Very badly managed. Parking fill up by 6 AM. You are then sent to Ski resort parking only to learn…read morebus tickets are sold out. Private shuttle companies prey on tourists charging exuberant fees that go up every year. If you get lucky, you will find a spot in a dirt parking lot over a mile away. You'd have to pay $42 to park in the dirt and dust and walk on a road where there are no sidewalks and your option is to take a chance at getting hit by passing RVs and trucks or fall into the valley! Getting to the lake, we were greeted by high dusty wind followed by thunder and rain! Did I mention getting harassed by police on the way who ticketed us $400 for speeding when everyone else was passing us and going faster than us. The gov here will charge you for everything. The people look at you as an ATM machine and will overcharge you for everything from hotel stays to food. On top of that, you are not welcome and they treat you badly. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else!

I've always dreamed of seeing Lake Louise! We came in early March, so we didn't get to see the…read morebeautiful waters as everything was frozen over, but it was still so pretty! Love how they even cleared out an ice rink and ice bar right on the lake and they were multiple people skating on the rink! I was a bit scared to venture out onto the frozen lake since I've heard horror stories of frozen surfaces breaking and people plunging in...but seeing as they literally had a rink paved out, I felt better safety-wise. There definitely are some small pockets of melted water where the ice is thinner along those edges, so I would just be aware of your surroundings.  Overall, such a beautiful lake and definitely worth visiting! I'll have to come back in the summer to check out its beauty out in a different season. We also didn't get the chance to hike, but I'm sure the trails are stunning as well!

Serene, tranquil and picturesque views of waterfalls, glaciers and lake. Easy hike and walk…read more I saw a ground squirrel running twice. Do not approach and feed any wildlife. Too quick for me to capture a photo moment. I loved hiking and walking round trip at Moraine Lake. Stunning! Great cardiovascular exercise from head to toes. Designated areas for benches. If I lived closer, I'd be here often. Highly recommend.

After spending time at Lake Louise, our shuttle took us over to Moraine Lake. Seeing both of these…read morebeautiful lakes in person was awesome. Moraine Lake is only open during the summer season and requires a park shuttle to reach. It can get really crowed here. Moraine Lake is at an elevation of 6,181 ft and is situated in the Valley of Ten Peaks. There is an info sign in the front that shows you where the ten peaks are. Moraine Lake has a beautiful torquiest blue color to it. The color comes from the sunlight bouncing off the rock sediment in the lake and the surrounding glaciers. The water comes from the snow that melts in the glaciers. Moraine Lake has no dam and has not been altered by humans. The views of the lake are incredible. Because of the crowds, I hiked up to a higher point on top of a rock pile to get a better view. It was cloudy when I was here and it added to the beauty of the photos that I took. I really enjoyed my brief time at Moraine Lake and hope to come back and explore it a little more next time.

This hike is listed on a number of local websites and tourist brochures, and after talking to…read moresomeone at a visitor information center, my husband and I decided to try it out. All the descriptions list this hike as "easy", and as someone who is in pretty good shape but not an experienced hiker, I would have described this trail as being of "moderate" difficulty. The area is a little remote, and I would have felt more comfortable with bear spray or bear bells to scare off any locals. There is a small parking lot in the area, and the trail is located at the wooden trailhead sign (not the wider vehicle path heading into the forest in the opposite direction). The trail is steep and narrow in a number of sections, so much so that I wondered if we had the wrong trail at one point, and in one area the trail snakes along side of a slope with a fairly significant drop on one side and a sharp upslope on the other. Good hiking shoes are highly recommended for extra traction and stability. That being said, the views of the falls at the end are spectacular. The waterfall is roaring, powerful, and totally awesome. The return trip took us just about two hours, with about 15 minutes at the falls themselves. It's a great shorter hike, and only 20 minutes from Radium Hot Springs.

Fairly easy hike from the trailhead. Very populated trail to see the alpine lake; it's a bit too…read moreaccessible for the normal tourist so there's a high foot traffic on the trails. If you want more peace and quiet, keep going up to the Beehive but even then, you will see more people than wild animals.

It's beautiful, it's amazing, and it's located up in the mountains. You'll hike for about two hours…read moreto reach the Lake Agnes Tea House, which overlooks this gorgeous lake. The only thing prettier than one of Banff's stunning lakes is a lake IN the mountains. I highly recommend doing this trek on one of the days that the tea house is open, as it is adorable and oh-so special. It's not open every day, so check online before you go and bring cash, as they don't accept cards. Enjoy!

Driving the Icefield Parkway from Banff to Jasper is an exciting, lake filled, waterfalls…read moreeverywhere, giant glaciers experience. Peyto Lake pronounced (PEE toe) was one of our first stops on the drive. Although we did not have time to hike down to the lake which I would have preferred we did stop at the look out. It was not crowded thank goodness so we could take lots of photos. The lake is fed from a glacier that you can see over the lake. The color is a striking turquoise blue from the rock dust carried by the melting glaciers. Some say the shape looks like a wolf. I didn't see any shape as I was too mesmerized by the lakes beauty. So glad we stopped and I can't wait to return to hike it and be out there alone.

