Mount Rundle
On the water.
DXR — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jack Borno — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jack Borno — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jack Borno — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rembrent — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Vermilion Lakes are three shallow, calm lakes just west of Banff town, among grass and reeds, mirroring triangular Mount Rundle and the Rockies, and glowing orange and pink at sunrise and sunset. They formed in the Bow River valley inside Banff National Park, at the foot of Mount Norquay, between the Trans-Canada Highway and the railway. A hot spring lies at the third lake. Archaeology shows human activity around the lakes 10,800 years ago, with campsite remains and obsidian tools found here. You drive slowly along Vermilion Lakes Drive and stop at the wooden docks; some visitors paddle canoes, others watch birds, and photographers come at sunrise and sunset, when the water is calmest and the mountain glows above its reflection. They are about 1.7 km in a straight line west of central Banff and easy to reach by bike. Elk and deer may be near the road, so keep your distance.
On the water.
For photos.
And sunset.
Vermilion Lakes Drive, west of Banff, Alberta
Sunrise or sunset.
Yes, or cycle from Banff.