Banff Favorite Spots

[padrepaul]

Looking forward to 10 days in the Canadian Rockies later this month. Ill be meeting up with a photo tour guide and driving from Minnesota, but was curious if anyone had favorite spots.

Right now I have 3 sunrise shuttle tickets to Moraine Lake and hope to nail a sunrise there.

Will be at Morants Curve and hope to get a train even if I have to wait a while.

Johnston Canyon for waterfalls.

Emereld Lake at Yoho I plan to visit.

Peyto Lake on Ice Fields Parkway is on my list.

I also have a day booked with an owl photographer who guides people and hope to get owl photos.

Hope to visit Two Jack, and if open Sunwapta Falls. I know Jasper was hit hard though.

Would love aurora but thats hit and miss of course.

Should be a fun road trip. Will do Louise too but Moraine is my favorite landscape spot hoping for pink clouds.

Thanks for any tips!
Paul

 

[ssheipel]

Jasper National Park is effectively closed but for travelling through it -- e.g. Sunwapta is closed. Enjoy your trip -- look forward to the photos!

 

[PhilcTx]

Kicking Horse Pass overlook for it's spiral railroad tunnels. If you're timing is good you can capture the locomotives of a train exiting one tunnel portal while the rear of the same train is still entering the other tunnel portal. See my BCG Gallery for example.

Icefields Parkway at least up to the Athabasca Glacier if for nothing else the eye-watering landscapes along the Parkway.

 

[padrepaul]

Thank you, I love train photography so will have to find htis spot.

 

[padrepaul]

Kicking Horse Pass overlook for it's spiral railroad tunnels. If you're timing is good you can capture the locomotives of a train exiting one tunnel portal while the rear of the same train is still entering the other tunnel portal. See my BCG Gallery for example.

Icefields Parkway at least up to the Athabasca Glacier if for nothing else the eye-watering landscapes along the Parkway.

Do you know where this spot is? Is there a specific spot for photographing the trains that is good?

 

[PhilcTx]

Thank you, I love train photography so will have to find htis spot.

Its been a number of years ago but as I recall the overlook is a pull-off rest type area on the main highway thru the pass with a large parking area. We were driving from the direction of Banff to enter the pull-off and it should be easy to find. You'll be able to see the lower spiral tunnel portals from the parking area's overlook.

The main east/west Canadian rail line runs out from Calgary then to Banff then over the mountains and on to the west coast. Other easy access spots for train photography is the Lake Louise Train Station/Restaurant and also the Banff train station - both beside the main line.

My late wife and I rode the Rocky Mountaineer scenic train for a 2 day trip across the Canadian Rockies from Banff to Vancouver, BC. Truly spectacular trip.

 

[padrepaul]

Its been a number of years ago but as I recall the overlook is a pull-off rest type area on the main highway thru the pass with a large parking area. We were driving from the direction of Banff to enter the pull-off and it should be easy to find. You'll be able to see the lower spiral tunnel portals from the parking area's overlook.

The main east/west Canadian rail line runs out from Calgary then to Banff then over the mountains and on to the west coast. Other easy access spots for train photography is the Lake Louise Train Station/Restaurant and also the Banff train station - both beside the main line.

My late wife and I rode the Rocky Mountaineer scenic train for a 2 day trip across the Canadian Rockies from Banff to Vancouver, BC. Truly spectacular trip.

Thank you - I know there is Morant's Curve but then this spot. Would the pull off be on the Trans Canada Highway or on the Ice Fields Parkway as you head towards Yoho and Jasper? I'll do some digging. Appreciate the photo suggestion.

 

[PhilcTx]

Thank you - I know there is Morant's Curve but then this spot. Would the pull off be on the Trans Canada Highway or on the Ice Fields Parkway as you head towards Yoho and Jasper? I'll do some digging. Appreciate the photo suggestion.

The pull-off to view the lower spiral tunnel is on the Trans-Canadian highway in the Kicking Horse Pass. The link below also indicates there is a different viewing spot up on the mountain for the upper tunnel which I was not aware of. Enjoy!

Spiral Tunnels

Designed by J.E. Schwitzer, the Spiral Tunnels halved the grade of the “Big Hill” in Kicking Horse Pass, improving safety for railway crews and passengers.

parks.canada.ca

 

[BillW]

Some great locations.

One additional place. My wife and I did a day hike near Maligne Lake on one of several trips to the Canadian Rockies. Beautiful views of the lake with snow capped mountains behind it.

I think it is in Jasper NP, so I’m not sure whether there are any issues getting to it now.

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun.

 

[groob]

I also think the crowfoot glacier area on the ice fields parkway is beautiful.

 

[ssheipel]

Some great locations.

One additional place. My wife and I did a day hike near Maligne Lake on one of several trips to the Canadian Rockies. Beautiful views of the lake with snow capped mountains behind it.

I think it is in Jasper NP, so I’m not sure whether there are any issues getting to it now.

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun.

Nothing is open in the JNP for visitors; last I heard stopping on the highway not even allowed.

 

[JamesFarrell]

Thank you, I love train photography so will have to find htis spot.