Same thought with Peyto Lake; too many tourons that only want an Instagram picture and climbing…read moreover railings and acting a fool. 3rd world country stuff here. If you take the trail off the beaten path, you can hike for miles without another person and get some peace and quiet to yourself! The overlook is a 2/5 for me, the trail is a 5/5!

We had an amazing time visiting sites in Kootenay National Park while staying in Radium Hot Springs…read morefor a week. The is such a picturesque part of British Colombia, Canada. Our first stop was Olive Lake. A gorgeous green-blue body of water. A short trail from the parking lot. Our next stop was Paint Pots. Such a cool experience. We've never seen anything like it before. The colorful, iron-rich pools were so cool to see up close. The boardwalk to the paint pots was picturesque too. There are many stops and viewpoints along highway 93. Be sure to stop at the ranger station to get your park pass ($14/day) and map of all stops along the route. Most stops have restrooms available as well. Overall a must while visiting British Colombia, Canada. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring this area and would highly recommend.

Rumor had it that Kootenay National Park was, perhaps, the most underrated of the National Parks in…read morethe area. I'm all for supporting the underdogs (& avoiding the crowds). Compared to Banff, Kootenay was empty & there are plenty of bodies of Gatorade-like waters. We enjoyed the wide open spaces and the non-touristy vibe of the park. On our Stanley Glacier Hike, we only saw 3 other sets of people... no shoulder bumping or shuttles needed here. We opted for the annual family/group pass, a great value if you're spending a week or so in any combination of the parks &/or may come back. (& we will come back... already planning it)

The hike to the waterfalls and the hike to the Inkpots are two different tales..but both…read morespectacular. The hike to the falls are on a paved or finely-crushed gravel path, or on a causeway that walks you above the water. Either way, it is a relatively easy walk for most able-bodied persons. The falls are spectacular, but be prepared...in August, it will be busy with people, and you will spend a lot of time brushing elbows as people head the other way. And, at lower falls, there will be a 45 minute wait to look at the falls through a natural window opening in the rock. Personally, I'm not in the "selfie" crowd, so I will make better use of my time. Upper falls is another few minutes up the trail, and is equally powerful. Obviously, since water flows downhill, you are hiking uphill from the parking lot to see the falls. Continue past the upper falls, and now you are on the way to the Inkpots. This is where you will really start working. It is wide, well marked, but with much less humanity...we were never completely alone, but usually we didn't have anyone within 50 yards of us. It is about 3.5 mi from parking to the Inkpots, and it is uphill 2/3 of the way from the falls to the Inkpots, before descending back downhill to the river and Inkpots. The Inkpots were not as colorful as I had hoped, but they were an interesting natural phenomenon that we wanted to see. There are some benches, no toilets, and the river runs nearby. the walk back was 1/3 uphill and 2/3 downhill to the falls before the final (and crowded) stretch to the parking lot. Speaking of parking, we arrived at 8:20AM and were lucky to grab the last parking spot. It fills up quickly. More parking is nearby, but it adds to your walk. A cafe/store at the start of the trail sells food, coffee, and souvenirs. Bathrooms are also near the cafe. This is a must-see destination at Banff, but in peak season, arrive early- with good hiking shoes, if going to the Inkpots- and bring your food, water, bear spray, and camera. Our round trip was 7.8 miles in 3.5 hours.

We're excited to have an early morning start. Ample time to hike Johnston Canyon Lower Falls. Our…read morebiggest surprise included entering and exiting the cave. Amazing waterfalls! Would love to return and hike Upper Falls in the future.

Stunning and powerful waterfall! Gravity and force from mist and/or spray comes into contact with…read morehair and face. Easy walk. There are many vantage points for taking photos and videos. If arriving midday or afternoon, expect to see vehicles lined up on both sides of the road.

Gorgeous waterfall! A must-see for this national park. Plenty of parking available. Restrooms…read moreavailable as well. The path up to the falls is paved. You can see the waterfall very well from the bridge, but we walked all the way up. It was pretty crowded at the base of the falls. There are plenty of areas off the path to take photos with less people in them. The glacier-fed water is beautiful! A milky-blue color. That with the mountains and trees, the colors are so vivid. We also saw a mountain goat on the hillside and a rainbow in the mist. Highly recommend!

Beautiful and exhilarating, the Canadian Rockies in general, and The Three Sisters in particular…read more When asked, a local tour guide said their individual names are Faith, Hope and Charity. Very nice. The second tour guide disagreed, saying their names are Big Sister, Middle Sister and Little Sister. I found this was repeated on Wikipedia ... and is there any higher authority? Why, yes, the lady at the Canadian Tourist Information Kiosk, who said the locals, the real people who live here, refer to the Three Sisters as Beebee, Ceecee and Deedee. So, what's in a name? The Three Sisters, by any name, are Beautiful and Exhilarating. Five-Stars.

As gorgeous as they are iconic - The Three Sisters stand guard over, no that's not right... The…read moreThree Sisters are all about fun, not protection. They're an icon for a town that exists for outdoor recreation and natural beauty. While The greatest cities in the world are know for and defined by their skylines, none of them even come close to Canmore's. Whether you'd prefer to enjoy them while camping, hiking, biking, or enjoying a glass of wine with a fine meal, Faith, Charity and Hope will make your experience all that much better.