Jasper National Park, Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip (4 )

Jasper National Park, AB, Canada

So many places..... so little time. 10 days of adventure in the Canadian Rockies were definitely not enough. Only that I also knew at the time of planning that we could not go beyond 10 days, not because we get tired physically, but I usually feel sick of outside foods. I guess that is the drawback of having a taste only for fresh vegetables, fish and fruits. It's hard to be away from the comforts of home. After a while, I feel weak, not from wandering and hiking, but from a lack of nutritious home prepared foods. But 10 days, were definitely enough for us to be inspired and rejuvenated. Nature's wonder is always a strong healing force for me. It is for that reason that our travels would always seek the healing power of nature's beauty.

Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, AB, Canada

In this 4th part of the Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip series, I will be sharing some inspiring places we were blessed to enjoy at Jasper National Park. Jasper is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain National Parks and part of UNESCO World Heritage site. Its shimmering glaciers, abundant wildlife, crystal clear lakes, thundering waterfalls, deep canyons and evergreen forest, all surrounded by towering, rugged mountain peaks are some of the reasons why it is in UNESCO's World Heritage List – deemed by the World Heritage Committee to number among the most significant sights on earth.

Just a day before our wanderings here, we were heavily rained out at Yoho National Park. Heavily rained out, but very much thankful. That heavy rain was answered prayers. The Canadian Rockies at that time were battling wildfire at Banff and Jasper National Parks. Very thankfully, heavy rain poured just a day before we were set for Jasper, and it put off the fire in the area. There was no more threat of road closures in Columbia Icefield, and no more threat of not reaching our hotel at Jasper. :) It was a time to rejoice for us.

jumping for joy, no more hazy and smoky skies, no more wildfire

Personal Favorites in the Canadian Rockies

 Athabasca Glacier Hike, Columbia Icefield, Jasper National Park ( choice: hubby's niece )

 Glacier Pond, Mt. Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park ( choice: hubby )

Bow Glacier Falls Trail, Banff National Park ( choice: mine! :) )

Yoho National Park, Canadian Rockies

This is the 3rd part of the Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip series. In this 3rd part, I will be sharing about the beauty of Yoho National Park.

Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park, BC, Canada

"Yoho" is a Cree expression of awe and wonder, and very appropriately so. I jovially said out loud, "yoooohoooo!!", after my eyes settled and my heart beat faster in excitement upon seeing the beauty of Yoho National Park. The park is found in the western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Yoho is bordered by Banff National Park to the East, and Kootenay National Park to the South. It's a park with snow-topped mountain peaks, roaring rivers, calm lakes and silent forests. It's a park whose history is bound up with a railroad: spiral tunnels inside mountains and stories of runaway trains.

Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip ( 1) : At Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton Lakes National Park was the very first National Park we hit during our Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA adventure trip.

Where The Prairie and Mountains Meet, Waterton Lakes National Park, AB, Canada

Waterton Lakes is best known as a National Park where the Prairie meets the mountains. The rugged and windswept contours of the Rocky Mountains rise abruptly out of gentle prairie grasslands, surrounded by beautiful and ooooohhh so soothing lakes.

Waterton Lakes 

Prairie, Lake and Rugged Mountain Peaks @Waterton Lakes National Park

@ Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton Lakes was our homebase for 3 days for our scheduled exploration of two neighboring National Parks, Waterton Lakes and Glacier of USA, both forms one single park, known as Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and World's Biosphere Reserve.

Canadian Rockies + Glacier of USA Adventure Trip of a Lifetime

Brief Itinerary ( more details of each National Park and of each place later ):

Flew to Calgary International Airport ( YYC ). Sorry, no picture of the city (we are city snobs ), as we always prefer to spend our time in National Parks for very obvious reason, NATIONAL PARKS ARE CALMING TO THE SOUL AND HEALING TO THE SPIRIT.

From Calgary, we drove to Waterton National Park, where we stayed for 2 nights for Waterton Glacier International Peace Park exploring.

Days 1- 3: Waterton Glacier International Peace Park
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park is the name of the union of two neighboring National Parks, one in Canada ( Waterton National Park) and the other one in USA ( Glacier National Park). Waterton and Glacier are not only 2 National Parks and a Peace Park, but also a UNESCO Wolrd Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve. Aside from amazing scenery and sights so relaxing and calming, we enjoyed so much the wildlife in these 2 National Parks of 2 different countries.

WATERTON NATIONAL PARK of CANADA

Waterton Lake with Prince of Wales Hotel in the background, Waterton National Park, AB, Canada

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK of USA

approaching Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park, MT, USA

Bow Lake from Bow Glacier Falls Trail

Panorama of Bow Lake from Bow Glacier Falls Trail

Columbia Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Canada

photo taken by Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Jump!

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is more fearless of the two? :)

ME

OR HUBBY?

Jumping pictures taken at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, AB, Canada.

Moraine Lake at Canadian Rockies

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park,  Alberta, Canada

photo taken by: Samsung Galaxy Note 2

This is another cell phone shot of one of the places we visited in the Canadian Rockies during our day trip. Just got back from vacation, and no time yet to change format of my pictures from RAW files to JPEG, so, sharing cell phone shots for now. More of our Canadian Rockies trip later.