Hi Luvs! As per usual, all my topics are for the brand new spanking photographers who have no idea what to do and where to go. Well in this blog I will provide you with a comprehensive and detailed road map with photos of the must see places in the Canadian Rockies that I’ve discovered so far.
Before I bought my camera, I was guilty of going to Banff once a year IF family came to visit. I’d take them walking up and down Banff Avenue into the many gift stores and if I was feeling generous- I’d take them to Lake Louise and say “These are the Rockies!” Little did I know how much more there was. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t even know Moraine Lake existed. Or The Three Sisters. Or Bow Lake. Or Emerald. So and so forth.
But I’m a changed woman. I’m outdoorsy, adventurous and obsessed with discovering new places to shoot. I will spare you the researching, the Googling of distances and the planning by giving it all to you. Grab your cup of coffee and make yourself comfortable.
LETS START OFF IN CANMORE
Canmore Map
You cannot miss the iconic Three Sisters as you drive into Canmore. This trio of mountain peaks are the pride and joy of Canmore and can be photographed from almost anywhere in Canmore since they are right in the heart of the town. Fun Fact: These mountains had been previously named The Three Nuns.
The Three Sisters: Charity, Hope and Faith
Here is how I would plan my day in Canmore- I would go photograph the sunrise at the Engine Canmore Bridge, then drive over to Grassi Lakes with coffee and bagel in hand to fuel my short hike to the lakes. After that, if I have $129 to spare- I would take a 12 minute helicopter ride with Alpine Helicopters over the The Three Sisters and Spray Lakes to get epic views=epic photos. For sunset, I would go to the secret spot at Policeman Creek and photograph the Three Sisters.
The Canmore Engine Bridge
This beautiful historic railway bridge has the gorgeous backdrop of the mountains with the Bow River running right through it. You can also see the Three Sisters from the bridge. This is a popular spot for engagement and wedding photos so plan going there for sunrise to avoid running into people.
Grassi Lakes
These beautiful turquoise lakes are fun to photograph with all the interesting logs and moss in the water. Getting to the two lakes involves a pretty short and easy hike of 3.8km round trip. Really kid friendly, too. Because it is so easy and accessible expect to see large crowds, so I would really recommend going first thing in the morning. Also, this path is notorious for bears, so make sure to bring bear spray with you.
NEXT STOP - BANFF
There are 3 Places in Banff where it is IMPERATIVE that you go for sunrise.
Banff Map
I have highlighted on this map all the key locations that are within a one day driving distance for an entire day of shooting in the Banff area. I will include Emerald Lake as an options seeing that it is only a short 40 minute drive from Lake Louise and it is worth exploring for stunning night photography.
Vermilion Lakes
Simply because the sunrises there are stunning. The sun rises right behind Rundle and on a cloudy day, it will seem like it is on fire. Vermilion is famously photographed at sunrise. It won’t disappoint you. Fun Fact: Mount Rundle is made up of 7 peaks making it a mountain range which stretches 12 Kilometres.
Moraine Lake and & Lake Louise
The other two locations do have nice sunrises- but the real reason why you have to go at sunrise is because of the THOUSANDS (not exaggerating here folks) of tourists. And it doesn’t matter if it is on a Tuesday. Tourists are not working and they arrive by the bus loads. They will rent canoes and get in the water, ruining your reflections and they will get right in front of your well composed shot and take selfies. Just thinking about it makes me mad, lol! Now if you had to choose between sunrise at Lake Louise or Moraine Lake- I would choose Moraine Lake. The view of the Valley of the 10 Peaks is JAW dropping from top of the rock pile.
Johnston Canyon
Now that you’ve taken your sunrise shot at any of the three locations above, drive over to Johnston Canyon and go for a nice easy hike and photograph the Lower and Upper Falls. This 2.7km hike to the Upper Falls is very busy during the summer months, but it is just as beautiful and less travelled during the winter.
Castle Mountain
After visiting Johnston Canyon, it is well worth driving 5 minutes to Castle Mountain. As you are driving, you will see this unusual looking mountain that looks like The Punisher. That’s Castle. The best spot to photograph Castle is where the small stream runs right in front of it. If you turn left at the convenience store, you will drive over the bridge where you will enjoy the best view of Castle.
Sunset & Astro Photography in Banff
Well now that you’ve had a productive day of shooting, you drive back to Banff to finish off your day shooting sunset at these two locations that are literally 1km apart from each other: Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka. They are also fantastic locations for shooting the Milky Way because they are far enough away from the town that the artificial light won’t contaminate your night sky. Fun Fact: Lake Minnewanka is the largest man-made lake in Banff.
YOHO, BC
Another fantastic alternative to going back to Banff for sunset would be Emerald Lake in Yoho, BC. It is just 30 minutes west of Lake Louise and you can get such incredible variety in shots. This place looks spectacular, especially in the winter as the Cilantro Restaurant lights are left on creating a very magical cabin in winter wonderland vibe.
BEST SPOTS ON HWY 93
HWY 93 Map
Typically driving 6 hours on a highway can be painfully boring. You just want to get from point A to point B stopping for the occasional bathroom break and coffee. But not on Highway 93. This highway that takes you to Jasper is a treat in itself. The majestic views and the 50+ view points and stops along the way is worth planning your day around before reaching Jasper. Nobody has time to pull over 50 times, so I will share with you the top 5 iconic spots along this highway that will make your photos the envy of other photographers around the world.
Bow Lake
This is your first Must See spot on Highway 93. Pull over at the Num Ji Tah Lodge to photograph the Crowfoot Mountain for sunrise when the winds are calm to get great reflections. This is also one of the tourist destinations where if you arrive at noon, you will see bus loads of tourists arriving making difficult to the perfect shot.
Peyto Lake
Minutes from Bow Lake is Peyto Lake. The stunning views of the wolf shaped, turquoise lake are second maybe only to Moraine Lake. The lake gets its incredible colour from Peyto Glaciers and it is worth the 1.9 mile hike to the view point from the parking lot. Fun Fact: This lake was named after Bill Peyto- one of Banff's first wardens.
Mistaya Canyon
This hidden gem is about 40 minutes from Peyto Lake. Keep an eye out for the sign on the road as it is small and you can easily miss it. You park your car on the small gravel lot and hike down about 1/2 a km to get to the incredible canyon whose path was formed by the powerful Mistaya River. Fun Fact: Mistaya means Grizzly Bear in the language of Cree Indians.
Sunwapta Falls
This will be a few hours drive from Mistaya as it is closer to your destination (55km from Jasper). Sunwapta (which means Turbulent River) is a 75ft majestic waterfall that originated from the Sunwapta River. There is a small island with trees where the river splits off right before it plunges into the fall. Best shot is taken from the foot bridge right across from it.
Athabasca Falls
20 kms from Sunwapta and you will arrive at Athabasca Falls and my pick for final stop along HWY 93. There are walkways and viewpoints from where you can photograph this fall with the beautiful mountain as a backdrop. Again, beware of tourists. The viewing points are small and tight so go preferably for sunset or sunrise to avoid the crowds.
This list of places should provide you with plenty of beautiful photos for your landscape portfolio. If the weather Gods are on your side you will get an epic sunrise/sunset, perfectly calm waters for reflections and just the right amount of clouds for beautiful long exposures. If you’d like to learn more about how to take great landscape photos and how to deal with challenges, read my blog on LANDSCAPE TIPS AND TRICKS
There are many more amazing places to be discovered and I will create a part II and III eventually. Stay tuned!
Robin
