A lovely, easy hike with a HUGE beautiful pay off at the end! It's a family friendly stroll with…read moreplenty of parking at the trailhead and it's easy to do in a couple of hours at most. The elevation is easy, and the stroll through the forest is leisurely and beautiful. In the winter you may want cramp ons or hiking poles since the packed down snow can get slick, but they're not necessary. At the end you'll find the beautiful Troll Falls. In the winter they're frozen the most miraculous bright blue and ice climbers have a great time climbing it's relatively easy verticals. Unlike the Johnston Canyon hike in Banff National Park, the Troll Falls hike allows you to get right up to the water falls, which makes for a truly special experience. Check my photos for proof!

In the mountains and wanna go hiking, but need a spot that's not too difficult and also…read moreentertaining for wee kids? This is it. We were looking at different trail maps and unsure where to take our two year old for a hike that would grasp her attention span and also would be able to drag her along in a sled if she gets tired from all the walking. When Troll Falls popped out and had everything e were looking for. It's right at the bottom of the ski slope so if you find yourself driving up the mountain, you've gone too far. There is a decent sized parking lot by the entrance to the trail. The secret weapon for kids entertainment (aside from nature chats) are the hidden Troll Dolls around. Fun for everyone to try to be the first to spot them along the way! Even in December this was a fantastic crisp walk to do and at the end you come to a frozen waterfall. It was the most amazing thing to see, and to be able to walk on the frozen river. Just breathtaking! My husband is a geologist so he gives me all the geology chat along the way too. Really fantastic walk, I can't wait to do it again in summer and have a totally different experience. We seen a wolf run across the main road as we drove down to the trail so remember to stay safe when you are out there!

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.

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.

If you ask around for hiking suggestions near Calgary, you'll get sent several hours deep into the…read moreRockies. If you're not looking to spend half the day in the car, this park is just outside of Calgary's city limits. The trails are very well marked and maintained. One of the trails leads up to a ridge with views overlooking the city on one side and the mountains on the other. The 12km of trails make for loops of varying lengths.

Lack of parking is a big problem. Parking lot needs to be expanded now they won't allow road…read moreparking

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)

I came to Canada with my running group and our first run was here at Barrier Lake. This pretty lake…read moreis located at the north end of Kananaskis Country in Alberta and is an hour drive from Calgary. Barrier Lake is man-made and has lots of hiking trails and beautiful mountain views. It is great for canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding during the summer months. We ran on the Jewell Pass Trail to the waterfall and back. It ended up being around seven miles (11 km) round-trip. I had a nice view of Mount Baldy while on my run. To park here, you need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass. There were restrooms and helpful information signs where we parked. Barrier Lake was featured in the "X2: X-Men United" movie.

What a gorgeous lake, I love the colour! I took my kids kayaking but wasnt crazy about the fact its…read moredammed---- check out the gorgeous view from the top of the mountain right beside it - Yates! Its where our friend lives at the top of the mtn 6 months a year- great views all the time :)

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.

Really beautiful, easy hike to the Upper Falls! Loved every minute in our perfect September…read moreweather!!

Easy and longer walk where you're able to hear the sounds of waterfalls. Calming. Able to take…read morephotos from different vantage points. Spacious area to stop and go at your own pace.

HIKE TO BOW FALLS AND BOW RIVER…read more On our first day in Banff, we joined the Bow Falls Loop Tour hosted by the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The Tour began with a hike down a paved path leading directly from the hotel to the Falls. For those driving, there is a small parking lot that is steps from the Falls. Our guide told us that the Falls can be reached via an easy and scenic walk along the Bow River from downtown Banff. Bow Falls is a beautiful yet powerful waterfall. While Bow River appeared shallow and calm, it was deep enough for scenic float boat tours that began further downstream. A paved promenade runs along the Bow River - we walked up steps for a bird's eye view of the Falls. Our tour finished with a climb up and around the Falls before hiking on a forest trail back to the hotel.

We took the Banff Gondola up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. It was a fun ride and there's much to…read moresee at the top! There's an observation deck, which leads to a boardwalk that has amazing panoramic views of the town of Banff, Bow Valley and six mountain ranges. The boardwalk ends at the historic cosmic ray station, which is not longer in use. There is also a couple restaurants, gift shop and an interpretive center at the summit. This is a must while visiting this area. Would highly recommend!

Going on a spontaneous, free hike, at your own risk is one of the perks after cruising observatory…read moredeck. Highest peak elevation level at 8,041 ft. Pros are getting 360 degree views and great cardiovascular exercise. Cons about hiking this area are some of the wooden steps are slightly loose and bugs at the top swarming around.