As a train buff myself, among other interests, I've been to both train photo locations mentioned in this thread. While Kicking Horse pass and the Spiral Tunnels are terrific and an engineering marvel, the photography I think is very limited due to tree growth (at least as of the last visit there). But still very interesting and worth a visit to "hear" and experience the action. Morant's Curve is far better for photography. Trains do come through fairly often, limited by a single-track operation. I spent time there in July 2015 for a few days - two images posted here.. Someone posted some shots there in winter time which were awesome - https://bcgforums.com/threads/first-snow-morants-curve-canadian-rockies-alberta-canada.19106/ - Enjoy.

Late Edit: Morant's Curve is along the Bow Valley Parkway (Route 1A) which you can access off of Route 1 (Trans Canadian Pkwy) at an intersection at Lake Louise)

 

[JamesFarrell]

One other train spotting and train photo op related to the area is to visit the town of Field, BC which is on the west side of Kicking Horse Pass (Yoho NP) along the Trans Canadian Hwy. This is a Canadian Pacific RR crew change point and where trains stop "stage" to climb Kicking Horse pass to get over the mountain on the way to Lake Louise, Banff and eventually Calgary and the east. You watch them leave the rail yard, and follow them up the mountain and then even see them from Morant's Curve. Eyes on the road for safety even if you're tempted to look around. I managed to catch the Rocky Mountaineer Tourist Train "blast" through Field east bound one time. Taken right at the crossing of the narrow road leading into the town of Field.

 

[riseform]

Just checked from my trip there in 2015 (wow I'm getting old) and I labelled my photos pretty well in terms of location. We were in Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff and hit many of the locations you mention. I remember we really enjoyed hiking the Wilcox pass trail.

Canadian Rockies 2015

Explore this photo album by N H on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[Darrellhar]

Oh I miss being able to travel there. What a beautiful area.
If you are going to Johnston Canyon make sure you include what I call hidden falls. It is a waterfall slightly off the trail but so worth it.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

If you are going to Emerald Lake make sure you stop at Natural Bridge although may not be that good this time of year.
I would add Vermillion Lake to your list
Sunwapta was awesome visit but its 3 hours north of Banff so it would have eaten into a lot of your trip
Mistaya Canyon is another location worth going to if you can get to it.

 

[dasm]

Some great locations.

One additional place. My wife and I did a day hike near Maligne Lake on one of several trips to the Canadian Rockies. Beautiful views of the lake with snow capped mountains behind it.

I think it is in Jasper NP, so I’m not sure whether there are any issues getting to it now.

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun.

Maligne Lake is in Jasper National Park and it is still closed to visitors and will possibly remain closed for a considerable period of time. In fact, all of Jasper National Park is closed to visitors. I believe from Banff side, Highway 93 (Icefield Parkway) is open up to Saskatchewan River Crossing.

 

[joe43]

In Banff, go to Vermillion Lakes, for sunrise or sunset or anytime. At moraine lake, if you have the time, hike the Larch valley trail.

 

[DBalaur]

Oh I miss being able to travel there. What a beautiful area.
If you are going to Johnston Canyon make sure you include what I call hidden falls. It is a waterfall slightly off the trail but so worth it.
View attachment 96710

If you are going to Emerald Lake make sure you stop at Natural Bridge although may not be that good this time of year.
I would add Vermillion Lake to your list
Sunwapta was awesome visit but its 3 hours north of Banff so it would have eaten into a lot of your trip
Mistaya Canyon is another location worth going to if you can get to it.

The hidden falls and any off-trail paths are closed to protect Black swifts' breeding habitat, which makes sense considering how high-traffic Johnston Canyon is these days. I honestly prefer the canyon in the winter, but if you are travelling at this time of the year might as well hike to the Ink Pots. It is a bit further from the Upper Falls where most folks start turning back.

"I miss the old Banff": People react to crowds at Johnston Canyon | News

Johnston Canyon is one of Banff's most beautiful and popular hikes, but it's also known for being a crowded trail that keeps getting busier.

dailyhive.com

 

[Tim Karels]

Moraine Lake has always been my most favorite spot in the Canadian Rockies despite a marmot running away with my binoculars. It's been a long while since I've been there. In the early 90's I remember being able to drive to the lake before sunrise and being the only one there. I guess "the secret" is out and it's now so popular that you have to make reservations to get on a bus. It sort of takes a bit of the adventure out of it. Nevertheless, when I'm in that area next, I'll still make the visit.

 

[DBalaur]

Moraine Lake has always been my most favorite spot in the Canadian Rockies despite a marmot running away with my binoculars. It's been a long while since I've been there. In the early 90's I remember being able to drive to the lake before sunrise and being the only one there. I guess "the secret" is out and it's now so popular that you have to make reservations to get on a bus. It sort of takes a bit of the adventure out of it. Nevertheless, when I'm in that area next, I'll still make the visit.

Yep, both lakes (and Banff in general) are getting too crowded that their infrastructure cannot handle the traffic. Moraine now bans cars with the exception of resident vehicles.

 

[rduckw]

We visited Banff and Jasper last fall. A couple of spots I'd recommend are The Three Sisters in Canmore and Castle Mountain between Banff and Lake Louise. Also while in Banff, get a sunrise shot at Vermillion Lakes.