Rocky Mountain Activities
Moraine Lake Lodge
MORAINE LAKE AND MORE!
There are plenty of activities to do during your stay. Canoeing Moraine Lake and hiking the surrounding trails are the must-do’s when staying at our Lodge, but Banff National Park offers numerous breathtaking trails and activities each providing a truly unique experience.
You may wish to explore outside Moraine Lake and venture into the beauty of the Park. You can select from a wide range of companies each offering Rocky Mountain activities including horseback riding, snow coaches, gondolas, river rafts and helicopters. All these activities combine a unique adventure experience with the opportunity to learn about this distinctive World Heritage Site.
AT YOUR SERVICE
Our team, managers and owners have explored this area extensively and would love the opportunity to share their experiences and the local knowledge they have gained over the years.
Just ask and they will endeavour to assist with recommending an experience for you! For any additional information, please:
Contact UsWildlife Viewing
Wolf
Banff National Park is home to approximately 50 wolves comprising
five different packs. Although normally gray in colour, variations of white to black are common, with black wolves being disproportionately high in Alberta (55%). After initially being eradicated from the park in the 1950’s, wolves returned for good in 1982 and have thrived in remote sections of the park ever since.
Elk/Wapiti
If there is one large animal you are almost guaranteed to see during your visit to Banff, it would be the elk. These large animals play a crucial part in Banff’s ecology and are the main herbivores in the parks as well as being a major food source for carnivores such as wolves. They are also referred to as wapiti, which is Shawnee for “white rump”.
Black Bear
Black Bears are considered a threatened species in Banff National Park; however sightings are common along the Trans-Canada highway and other public areas. These bears can vary from black to light brown in colour and are often misidentified as grizzly bears. The months of July and August are when bears are considered most active due to the large quantity of berries that grow throughout the parks. They go into hibernation in late October and usually emerge from their slumber in late April or early May.
Grizzly Bear
Grizzly bears are omnivores and are also considered to be the top predators in the area with a wide diet from grasses and berries to elk, fish and other dead animals. The largest grizzly bear in Banff National Park, also known as Bear No. 122 (or the boss) weighs in at 320kg or 700lbs. There are surprisingly more grizzly bears in Banff National Park than black bears. The best ways to distinguish grizzlies are by their broad round faces and a large hump of muscle on their shoulders. While sightings are considered rare, you should never approach one in the wild.
Coyote
The coyote is a close relative to the grey wolf and is much smaller in size. Their population has been struggling in the parks in recent years, due largely to the increased volume of traffic on our roads, although land bridges have been built across the Trans-Canada highway to try and combat this issue. These highly adaptive animals have actually increased their range in response to humans constantly altering their habitat. They are fairly common to spot in open meadows hunting for small creatures.
Moose
Moose are the largest species in the deer family and are currently declining in population due to the reintroduction of wolves and high number of deaths along railways and highways. Unlike their relatives, moose are solitary animals and do not form herds. They are likely to be spotted along waterways where the majority of plants they eat grow.
Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn sheep can range in colour from light to dark brown and are named after the large curved horns on the rams, which can weigh up to 30 pounds. They have a very stable population throughout the parks and are likely to be found grazing in the high alpine meadows or along cliff edges.
Mountain Goat
Mountain goats can be a rare sight, typically found in high elevations on cliffs and mountains above the tree line. They have shaggy white coats and sharp black horns, while bighorn sheep have brown coats and horns. While other animals descend to warmer elevations or hibernate, these goats tough out the worst of winter on the peaks.
Ground Squirrel
The Columbian ground squirrels have become bold creatures with increasing tourist population in recent years. Their typical diet consists of grasses, leaves and other small vegetation, but now includes food scraps left by humans. These social creatures live in colonies and hibernate in their burrows for up to 9 months of the year.
Chipmunk
Four gray stripes with a black border running from nose to tail is the best differentiator for the chipmunk from the slightly larger ground squirrels. These tiny rodents are a prized food for larger predators such as eagles, wolves and bears.
Marmot
The hoary marmot is one of the largest members of the rodent family and lives between boulders along the base of mountains. “Hoary” refers to their white tipped grayish coat. With poor eyesight a marmot can often be approached quite closely, but will emit a loud piercing whistle when alarmed or irritated. They can often be spotted sunning themselves on rocks or eating berries, grasses and roots located near their den.
Gray Jay
The gray jay, often referred to as whiskey jack, is the national bird of Canada and can be found throughout the country. Unlike other birds who fly south during winter, the gray jay endures the cold by storing food caches during warmer periods. They have adapted well to increased human activity and are known to approach people for food, which is where they developed the nickname “Camp Robber”.
“Emily took care of us from the start of the process and recommended hikes and times there would be less crowds. Her emails were full of information and you could tell from her emails she was passionate about the Lodge and the area.”
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