Banff, AB
Rita hopped on a plane out West again to tick the 4th province off her list – Alberta. Our friend Emma from N. Ireland met us there. We began our visit in Banff National Park.
We stayed at Canmore Hostel Hotel, just outside the national park. Upon arrival, we found out they no longer accept dogs with new bookings. The hotel has a notable history, and first opened in 1890, making it the second oldest continuously operated hotel in Alberta. Its nightclub (more like a bar) “The Ho” was a gathering place for workers and miners back in the day, and the first night we were there, a musician was playing classics, from Mrs Robinson to Teenage Dirtbag. The room was a bit cramped but it was worth it for the experience.
Dogs are very welcome around the village. We had a delicious dinner at the Grizzly Paw (their patio section beside the street accommodates dogs), and Rita was invited to shelter from the rain inside Beamer while we grabbed coffee and a healthy breakfast to-go. Stonewaters and Tin Box are both nice shops with unique and local gifts, including doggy gifts, and are very welcoming of dogs. There’s also the Mut Hut Emporium.
We ventured to the town of Banff on Canada Day, which meant it was bustling. Rita even met some Mounties! There are plenty of souvenir shops here, particularly if you want a trendy Banff sweater or shirt. Rita was welcomed in Adventure Hub, Big Bear Trading, Rocky Mt Soap Co., Rocky Mt Flannel Co. Paper Den, and most other non-food-selling gift and outdoors shops. However, the pinnacle of Banff shopping is the Banff Doghouse. Here, Rita was given some treats and picked up a new bandana to show off her patriotism for her second home.
Despite a rainy start to the morning, the sun came out for our hiking. We began with Tunnel Mt., so named as a railway tunnel was considered through the mountain, but turned out to be extremely cost-ineffective. The name stuck. The 5km trail takes you to several viewpoints over the village and across the mountains and Bow River. A short drive from the trailhead is Surprise Corner, from where you can get an impressive shot of the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel.
Our big hike of the day was Sulphur Mt. The trail up is straightforward, with regular switchbacks. It’s a 5.5km hike up, with a 655m elevation gain. Keep going for the views! Another option is to take the Banff Gondola up, but only for humans, not dogs. At the top, there’s a visitor centre, but Rita had to stay outside and Emma and I took it in turns to go in. There are basically 360 degree views of the landscape around the centre, and a boardwalk if you fancy more walking. I even spotted a cow elk.
After all this hiking, it was time to refuel – all three of us! Luckily for Rita, Bear Street Tavern doesn’t just welcome dogs, they encourage them in with a Canine Cuisine menu! Rita wolfed down her Chow Chow Bowl. Emma opted for one of their renowned pizzas with honey chilli oil, while I couldn’t resist a buddha bowl. It was all very tasty!
On our journey back down through Banff, we stopped off at Mistaya Canyon and Peyto Lake. Both are short hikes to the viewpoints. Peyto Lake is known for its dog-shape! Obviously this was Rita’s favourite lake of the trip.
We also stopped for a late lunch at Three Bears Restaurant. The food was delicious, with thoughtful combinations of flavours. Rita was happy to enjoy a bowl of water and lie in the sun. Be sure to check out the aesthetic indoors - it features a retractable roof for stargazing!
On that note, we enjoyed our own dome for stargazing on our route out of Banff. Dog-friendly Elevated Escapes, situated in Bragg Creek, offers private glamping domes and tents on the banks of the Elbow River. There are several trails around the site, which we took advantage of for an evening walk.
