. A cabin in this part of the world with these views would certainly be very very nice!
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That opening shot is a winner! How incredibly beautiful the landscape looks, even with the crowds! If you took a picture of the three of you with the lake and the snow-capped mountains in the background, you should print it and put it at a prominent location in your house. Your photos are beary pleasant to look at before I start the day. 😀
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Thanks Bama. We lucked out into that shot. I had just scolded T for picking up a big rock and throwing it into the lake, so it created that ripple in the still water while I took the photo of him. Total fluke. 😆
We did take a few group shots that I will hold dear in my heart and yes, hopefully we can print them to put up in the house. 😊🙏
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Oh ooops! 😆
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Oh my goodness – those pictures are so stunning. Banff and Lake Loise are high on my must visit list and even more so after seeing these pictures. I’m laughing about you keeping it real about the crowds. That’s a reality check to see the people on the boardwalk. But still so beautiful! Beary excellent!
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Thanks Wynne. It was beautiful – and apologies, as I have a few more updates about it 😆 – and I do hope you and your family can visit one day. I think it’s a lot closer to you than it is to me. I think the hiking alone makes it so worthwhile!
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By all means – keep writing about it!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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What an absolutely marvellous description of one of nature’s true gems. What blessing to be able to have these experiences. Thanks for sharing, Ab.
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Thanks Jane. It was a real blessing to experience these places and I especially think about this place as I read about the horrible wildfires in Jasper this week. I hope the damage to people’s homes and the surrounding parks are minimal.
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I was thinking the same thing when I was reading your post, Ab. 🙏
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I’d like to order these in a reel…to arrive each morning, please. Your photos are calming and inspirational…so stunning they seem surreal, otherworldly. Thank you so much for taking us along, Ab. 🥰
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Thanks Vicki. It was so calming and a real blessing to have visited. And with apologies as there are a few more updates about this place but hope they continue to bring the calm! 😊
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Ummmm….apologies NOT accepted! Keep it all coming. I love the combination of your inspirational thoughts and the beautiful scenery. So good! 🥰
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Oh, Ab! I love the zoom out and reminder about the truth of these destinations. I’ve noticed the same on my recent trip to Yellowstone, but also noted that while the major stops are packed, a lot of the hikes are less traffic, I’m guessing because people aren’t in share or didn’t bring bear spray.
The pictures are absolutely stunning–the vivid colors, incredible textures, and the joy and wonder in everyone’s eyes. What a special and memorable trip!
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Thanks Erin. Yes, it was quite packed but we were able to squeeze our way into spots to take photos and spread out. Probably why we also didn’t want to stay too long at each place. If we had more time, the hiking trails would’ve been lovely.
We had bear spray with us but thankfully did not have to use it!
I enjoyed your Yellowstone update and we are so blessed to have experienced nature in all its glory!
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Beautiful scenes Ab, although it was a shocking reminder to scroll and see the mass of people. Same masses down this way in our major parks. On top of all the amazing colors in your photos I notice and find such beauty in all the textural differences you captured. My eyes don’t know where to look there’s so much to see!
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Thanks Deb! The crowds were indeed quite packed but thankfully there were places to spread out especially further away from the entrance and lookout points.
I like that you picked up on the textures as they were really quite wonderful and striking to see. A real blessing to have experienced! 🙏
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