Celtis87

Taking a trip to western Canada this fall. Flying to Vancouver. Train to Banff. Then on our own with a car. Any suggestions on best places to visit in order capture the beauty of this region would be appreciated. Thanks. Regards, Art

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

A quick Google search provided these results for Banff Photography Guide
Sounds like a fun trip - it’s on my bucket list… My wife was there on a business trip and said we need to go

Xanadu Loc: Clay County FL

Did this in 2017.
At the end of the cars are platforms where you can hang out and take photos of the passing scenery. The closer you get to Banff the better the photo ops become. We rented a car in Banff and drove to Lake Louise and then on to Jasper. Spectacular photo ops from Banff to Jasper.
You will have a great time!!

camshot Loc: Peterborough ontario Canada

If Flying to Vancouver, why not go just a little further and fly to Victoria (no one should miss this beautiful spot) I flew to Victoria, rented a car, tour around the Island some, then drove through the rockies to Banff. Terrific views.
However you choose, you will have an excellent trip. Enjoy

RogStrix Loc: UK

Moraine Lake is better then Lake Louise which has become too touristy....

photoman43

See if you can find one of the books Darwin Wiggett wrote about "How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies." I have the paperback version. Other on line versions might also exist. Check out these links: You will likely have to buy a used one.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/how-to-photograph-the-canadian-rockies_darwin-wiggett/667850/#edition=5807438&idiq=8631985

https://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/how-to-photograph-the-canadian-rockies-website-is-now-live/

His photographs are fantastic.

I agree that Moraine Lake is fantastic. To get there you may have to take a bus as some places no longer self driving due to crowding.

Try and get to Jasper too from Banff. My wife and I loved Jasper the best.

In Banff my favorite place was Vermillion Lakes. Just west of town site.

https://www.banfflakelouise.com/experiences/vermilion-lakes

https://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/lancewarley.html


https://blog.scolephoto.com/2010/11/banff-trip-recap/

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

I had business in Calgary. After it ended I had a magical day. I drove all the way up to Lake Louise then back to Banff where I played 18 holes of golf, I had dinner and watch the sunset driving back to Calgary. There was a huge electrical storm over Calgary. So I watched those fireworks. Perfect ending to a day.

dhk

Athabasca Falls and Athabasca Glacier

https://adventurealberta.ca/athabasca-falls/

https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/columbia-icefield/

https://thebanffblog.com/athabasca-glacier-columbia-icefield/

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

We toured the area a few times in the late 1990s-early 2000s. Back then crowds were not immense, and wildlife ran free throughout Banff (especially elk), even moreso around Jasper and the less developed areas in between the two cities (elk, deer, mountain goats, sheep, black bears, grissley bears, moose, etc.)

Given the caveat that things may have changed, huge crowds, some sites now require reservations and shuttle buses to reach, glaciers have receded and wildlife may have become scarce, here are the sites we enjoyed the most. I've divided them into roughly three geographic areas:

Banff Area
Grassi Lakes if you happen to be near Canmore; look for the petroglyphs
Johnston Canyon
Vermillion Lakes
Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain
Moraine Lake - get a classic photo of the lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks; rent a canoe
Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park
Hoodoos Trail on Mount Rundle

Icefields Parkway
Essential to drive the Icefields Parkway; numerous picturesque sites along the way
Marble Canyon
Ochre Beds and Paint Pots in Kootenay National Park
Lake Louise (said to be extremely crowded now)
Takkakaw Falls
Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier (is the glacier still there?)
Peyto Lake
Upper Waterfowl Lake
Mistaya Canyon
Panther Falls and Bridal Veil Falls
Parker Ridge
Take a bus ride and a walk on the Athabasca Glacier

Jasper Area
Athabasca Falls
Medicine Lake
Maligne Canyon and the seven bridges across the Maligne River
Maligne Lake and Spirit Island
Mount Edith Cavell and the Cavell Meadows trail (is Angel Glacier still there?)
Sulphur Ridge Trail and the Miette Hot Springs

Hope you have a wonderful experience.

DJphoto Loc: SF Bay Area

Drive the Icefields Parkway and stop frequently along the way for the many photo-ops. Do not miss Moraine Lake or Peyto Lake. It is spectacularly beautiful there, the most beautiful place we had ever been until we cruised Norway. One place we didn't visit there but plan to next time is Maligne Lake, which is less than an hour from Jasper and is supposed to be beautiful. My top 3 most beautiful places are the Icefields Parkway, Gierangerfjord in Norway and Yosemite, with Glacier National Park a close number 4. You didn't mention about lodging, but we stayed at the Rimrock Hotel in Banff and the views were stunning; we never closed the curtains in our room.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

You just missed the Banff rodeo.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Victoria is so close and a great place to photograph.

clint f. Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa

I’m planning a trip to The Canadian Rockies this fall. Looked at Chateau Lake Louise as a place to stay because of the location and views. I felt $1,050.00 was a bunch to expensive for a night in a hotel. All that I looked at in that area were quite expensive. Maybe I should consider sleeping in my car😎

billmck Loc: Central KY

Either Vancouver or Victoria are excellent starting points. We've been to the Banff area a number of times, but we always stay in Canmore, just outside the Banff National Park. Lake Louise is a beautiful site, but us tourists have loved it so much that it's difficult to get a place to park. The last time we were there, they wanted you to park at a remote lot and take the shuttle. Unfortunately, the only way to purchase shuttle tickets was online, and there was no cell phone or wireless service there. Moraine Lake is very beautiful, but again, unless you're there early (early!) in the morning, you won't find a place to park.

If you're taking a significant other, tea at either the Banff Springs Hotel or Chateau Lake Louise is excellent (but expensive).

dreff Loc: Bow, WA

Isn't it Maligne lake?