We went to Canada last August, it was my most favorite trip! The area is absolutely heaven on earth. We did many hikes in those areas. You can canoe at Lake Louise and even more beautiful was canoeing on Moraine Lake, the color is unbelievable. We did do a around the lake hike at Lake Louise which is not too strenuous, another was around Emerald Lake and one other small lake on the Icefields Pkwy. Have a great time!

Two must hikes in Many Glacier are Grinell Glacier and Iceberg Lake

I was in Banff two years ago with my wife and in Glacier this past August with my daughter.

Moraine Lake is by far more beautiful then Lake Louise. It's about 15 miles from LL. When you park you car in the lot, instead of going right to the lake veer left and you'll see the "Rock Pile". Walk around the back and there's a trail and stairs to the top.

This is the view on the back of the old Canadian 20 dollar bill (you can google "Moraile Lake 20 dollar bill").

You may also want to go to Peyto Lake. Beautiful.

In Glacier I've heard of many people complaining about Many Glacier Hotel. I was in the lobby but not much else so don't have first hand. We stayed at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn a mile further in.
Two amazing hikes are Grinnel Glacier (the boat leaves from the Many Glacier Hotel) and Iceberg Lake (the trailhead is in Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.

Grinnell Glacier is shorter but more difficult as it's steeper. On the return from Iceberg Lake we were walking beside a grizzly who walk onto our trail and sat down in a small stream right in front of us.

A very short hike where you're almost guaranteed to see wildlife is Fishercap Lake. Go early or late as that's when the wildlife is about.

Go to the end of the Swiftcurrent Parking lot and take the Swiftcurrent Pass trail. In 10-15 minutes you'll see a sign pointing left to Fisgercap Lake. There are always people there. We saw male, fenale moore and deer. A grizzly on the way back from Redrock Falls a mile or two further.

I'm going back this August with a friend. Also going to Calgary both ways. On the way back we'll spend a day in Banff (been) and a day + in Jasper (haven't).

No need to rent a SUV unless you want to splurge. The roads in the Canadian National Parks are excellent.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Adding those hikes plus Lake Moraine to the list. More used to black bears, a grizzly would scare the heck out of me! Is it advised to have bear bells or something else to make noise?

Regarding the Many Glacier Hotel, I'm hoping that our room, which is one of the newly renovated ones, will be okay.

Here's info on canoeing at Banff NP:

www.banfflakelouise.com/Things-To-Do/Summer-Adventures/Water-Activities/Canoeing-Kayaking

It would appear you can easily canoe at Lake Louise:
http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/promotions/canoeing/

But it does not appear you can also canoe on Banff Lake:
http://banffcanoeing.com/activities/canoe-kayak-rentals/
only 40 Mile Creek, the Bow River, and Vermillion Lakes.

ceezee, Funny thing about bear bells. I've heard them referred to as dinner bells.

I bought bear spray in Babb on the way in. I had it hanging on my belt. Don't put it in the backpack. I saw some people carrying it in hand.

We saw several grizzlies. A few up a hill right at the turnoff to Many Glacier Hotel. These were too far up to be an issue.

Saw one on the shore on the return from Grinnell Glacier hike. We were just getting off the boat and it was a bit of a distance away.

For some reason the one on the return from Iceberg Lake didn't scae us (maybe stupidly). It was out in the open with a fair number of people around in the middle of the day. It never bluffed towards us. It was hot and I think it just wanted to cool down. A ranger came up from further back. At first he tried to shushed the bear away. Then he decided to leave the bear alone as it was enjoying itself in the stream.

We saw another on the return from Redrock Falls. About half way back to Fishercap Lake my daughter saw a grizzly thru the tree standing there looking at us. It was 7PM, we were alone and it was starting to get din. My daughter took one quick photo before we slithered away. I was quite concerned and started to pull out the bear spray but didn't have to use it.

You're always supposed to make noise when hiking. Especially in Many Glacier. Once you see a bear and it can see you talking too loud probably doesn't do much. Don't run or move too quickly. Don't look it in the eye. Just slowly back away and have the bear spray ready in case it come closer.

While we saw several grizzlies, I'm told many or most people never see one there. I don't know which is correct.

You can see photos of the trip at:
www.travelwalks.com

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In Lake Louise we saw a canoe dock on the side of the lake and a fair number of people on the lake.

> Is it advised to have bear bells or something else to make noise?

http://www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/Hiking_and_Camping/hiking_and_camping.html

"Talk, sing or clap your hands to let a bear know of your presence. Don't rely on bells, usually they are too quiet."

