Lake Moraine, Yoho National Park, and More!

Lake Moraine, Yoho National Park, and More!

We were not in Canada for long and decided to do as much as we could in our short week. So, we explored Lake Moraine, Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls, and Johnston Canyon all in one day! Since they are all within an hour of each other and the hikes are fairly easy, doing all this in one day did not feel overwhelming or too exhausting. If you start early, this is a very doable itinerary. However, if you prefer to go at a slower pace, this can easily be done over the course of 2 days as well. 

Lake Moraine

Lake Moraine is the 2nd most popular spot in Banff National Park (with Lake Louise being number 1) and I would argue it is even more majestic than Lake Louise! One of the main perks of Lake Moraine verses Lake Louise, is the natural unobstructed beauty of it. This lake doesn't have nearly as many people partly because there is not a hotel right on the lake. It is all nature surrounding the lake, which is something I truly loved about it. Any hotels, cabins, etc. are tucked away hidden from sight! Lake Moraine was the highlight of my entire trip! I have never seen such a beautiful or more peaceful lake and I absolutely fell in love with Lake Moraine! We even tried to squeeze in another visit on our way home, but it was around 2 in the afternoon and the parking lot, and entire road for miles, was full of cars. So I would suggest going early! Unfortunately when we visited there were terrible fires in BC so the air was a bit hazy and not nearly as clear as what they tell us it usually is. We however didn't know any different and loved it just the same! No matter what the conditions, Lake Moraine is definitely worth a visit!

Tips

• As always, if you want parking and minimal crowds, go early! I do not recommend going past 9 am as the parking lot is very small and fills up quickly! We went around 7 am and we had the lake to ourselves! Very few people were there and we loved being able to enjoy the peacefulness of the lake with no one blocking our views! And of course our pictures didn't have anyone in them! 
• Bring hiking shoes for a short and easy hike on the lake!
• I highly recommend taking the time to canoe on Lake Moraine! It was one of my favorite things we did by far!
• Carve out just a few hours for Lake Moraine, especially if you plan on canoeing. We spent about 3 hours here doing a short hike, taking pictures, canoeing, and just enjoying the views. I could have easily spent another hour just taking in the beauty of the water, but we were on a schedule! 
• If you are planning on proposing on your Banff trip, this is the place to do it! (We actually got to witness a proposal and I have to admit I almost wanted Sam to propose to me again, simply because you can't pick a more perfect spot than Lake Moraine!!) 

Things To Do at Lake Moraine

1. Take pictures, A LOT of pictures! - One of the best places to take a picture is just beyond what can only be described as the giant rock pile. If you climb over the rock pile or walk around it, there are a few stairs that take you up to the top of a small hill. These are where you will get some of the best views and photos of the magnificent Lake Moraine. We spent easily an hour up here just sitting and soaking up the beauty and then of course snapping a million pictures!!

View from below the rock pile

The color of the water is just breathtaking! 

Stunning view from the top of the small hill!

A bit hazy from the fires but oh so beautiful! 

That color!!

We couldn't resist a selfie! :)

2. Take a short hike to the end of the lake! - Lake Moraine isn't a huge lake by any means so the hike is fairly short and easy. The hike starts at one end of the lake and goes to the other end. It does not loop around the entire lake. It is definitely worth doing as the views along the water are incredible! It is also neat to see the lake from the opposite side!

Some views on the short hike!

The water is so clear!

The small stream at the end of the lake!

3. Go for a canoe ride! You won't regret it! - One thing I liked best about Lake Moraine is that the canoe rentals do not open until 9 am. This gives you a chance to enjoy the views without any boats obstructing your views or pictures. Lake Louise does not have this rule and there were boats out on the water as early as 6:30 am. This does however mean that you must wait if you arrive early like we did. We did not mind at all, as we found plenty of things to do in the meantime. The canoe rentals were $105 CAD or about $90 American for one hour. This seems like a lot but IT IS WORTH EVERY CENT! We absolutely LOVED canoeing from one end of the lake to the another. We took videos, pictures, and were in absolute awe of the color of the water. There truly is nothing quite like it! An hour went by SO FAST and we couldn't believe the fun we had! Just be sure to stay in the canoe! The water is glacier water and extremely cold (even for us Wisconsinites) and can be dangerous if you fall in! If you visit Lake Moraine, canoeing is a must do! Check out this link for more details! https://morainelake.com/day-visits/

Canoe time!

Canoe Views!

Loving every second!

The view you can only get from the canoe!

4. Stay in cabins on Lake Moraine! - We did not stay here but we saw numerous hidden cabins in the woods that looked very charming! Check them out, I am sure you can't go wrong! https://morainelake.com/accommodation/

No matter what you decide to do or how long you are able to stay, Lake Moraine is must do and something that is not to be missed! 5 out of 5 stars!

Yoho National Park 

 

Emerald Lake

Yoho National Park, specifically Emerald Lake, is extremely under rated simply because it is up against 2 of the most beautiful lakes in the world. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the beauty and simplicity of Emerald Lake and we were so glad we decided to make a stop.

