Glacier national park in Canada

Even though Glacier is the focal point, the Flathead and the surrounding area presents boundless activities, talk about it here.

Moderators: teapot57, Tara

Post Reply
danlowery
Posts: 117
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:14 pm

Glacier national park in Canada

Post by danlowery »

Hi-

I'm a huge fan of gnp in the u.s. Visited about ten times and hiked most of the great hikes. This year, my wife and I are planning to go to banff area and stay in golden, which is in between yoho and glacier national park in Canada. I've never been to that area and would love for someone who has to offer suggestions for can't miss day hikes.


Thanks in advance!

Dan
Selkie
2.1 Donator
2.1 Donator
Posts: 1321
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:17 pm
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Chicago
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Glacier national park in Canada

Post by Selkie »

(This will probably be moved to a different forum.)

There is a ton of information online. Parks Canada is especially helpful.

A guide book many people like is Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies. Others are good too.
Field info center has a ton of material as well.

Top of my don't-miss list is the Burgess Shale Foundation guided hike into Walcott Quarry, about which Stephen Jay Gould wrote Wonderlife Life.
https://www.burgess-shale.bc.ca/ It is in Yoho. Meeting place in Field or at trailhead, outside Whiskey Jack Hostel.

While there, I would also recommend The Iceline, which can be a partway out-and-back or a RT. Takakkaw Falls is right there, and 1/4 mile from parking area is a walk-in tent site.

Across the road and down a piece is Lake O'Hara, with 3-4 splendid hikes. 7 mile walk in if you do not have bus reservations. Can check at Field info center for latest bus cancellations, and to reserve if possible (reservations may be made through Parks Canada, but they are gone for the year). Lake O'Hara is wonderful enough to plan ahead and secure a campsite, another year.

Drive to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway. It has all the glaciers one would want to see. There are some not too demanding hikes along the route. One is 5 Lakes.
Jasper environs is another cluster of opportunities, including Mt. Robson Provincial Park and a nice backpack along Berg Lake. That is not the focal area of your this year's trip, however.

Lake Louise has 3-4 major attraction hikes that can be done without a minimum of 4 people.

I prefer Castle Mntn campground, on the Bow Valley Parkway, which has some wildlife:
https://www.banfflakelouise.com/accommo ... campground

From there you can reach most destinations of interest with a bit of driving.
The Lake Louise campground is in Lake Louise townsite, 3 miles from the lake and hiking. Reviews are mixed. There is also an HI in Lake Louise.

It's a great place and worth multiple trips.

(I believe poster "teapot" is among the local experts.)
southernguy
Donator
Donator
Posts: 374
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 8:46 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Clinton, Mississippi

Re: Glacier national park in Canada

Post by southernguy »

I have not been to GNP Canada but we were in Banff and Yoho in 2015. I think the views are a little better in Canada than Glacier USA but the hiking is a lot better in GNP USA.
We did 4 day hikes and I would rank them as follows:

1. Lake O'Hara As Selkie said, you have to make your bus reservations the first day they become available for the year you want to go. Fantastic views. They did say that if you walked in you could ride the bus out.
Here is a video

2. Moraine Lake to Sentinel Pass video

3. Fairview Mountain at Lake Louise video

4. Iceline in Yoho This was our least favorite hike. We did it as a loop but I would recommend it as a go as far as you want then turn around.

Here is a video that sums up the views. 90% of it is from the trails. There are some great views along the icefield parkway though.


Have a great trip

Jim
Selkie
2.1 Donator
2.1 Donator
Posts: 1321
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:17 pm
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Chicago
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Glacier national park in Canada

Post by Selkie »

The best hot springs -- lowest sulfur content, least crowded - are Radium Hot Springs.
A regular swimming pool is attached. I quite enjoyed it.

Banff hot springs was a madhouse.
danlowery
Posts: 117
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:14 pm

Re: Glacier national park in Canada

Post by danlowery »

Thanks to all of your replies. After much contemplation, we have decided to stick with what we know and love this year, gnp USA, and branch out to Canada another year. Piegan mountain and sites pass are calling me.

Thanks again everyone.

Dan
PeteE
Posts: 3346
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:20 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Winter hHaven Florida
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Glacier national park in Canada

Post by PeteE »

Cool beans Dan! 8)
pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
Post Reply

Return to “Areas Surrounding Glacier”