Banff (Alberta, Canada) from Mt Sanson 7495 ft

Hike about 5.5 km (2300 ft) to the top of the Banff Gondola for aerial views of town with the Bow River winding its way through it. Surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, Banff is famous for its hot springs on Sulphur Mountain, the original catalyst to protect this area as a national park in 1903. Now it may be more famous for its mountain film festival and a base for hiking and seeing wildlife. A grizzly bear and its cubs have been seen at the next campground over from ours, only ten minutes from town. No one seems too concerned other than to keep a spotless campsite!

Glacier National Park Triple Divide

Glacier National Park marks not only the Continental Divide but also the "triple divide" with mountain streams feeding the mighty Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Saskatchewan and Nelson Rivers to Hudson Bay.

Mountain Goat, Hidden Lake trail, Glacier NP

Just outside Logan Pass Visitor Center is the trail to Hidden Lake, up a snowfield into the wilderness with mountain goats and bighorn sheep feeding in the rocks and meadows.

Avalanche Lake, Glacier National Park

5-mile round trip hike to glacier-fed lake with multiple waterfalls. Bear and cougar sightings recently but we only saw tell-tale signs.