Land of the giants

The forces of nature did some of their best work when the Canadian Rockies were created. This vertical geology of limestone cliffs and snow-dusted mountains is clawed by glaciers and splattered with improbably blue lakes and patches of dark green forest. In summer, its hard edges are softened by meadows of wildflowers; in autumn, the landscape is splotched orange and red. You’ll never get up much speed here: this is a landscape that requires frequent stops to admire the pavlova panoramas.

The adventure starts at Banff, a 90-minute drive from Calgary, although mountains crowd the horizon long before you get there. Banff was developed in the 19th century for railway tourists with a newfound appreciation for Canada’s wild majesty. Banff Springs Hotel asserted the growing confidence of the newish nation with its castle-like profile – gigantic wooden doors, enormous fireplaces and beamed ceilings look as if they were built for ogres.

Today Banff’s tourist clutter can’t distract you from the setting. Wilderness isn’t far away with the slanted pyramid of Mt Rundle rearing at the end of the historic main street and moose are regularly sighted in gardens and on golf courses. These splendid horse-sized creatures weigh 300 kilograms and have antlers like medieval battle-axes. Everything is supersized in the Canadian Rockies, as you’ll see if you take to a helicopter flight, which will make you feel like God reviewing the highlights of creation.

Banff National Park enfolds the town. Get yourself into the scenery by cruising on Lake Minnewanka, floating along Bow River by kayak, or hitting the trails for genteel nature strolls or full-on expeditions with overnight camping. Ski resorts, though devoid of snow, still tempt in summer. Sunshine Village has beautiful alpine meadows with magnificent scenery and Canmore Nordic Centre, in winter the haunt of cross-country skiers, doubles as a top mountain-biking destination.

Linger a while, but not too long, since the best is ahead. The Trans-Canada Highway (or Highway 1) takes you out of town through pine forests towards Jasper. The hardhearted could drive it in three hours but, with several detours and an outdoors this enticing, it ought to take you a week. In fact, you’ll only be two kilometres down the road when you’re taking time out at Vermillion Lakes for photos that capture perfect alpine reflections.

Your first detour should be the 58-kilometre Bow Valley Parkway, a quieter wilderness route where bighorn sheep and occasional wolves roam. A highlight is Johnston Canyon, which unfolds a series of waterfalls in narrow gorges. In summer, they drizzle water onto your face as you hike and in winter, you’ll feel as if you’ve strayed into a snow dome. 

The boardwalks and tracks are easy as far as the lower falls, but if you persevere with steeper sections to the upper falls, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning spectacle of ice-encrusted cliffs and peaks reflected in the Ink Pot mineral pools, which are stained an improbable green.

Further north, Lake Louise is a dramatic up-swell in the great symphony of the Rocky Mountains. The impossibly blue lake is surrounded by scented pine forest and soaring peaks that paint shimmering reflections in the water. Stretch on an hour’s hike around the lakeshore to Victoria Glacier and you’ll enjoy one of the world’s most gobsmacking walks, although the indolent need only stroll the gardens of opulent Chateau Lake Louise hotel to gasp at mountain views.

It’s hard to pick the most scenic lake in the Canadian Rockies, but Lake Louise often wins the calendar-cover prize. Drive the highly scenic, winding side road to Moraine Lake and you’ll find a spectacular alternative. Moraine Lake is surrounded by 10 soaring peaks that leave rippling reflections in the dark-coloured water. Take to a kayak for 360-degree views and absolute serenity.

From Lake Louise, follow the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), squeezed between colossal mountains, for 278 kilometres as far as Jasper. 

As you head north, the scenery is seldom short of magnificent and a string of viewpoints will reduce your average speed to a snail’s pace. Wildlife is common here too – you might spot bears, moose or bighorn sheep.

Good pit stops along the way are Herbert Lake, Bow Lake (which is coloured aquamarine and fringed with hanging glaciers) and the more overlooked Mistaya Canyon, where a 10-minute walk takes you to a narrow chasm sculpted into sinuous curves by gushing water. A little further on, Big Bend viewpoint is gobsmacking.

After this the parkway skirts the Columbia Icefield, the world’s largest icefield outside the Poles. At Athabasca Glacier, you can board a purpose-built bus with wheels huge enough to tackle the ice in order to get a close-up look.

The bold can take to the glass-floored Icefield Skywalk, which curves out in a cantilever over the Sunwapta Valley. A helicopter tour, river rafting or hiking are other ways to appreciate the landscape of Jasper National Park. Even in winter many of the hiking trails remain open and provide glorious alpine vistas.

Jasper was born as a railway junction. Though more rough-and-ready than Banff, the low-key town has considerable charm and is geared to outdoor pursuits such as kayaking, white-water rafting and fly fishing. Then you can turn and drive back to Banff, and marvel all over again at new angles on this outrageous scenery.