Mornings at the Canoe Docks in Banff

Well the weather has been glorious the past few mornings in Banff National Park and this can easily be noted by the number of people I see walking or running along the pathways, trails and road ways around the townsite of Banff first thing in the morning.

Before 9am the streets in Banff are quiet, you see a few cyclists, runners, dog walkers and locals making their way to work and you also see the popularity of the local coffee and breakfast spots. Banff really is that quaint little mountain town and even more so between 7 and 9 am.

If you are looking for a little moment of solitude before your day of sightseeing or Banff activities, grab a coffee and walk 5 mins off Banff Ave to the Bow River.  Start at the Banff Canoe Docks and walk the trail towards the bridge and either join up at Banff Ave or continue down the river and eventually to Surprise Corner, which provides a lookout across Bow Falls to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

If you like watching wildlife, take a canoe out first thing at 9am and canoe out onto Vermillion Lakes.  Many waterfowl and small song birds breed in the marsh and surrounding forest. Mallards, Green-winged Teal, and Barrow’s Goldeneyes are the most common ducks. Mallards, Green-winged Teal, and Barrow’s Goldeneyes are the most common ducks. Listen for Warbling Vireos, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, American Redstarts, Wilson’s Warblers, Song Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows that all contribute to the morning dawn chorus.

With the sun shining over the summit of Rundle Mountain and highlighting the peaks of Cascade Mountain, whether you are a local or a visitor it’s a wonderful start to a day in the Canadian Rockies.