The advise given on this page is the consensus after analyzing many decades of bear-human encounters. Note the statement, "Conflicts with wildlife are primarily caused by inappropriate human behavior."

http://www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/BearEncounters/bearencounters.html

Bears are wild animals.

We are not known to be a meal for a bear.

A mother will protect her cubs.
A bear will protect its food supply. Mostly berries.

We should always make noise when hiking in their territory to make sure they're aware of us. They want to avoid us. They don't want to be surprised.

Thanks again to all.

Myers, the photos are stunning, thanks for sharing.and to PaulRabe for the canoeing links.

I'm used to lots of wildlife on our previous canoeing trips, mainly moose, beavers, otters, eagles, and or course, brown bears. It will be nice not to have to hang our food pack! Just really wondered if grizzlies were somehow requiring a different approach and it doesn't seem so, I'll definitely pick up some bear spray in case.

In the back country of GNP, you MUST hang your food pack!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4235940724/in/set-72157623117942088

We did the hike up to the Plain of Six Glaciers tea house above Lake Louise. I really enjoyed it - the tea house has no electricity, but serves full meals. I'm in decent shape but don't hike often; the hike was a fun challenge but doable for me. Here's my set of pictures from that day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenthompson/sets/72157624649026183/

Moraine Lake is absolutely gorgeous and I wish we'd had more time to spend there! We went by after that hike and just didn't have time before dark/dinnertime.

Regarding the phone, who's your carrier? I have Verizon and was able to use my phone just as I would in the States. They had to add some sort of international plan to it, but it wasn't expensive at all for Canada as compared to Europe or other places. This was in 2010 before I got a smartphone, though.

In the two days we stayed in the Lake Louise area I must have gone to Moraine Lake 3 or 4 times. Early morning and later in PM.

Spectacular!!!!

With Verizon it pays to get a plan for Canada that runs either 15 or 20 for a month. You can get it for the number of days you need and then cancel and pay pro-rated.

Another vote for the Plain of Six Glaciers hike. If you are up to it, make it a full day and do the loop that also encompasses the Big Beehive and the Lake Agness Tea House as well. Or do the hikes separately. But regardless, that entire trail system is a wonderful hike

We also like the trail at Johnston Canyon. If you continue past the crowds, the trail will head up to the ink pots. It is easy and the paint pots are interesting.

More great things to add to my must-do list. The hikes mentioned looked perfect. Especially hiking to a tea house.

Due to the type of plan I have with Verizon I can't add an Internatinal Plan. So I was just hoping to switch out the SIM card at the airport. I was hoping that maybe there was a kiosk or something there to do that like in Europe.

If you use the phone carefully you won't break the bank paying roaming fees.

Johnston Canyon was beautiful once you get past the crowds.

I believe I have some photos of the falls on my web site. Also, Peyto Lake.

If you do the ranger led hike to Grinnell Glacier hike in GNP, you'll have to purchase a boat ticket to get across Swiftcurrent Lake. Since that hike always fills up, you'll want to purchase your tickets at least a day or two in advance of your hike.

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/grinnell-glacier.htm

Another hike you'll want to consider is Hidden Lake Overlook which starts at Logan Pass visitor's Center. You're almost always guaranteed to see mountain goats there. THe parking lot at Logan Pass fills up early in the mornings, so plan to get there by 10AM

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/hidden-lake-overlook.htm

wave725 makes a good point about the boat ride. I bought tickets months ahead for our hike.

Interesting about Hidden Lake and mountain goats. We saw them on the other side of the road near the start of the Highline hike.

I found Hidden Lake to be one of the tougher hikes as there are a lot of steps early in the hike and they're hard on the ageing legs.

Actually, the hardest hike on our trip was Bear's Hump in Waterton Lakes on the Canadian side. Those highe rock and railroad tie stairs were tough on my klegs.

We stayed at the Many Glacier Hotel last year and had an updated room. The rooms are small, but the flooring and all the fixtures were brand new. I thought it was pretty decent for an old Nat'l Park hotel.

I'm jealous of your stay at Lake Louise! Have a great trip!

Thanks for the update on the Many Gacier Hotel rooms. Small, I don't care really. I give all those Nat'l Park hotels a lot of slack considering how old they are.

And hey, I'm jealous of my stay at Lake Louise! I hope it meets my expectations.

ceezee - watch data usage on that phone. Turn it off except for when you have wifi, if you can. My first trip with a smartphone (Verizon) to Canada cost me about $100 in the first few days before I realized. Otherwise, I think it's running 69 cents/minute for voice, not bad for short calls but not for casual use either.

Sorry I can't advise you on the SIM card for Canada - check out Rogers Communications, I believe they are the leading telecom around there.

