This drive is nothing but beautiful! The lakes are so crystal clear, mountains rugged and gorgeous! There is wildlife abound. Watch for the bighorn sheep!
Just a few minutes drive from Banff, this day trip is highly recommended. We first went to Lake Minnewanka (great name btw) and took the cruise of the lake. If you took the chair lift at Banff, you can also add on this cruise for a little extra. After the cruise we then drove to Lake Johnson. This was the highlight of the day. This beautiful lake has a very gentle walking track around its edge. Took us about 90 mins to complete the walk. We even stopped and took a quick swim. It's was a beautiful hot day in Sept and the water was very still and clear (water was pretty cold so it was a quick swim). There were only a few cars in the car park. It seems not many visitors know of this hidden gem. For those wanting to visit a beautiful lake with a gentle and easy walking trail, this would be my number one choice.
This lake is not far from the town of Banff, within Banff National Park. No specific use fee, but included in general park entrance fee collected along Transcanada Highway. There were 4 cars total parked on a late Friday afternoon in September. It is possible to hike around the lake. Highway noise was not noticable, and probably absent on portions of the hike. Canoeing, swimming, mountain biking appear to be popular here. Solitude a big plus. Bring a towel for a quick dip, although from experience more than two minutes might be a challenge in fall (and you will probably be alone)... very clear and refreshing water. There are some benches and tables near the parking lot. Mini sandy beach area, hike around to the left for a spot entirely to yourself.
On a hot summer day, we took a quick trip for a dip in Johnson Lake. The parking lot was more than full, but we parked along the road and hiked back to the lake. I can see why people were there as it's a great lake for swimming or paddling a non-motorized raft/canoe/kayak. Water was refreshing and shallow enough for young kids to play comfortably either in the water or on the sandy beach.
Johnson Lake is small enough you can walk around (there's a path) without over extending yourself. There are two outhouses and some picnic tables. We'll be going back!
Driving around the loop was a great experience. From the cruise on Lake Minnewanka to the other scenic spots around the loop i.e. Two Jack lake, lake Johnson and Cascade ponds. All spots are very beautiful and well worth a visit. We have some amazing photos from our drive around the loop.
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