Emerald Lake is only about a 35 minute drive from Lake Moraine, so we decided it was worth a visit! We didn't get to Emerald Lake until about noon and the parking lot was full. However we easily found parking right outside the lot on the side of the road. Emerald Lake wasn't nearly as busy as I had expected, since we arrived there later in the day. I thought this lake had a magical tranquility to it that Lake Louise and Lake Moraine did not have. The color of the lake was also beautiful. We did an easy hike around the entire lake that took about an hour. While there were numerous people on this hike, we didn't feel like it was overly crowded and it didn't take away from the peacefulness of the hike. I personally loved the simplicity of this hike and how calm and relaxing it was. You also get views of the mountains and sky reflecting into the water, making the water look like a glass mirror. The hike also goes through some wooden areas and it can be pretty muddy so wear the proper shoes. Depending on which way you do the hike, you either end or start at a pleasant little gift shop. Overall, I thought Emerald Lake was a hidden gem and worth the stop!

View from the opposite side of the lake

Magical color!

We loved Emerald Lake and would give it a 4 out of 5 stars!

Takakkaw Falls

We decided to visit Takakkaw Falls right after Emerald Lake, as it was only about a 10 minute drive away. Takakkaw Falls is the highest waterfall in Canada, however it is still less popular. We went around 4 in the afternoon and had no problem with parking or crowds. What makes the Takakkaw Falls worth the stop and why I recommend including this in your itinerary, is how close you can actually get to the falls! It is a short hike to the bridge to view the falls and take a few pictures, but if you keep going you can take a short path that gets you closer to the falls. Once the path ends, don't turn around! Instead, climb up the boulders and get as close to the falls as you feel comfortable with. You won't regret it! You can feel the power of this waterfall and if you get close enough, you may even get wet from the spray of the water hitting the rocks! It does get pretty windy and slippery the closer you get, so the correct shoes are a must. It is loud, wet, and just amazing to feel the magnitude and sheer thundering power of nature! I have visited many waterfalls and so I wasn't super excited about visiting Takakkaw. However, after making the trip I highly recommend it! It is a quick but grand stop that I wouldn't miss if you are in Yoho National Park!

Sam got pretty close!

Getting soaked from the spray!

This waterfall was unique in how close you can get to it and so we gave it a 4 out of 5 stars!

Johnston Canyon (Banff National Park)

Our last stop in our packed day was Johnston Canyon which was on our way back to our hotel in downtown Banff. Johnston Canyon is located in Banff National Park and is about an hour from Takakkaw Falls, but only 30 minutes from downtown Banff. Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular hikes in Banff National Park. It is a fairly easy hike (though uphill at times), perfect for families and people of all fitness levels. Since it is a popular hike, visit before 10 am or after 4 pm. We went around 5 pm and the parking lot was almost empty. We had the hike to ourselves! There are 3 hikes you can do; the lower falls, upper falls, and the ink pots. After doing our research, we decided to just do the upper and lower falls, as most reviews said it wasn't worth the hike to the ink pots. The hike from the upper falls to the ink pots is approximately 1 hour and we were pretty worn out and not up for the added distance. However, if you have the energy and time why not visit it!? 

Lower Falls

The trail to the Lower Johnston Falls takes you through forests and across catwalks into the canyon above the rushing water below. There are beautiful views of the canyons and limestone making this trail an enjoyable one. The trail takes you all the way to a waterfall with a deep turquoise pool beneath it. What makes this trail unique is that you actually walk through a canyon tunnel that takes you to a platform just feet from the waterfall. You can even feel the mist from the waterfall! This trail takes about 30 minutes from the parking lot to the waterfall. 

Upper Falls

If you chose to, you can continue on to the upper falls which takes about another 30 minutes. The trail to the upper falls includes many scenic photo opportunities along the way. The upper falls can be viewed from 2 different spots, both worth a visit. The first one takes you across a catwalk that takes you to a viewpoint where you see straight across to the bottom of the falls. The second gives you the view from the top of the falls. This viewpoint is more dramatic and therefore a steeper hike to access it. 

The hike in its entirety (not including the ink pots) takes about 2 hours. We loved this hike and considered it another must see in Banff National Park! The views are beautiful and the hike entertaining and scenic! 4 out of 5 stars!

A Quick Note about Banff Upper Hot Springs

After a long day of hiking we decided to go to the Banff Upper Hot Springs for a warm soak to relieve our aching muscles. It was about a 10 minute drive from our hotel to get to the springs. I had done my research and the hot springs had a lot of mixed reviews, most of them saying it wasn't worth your time. However, the thought of sitting in a warm natural hot spring won and we decided to check it out. When we got there, the line to get in was out the door. They had a limit of people that could be in the hot spring at a time, so there was a wait to get in. The cost to get in was only $8.00 however the line was at least a half hour. So we decided to take a look at it before waiting in the forever line. After seeing what this "natural hot spring" looked like, we turned right around and drove back to our hotel! It was in all honesty, just a pool with "hot spring" water in it. Basically it was a glorified hot tub with a view of a mountain. It wasn't natural looking or near any natural rocks. While I am sure it felt amazing, it just didn't seem worth our time! Instead I went back to our hotel and soaked in a nice warm bath without all the crowds! My personal opinion, not worth $8.00 or my time! Skip this one for sure! 1 out of 5 stars!

Final Thoughts

While this was a busy jam packed day, we loved every minute of it. We didn't feel rushed or that we crammed too much in, as the hikes were easy and the views incredible. As I mentioned, you do not have to do this all in one day! However, if you are on a time crunch know that doing it all in one day, while it is tiring, it wasn't an overkill!