Actually, I should have wifi at the Chateau. I really just need it for texting and Internet use. I can text over wifi with other iPhones over wifi so that's no problem. Phone calls should be minimal.

And good idea to turn off the data unless I am in wifi range.

Make sure you visit Moraine Lake early in the morning and late in the day. There are a lot less people there than Lake Louise. Reputation I guess.

We were at Moraine Lake in the middle of the day on one of my stops there. It started to cloud over so we decided to drive up the highway to Peyto Lake (also spectacular views).

As we were walking down the "Rock Pile" we passed a wedding party on the way up for photos. It suddenly started to rain and they had no rain gear. Ouch!!!

On the way to Peyto Lake we saw a bunch of cars on the side of the road. That means they saw something. We got out and crossed the road and there was a gigantic black bear eating berries. The people were way too close and not near their cars.

We love Many Glacier hotel. Have stayed there three times, never yet in a renovated roo. ( We do have one reserved for our next visit in August). The rooms are small but you are not there for the room; nit is what is outside. If have a balcony you can sit out there and just gaze at the scenery in the evening. And be sure to wake up for sunrise. Our first time there I felt something calling to me and got up to look out the window. Of our lakefront room. It was one of the most beautiful sights I've seen in mylife. The sky and lake were dark but the sun hit Grinnell Point across the lake and turned it into a glowing golden pyramid. Since then we have set the alarm so we don't miss it. That show has not been repeated, but it is still pretty nice.

I don't know how the food is in the dining room as we have never eaten there. We go over to Swiftcurrent to the more casual restaurant. It is fun to join the group in the parking lot with their spotting scopes.

Grinnell Glacier is one of our favorite hikes. We find it much more interesting, terrain-wise, than Iceberg Lake. If you want to do the ranger-led hike, do make reservations for the boat well in advance. It does sell out, leaving people disappointed.

If you are staying only at Many Glacier, you will probably only drive up to Logan Pass once. Hidden Lake Overlook is a short hike almost guaranteed to produce mountain goats footing for photos. If you have time, you can also do a short out and back hike on the Highline Trail.

I am a nervous hiker in grizzly country, having been charged by one when we lived in Alaska years ago. I have a lot of respect for these magnificent creatures, but hope never to see one up close again. We follow the advice to hike in groups of four ( or more) and talk as we walk to avoid surprising one.

(One of the two grizzly attacks in Alaska last summer, the non-fatal one, was a young woman from our community whom we know. She was working with a colleague mapping minerals but they were not talking. She surprised a bear and it attacked her. Her bear spray was not in reach ( mistake) but she remembered to " play dead" ( good thinking in this situation) and it left her alone after biting her hand and dragging her a short way. Fortunately she was not traumatized by this, and will keep hiking and enjoying tha outdoors, but her hand is damaged.)

For the Grinnell Glacier hike, you can skip the boat ride by hiking 2 miles on the flat and meeting the boat and Ranger at the boat landing just before the trail head. Course you will have to leave earlier to make connections.

Someone mentioned it, but I am going to mention it again, you don't "need" an SUV for this trip, fine if you want one, but if trying to economize you can easily drive this route in any car,,even a sub compact. The roads are perfectly normal.

Most of the folks here seem a lot more knowledgeably than I am on GNP. We can say however, that it is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been (and we live a few hours from Yosemite). The bear advice here is good and more importantly it is very real. When we were there, we saw bears seemingly every time we turned a corner. We did wear bear bells and I carried a holstered bear spray canister. Be aware that (at least in those days) you could not take the bear spray canister across the border in one direction (I forget which direction).

I don't claim to be an expert, but my research suggests that most bears will leave you alone if given the chance. But a very very small percentage will be looking for something to eat and decide you are it. If you begin to be stalked by a bear, this is the beginning, get to safety or be ready.

Oh, and one more thing. When we went, the bus to the top of Going to the Sun road was first come, first served basis. This meant that people could and did get stranded on this huge wild mountain. We almost did ourselves when the driver said there were 2 seats. We ignored him and put my then 8 year old on my lap. Half-way down the mountain, some young hikers were told there was no room. We wrote to the Park Service and told them this was irresponsible. They seemed to agree and promised it would change. Check before you go.

Most people appear to use their cars and the shuttles never seemed to be full.

We took bear spray from Glacier to the Canadian side with no problem.

In general bears are not predators. They prefer to eat berries and will only turn of you if they think you are eating theirs. Just make noise, be in a group and they'll avoid you.

Also, a mother with cubs is protective.

Warn that you're around and they'll go around.

In the Banff/Lake Louise area signs will be posted where bears have been sighted- not that you won't meet one anyway - but at least a heads up for some trails.
The Johnston Canyon hike is a good one- continue onto the paint pots

Also like the hike to the tea house at Lake Lousie- its quite an elevation gain but beautiful when you get there

Thanks again for all the valuable info!

