Jasper and Banff (day 28)

Day 28 – Friday, July 27th (355 miles, Edson, AB to Calgary, AB):

This morning I left my hotel around 6am to get an early start on my day touring Jasper National Park and Banff National Park. I got into Jasper around 7:30am and headed straight up to Maligne Lake, about an hours ride once I was in the park. The ride to the lake was breathtaking, riding past rivers, crystal clear lakes, and jagged mountains. This single area may have taken the cake as the most beautiful place I have come to on this trip.

Once I arrived at the lake, and thankfully before the massive crowds came, I walked on a trail that wraps around part of the lake for about a mile. I got to a lookout point and sat down for a few minutes, taking in the scenery. People were already out on the lake, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing, while quite a few others were walking on the various trails around the lake. I then headed into the restaurant at the nearby lodge, got some coffee, and sat down on the outside patio to enjoy the views of the lake and mountains before driving to other parts of the park.

My next stop in Jasper was back down the mountain a little ways at a lake called Medicine Lake. This is another crystal clear lake, set between mountains on all sides. The road runs right along this lake and is one of the more scenic roads of this trip, with a steep drop off and the lake, both to one side. I stopped for about 20 minutes, got a few pictures, and then headed into the town of Jasper.

After getting gas in Jasper and riding through the town, now swarming with thousands of tourists, I began driving down the Icefield Parkway towards Banff National Park. The Icefield Parkway is about 150 miles long and connects the two national parks, running through massive, jagged mountains, passing rivers, lakes, and glaciers. The entire road is nothing but amazing scenery and is a must-do if visiting wither park.

I must have stopped at least 100 times to see the sights and take pictures while riding on the Icefield Parkway. I couldn’t get over how blue and clear the lakes lakes were and how many ice fields and glaciers I got to see. Truly an amazing experience being able to visit this part of Canada!

Once I got into Banff in the late afternoon, I rode over to Lake Louise, the most popular attraction in Banff. While it is a beautiful place, I stayed there for only a few minutes because there were so many other people there. I generally try to avoid the large crowds and see less visited places, so Lake Louise was not as attractive to me as other parts of the parks. After Lake Louise, I headed into Calgary, where I would be staying for the evening.

Tonight will be my last night in Canada, before I head back into the US and cross the border into Montana. I will definitely miss Canada, in particular British Columbia, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here!

Maligne Lake 1 - edited .JPG