Banff in late May - early June
 

Making plans for our second visit to the Banff area.We did our first visit this past <BR>July,and I have a few questions for my return <BR>visit: <BR>Is late May / early June okay for hiking in Yoho (Lake O'Hara)I think I read somewhere that this time of year is still a little snowy and or muddy due to melted snow ? <BR>also <BR>Wildlife,this past July we saw Elk,Deer,Goats.Our primary wish would be to see a black bear and a grizzly and a moose. <BR>I know there are no guarrantees,but we have read that May is a good month for the chance to see them.? <BR>thnx in advance <BR>Jp <BR> <BR> <BR>

Hi John. Yes, the trails will still be a bit muddy, and quite possibly snow-covered that early in the year, esp. in Yoho where the elevation is higher. <BR> <BR>As to seeing bears, they are just coming out of hibernation and looking for food, so it is a good time to see one. To be perfectly honest - an not meaning to be offensive at all - I would go to the Calgary Zoo if I wanted to see one up close! Seeing a bear in the wild is something I try to avoid, not seek out. I've only seen one moose, and that was along the Icefields Parkway in 1997, although our friends saw one in Kananaskis last weekend. <BR> <BR>Good luck! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much that you're planning your next trip already!

We saw a moose at the beginning of August just inside the woods by the side of the road to Maligne Lake. It was about 4 in the afternoon. No bears for us, though.

Hi John, <BR>We have just come back from Canada, we drove from Vancouver across to Victoria via the ferry then drove to the top of Vancouver Island. We saw loads of black bears along side of the road between the Campbell River and the ferry port for the inside passage. <BR>We also drove right through the Rockies, through Jasper Banff and on to Calgary, we did see Moose Elk Goats and wolves on our journey but no bears. Most tourists we met were surprised we had seen bears, they had not seen any. <BR>So my advice is if you want to see black bears go to the north of Vancouver Island. <BR>We were on the island at the end of June. Hope this info is helpfull to you. <BR>Reguards Julie.