The only reason we're getting the SUV is to have a higher view when driving than you'd get with a smaller car. I figured the roads would be good but I do like the higher seats.

Does it pay to get a guidebook ahead of time with the hiking trails or is this info readily available at ranger stations? It's good to know the elevation changes and the rate they change.

I have a job where I stand and walk for 8 hours but I have to get my husband out there on some long walks. Luckily we live close to Valley Forge Natl Park which is great for walking.

There is a great visitors center in Banff Springs- they have all kinds of info on hikes, maps, bear sightings, trail conditions etc- they are very helpful for that area .

I have to disagree with Myer about the shuttles at GNp. We had a problem with shuttles being full when we tried to get from the Loop,parking area up,to Logan Pass for the Highline Trail hike. We followed recommendations to leave our car at the Loop parking area to leave space at Logan Pass for others. The first two shuttles that passed were full and would not pick up anyone. We were running out of time to make our starting time for the hike. So others who were in the same position offered to drive up to Logan Pass. We all loaded up in their pickup truck, with lost sitting in the back. Who knows if we would have gotten space on a shuttle.

Both Apgar on the west side and St. Mary's in the east side have info and a guide on trails including mileage, elevation gain and location of trailheads in GNP.

Bear spray can be taken into Canada now as long as it is a cannister that specifically states it is for use on animals. Some of the cheaper brands don't specify that info.

FREE shuttle buses area available however be informed of the last shuttle down from Logan Pass which in the past has been 7:00 pm. I guarantee NO ONE will be stranded at Logan Pass. If the last bus is overloaded they will radio down and send another bus up. At the very least, a Ranger will take you down.


ALL this information and more is available at Visitor's Centers in the park along with the latest up to date on trail closures, weather etc. from the Rangers in the Center.

I'll plan on stopping at Banff Springs to check out the visitors center.

Also at GNP, I was planning on taking the Red Bus Tour. Are they good?

I would drive my car in Glacier. I believe that for some reason the schedule has been somewhat spread out in the last year or two. Just get to Logan Pass by 9:30AM and you should be fine.

I called Parks Canada a few months before and they sent me a map of hiking trails in each area and a description.
ISBN: 978-1-100-11210-7 or Catalogue No: R63-243/2008E
There was also a visitors package included.

The most popular hikes that I saw appear to be Tunnel Mountain in Banff, Johnston Canyon, Peyto Lake, Lake Louise Shoreline and Agnes Lake. There are others as well.

Glacier NP.

The Red Bus tour is a nice way to spend a leisurley day (or part of a day) along GTTS Rd. I wouldn't do well in that (so wouldn't take it) but others might. I think it depends on your timing.

The most popular hikes appear to be Grinnell Glacier and Iceberg Lake in Many Glacier and Hidden Lake, Highline and St Mary / Virginia Falls along GTTS Rd.

I haven't been to the west side or Two Medicine yet.

A good web site is: www.hikinginglacier.com
The hikes are split in many ways so you can look at things any way you want.

You can also find a wealth of information on the Parks Canada website, and download PDF files for hiking, biking, camping, bears, and a ton of other stuff. http://www.parkscanada.ca/

There's even a couple of really funny song videos about mule deer and white tail deer:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/media/nature_e.asp?video=15

http://www.pc.gc.ca/media/nature_e.asp?video=16

That web site that sludick wrote may also have a copy of that hiking brochure I mentioned. Printing it is a bit of a challenge but good info there.

www.pc.gc.ca/~/media/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/pdfs/activ1_e.ashx

This is the link to the hiking guide I got.

It prints too small so you may want to call and ask them to send it.

Thanks, great map! Print size is a bit small but workable.

Lots of great suggestions, and the only thing here that is "for sure" is that there are too many places to see, and way too little time to see them.
I never saw where anyone mentioned dropping in to Waterton Lakes NP on your way to Glacier.... its right next door. A compact park, compared to the others, and lots of beautiful scenery. Great boat ride on the lake there, too. And its not as crowded and busy as the others.
Perhaps you can get to Jasper and Waterton on your next trip!
Moraine Lake is a must see, and I can remember times in years past, taking in The Valley of the Ten Peaks while sitting on "the rockpile", before breakfast....and no one else there but us, not one person. My idea of Paradise. Its not "lonely" like that anymore...... sigh.
FYI, the color of the lake's waters seem to be at their best, closer to noon, when the sun gets higher, though. Also, its a short, relatively flat hike to Consolation Lakes nearby, and its a very "consoling" place.
Have a great time!