BANFF AREA HIGHLIGHTS
NORTH TO SOUTH
Athabasca Glacier
Mistaya Lake
Peyto Lake
Bow Lake
Lake Louise
Moraine Lake
Vermilion Lakes
Johnston Canyon
Banff Gondola
Banff Townsite
Upper Hotsprings
Frozen Waterfalls

Icefields Parkway
Hotsprings
Ski Alberta
Wildlife of Alberta

JASPER PARK

Lake Minnewanka had an interesting start.  Turn of the century it was a low, dry lake with not much character.  A dam was built early this century and created a much larger lake.  Cruises take you to Devils Gap and along the way watch for bears, deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep and sasquatch!  Just kidding about the sasquatch.

The fascinating Lodgepole Pine tree
The lake is flanked with Lodgepole Pine trees.  Forestry services decided to do a controlled burn on one side of the lake and miscalculated their capacity to control the fire.  It destroyed thousands of acres of prime evergreen forest.  Lodgpole pine trees are specially adapted to re-populate forest fired areas and have done so with amazing efficiencly.  Take a boat cruise to Devils Gap and notice the carpet-thick growth of the lodgepoles.  The trees live approximately 100 years and then die out allowing other trees to populate the area that the lodgpoles have reclaimed from the forest fire.  One of the most fascinating things about the lodgepole is the pine cones ability to withstand incredible heat, necessary for it to seed into ash and soil after the forest fire has passed.


There is a sandy beach for the youngsters and trout fisherman
come from all over the prairies to cast their lots into the cool waters.

Marilyn Monroe shot a movie near here!

Mountain Goat overlooking Lake Minnewanka
This area is one of the best around Banff for wildlife viewing

MORE   LAKE  MINNEWANKA & CRUISING

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