favorite spots in the canadian rockies?
 

If possible, list, in order, your best 5 or 10 spots of great scenic beauty, in the canadian rockies that should not be missed. Thanks.

Rank order them? Very difficult, and subject to change before I am through listing them.

Let's just settle for the current 10:

1. The Yoho Valley from the high point on the Whaleback Trail. (hard to reach)
2. Lake O'Hara
3. Lake Louise
4. Moraine Lake
5. Takkakaw Falls
6. Peyto Lake
7. Bow Lake and Glacier
8. The Athabasca Glacier
9. Many views along the Icefields Parkway
10. The Angel Glacier near Jasper.
11. Mt. Robson
12. The Yoho Valley from the Iceline
Trail, high above the brink of Takkakaw Falls on the opposite side of the valley.
13. The highline trail from Lake O'Hara to Lake McArthur.
(I knew I could not stop at 10.)

A few dozen others as well.

The top one out of them all I think is the view from the Yukness Ledge where one gazes over 1,000 feet straight down to the emerald waters of Lake 0'Hara. It, too, is hard to reach, but enroute, you get views of Mount Huber, Opabin Lake, and others.

I agree with everything Bob lists (haven't seen Lake O'Hara--yet!) I would for sure add Mistaya Canyon, Johnston Canyon, and Maligne Canyon to the list-- I guess I particularly love canyons, perhaps even more than those breathtakingly beautiful lakes. (If I had to choose one, I guess it'd be Maligne-- from the 6th bridge to the start.) For that reason (my thing for canyons), I would also add the wonderful trail up Beauty Creek to Stanley Falls-- not another person on the whole terrific trail and all very beautiful (7 waterfalls!)
Another one of our VERY favorites-- and something I'm not sure I saw mentioned on these boards -- was Sunshine Meadows. We stopped there (must leave car and then shuttle up to trail head, for a nominal fee) and spent virtually the entire day hiking-- the day we transferred from Banff to Lake Louise. Unfortunately there was plenty of smoke in the air (from the Washington fires), but the trails, vistas, etc were still among our very favorite of our whole 12 days. In our opinion a definite Not to Be Missed. (Moraine was our favorite of the lakes, by the way-- and Peyto, tho from afar.) By the way, when we went up to Takkakaw Falls-- wonderful-- we loved the spot of the confluence of the 2 rivers as much as the falls themselves. And I guess I liked Athabasca Falls as much as Tak Falls, especially the part that winds down to the old path of the falls. (Don't just do the top part.) P.S. I don't think I could "order" the list.

I forgot about Johnson Canyon. Add it to the top umpteen.

Don't worry if you don't see them all. Save some for next time.

Some of the ones I listed require a fit hiker to see, e.g. the Whaleback Trail.

I also left off one of my favorites: Twin Falls!! How could I? Senior moment I guess.

I could throw Parker Ridge into the mix as well. From the crest one gets a view of the Sakatchewan Glacier as it dips down to the valley. IThe ice has retreated, but some of it is still there.

I agree about Parker Ridge. The hike isn't hard and the view is stunning.

I included Peyto Lake in my first list, but there is an extension that is very scenic as well. Once at the usually mobbed Peyto Lake viewpoint, turn left and take the right fork of the trail.

This leads to a vantage point well above the lake that provides views all the way to Bow Lake. It is not a long walk nor is it arduous for the reasonably fit.

Nice place on a sunny day for a relaxing picnic lunch.