Located near Lake Louise Village in Banff National Park the campground is very popular because of its proximity to world famous sites like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Columbian Icefields Parkway which is one of the prettiest roads in the entire world! A free shuttle is available to take campers into the Village. From there one can catch a shuttle to Lake Louise or to Moraine Lake. Please note that due to the incredible popularity of these sites tickets must be purchased in advance.

The campground has 206 sites. The amenities include drinking water, flush toilets, showers, cooking shelters, a dump station, accessible sites, interpretive programs, and food storage lockers. There are several loops in the campground to choose from some allow fires and others do not so be careful when making your selection.

The bear situation in this area must be quite serious. This is the first time that I have stayed in a campground that was enclosed by an electric fence. It made it feel like we were the animals in the zoo and I half expected to see a bear family watching all the humans camping. Interestingly, the Hard-Sided RV campground on other side of river was not enclosed by a fence. That campground has 189 sites, all the same stuff as the soft-sided campground plus electricity. The Bow River Trail Loop is outside the fence so be sure to cross at the people gates and not over the electrified cattle guard.

The Bow Valley Trail Loop winds along the Bow River and through the forest connecting village, campground, residential area with the natural beauty of the area. For little effort hikers are treated with beautiful mountain views making this trail perfect for an after-dinner stroll.

The Bow River Loop Trail in Lake Louise is rated as easy and has little elevation gain (less than 20m). It is family friendly and pets on leash are permitted. Navigation is also easy as the follows the river with access points from both campgrounds and the from the Lake Louise Village. Most of the trail is paved and there are several benches along the route. Biking is allowed and is ideal for beginners. There are a few blind corners so use caution and don't try to set any speed records. It is more of a leisurely bike ride trail.

The Bow River Trail Loop in Lake Louise has great views of Mount Temple and its glacier. At 3,544m, Mount Temple is the highest peak in the Lake Louise area. If you are looking for a more challenging mountain hike, there is a moderately challenging scramble on Mount Temple.

There are a few options for those interested in scaling this magnificent mountain. The most challenging are the technical routes up main face on Mount Temple. Alternatively, there is a moderate scramble on the southwest side. This is a summer climb best tackled in mid-July. The scramble is not suitable for beginners. This is one for strong hikers and scrambles as the trail is 16km long and takes 7-12 hours to complete round trip. Human triggered rock fall is common so be sure to wear a helmet and check the Parks Canada website for additional information.

The Bow Glacier in Banff National Park is the source of the Bow River. The Bow, as locals commonly call it flows through the mountains into the foothills through Calgary and onto the prairies where it eventually turns into the South Saskatchewan River ultimately emptying into the Hudson Bay. The river is 587km long. It is a source of recreation and is a water supply for the communities along its path.

July is berry season in Alberta. In fact, the Saskatoon bushes were abundant and ready to eat. I enjoyed snacking on saskatoons along the trail and hoped not to encounter any bears doing the same. The Lake Louise Soft-Sided Trailer and Tent campground is in a wildlife corridor in which quite a few grizzly and black bears call home. With an abundance of food sources like the berries, a river, and small mammals it is no wonder why they like this area. Even though the fence around the campground is electrified it is still important to be bear aware and keep a clean campsite by properly storing food and toiletries in the vehicle or food storage lockers. We saw the park wardens conduct several clean site checks, remove any problematic items and leave a note or maybe a ticket at the site in question. While on the trails, be sure to carry bear spray and to make noise.

Meet my new friend, Wilbur, the Columbian Ground Squirrel. The most commonly seen animal during the summers in Banff National Park, is the Columbian Ground Squirrel. They make a high-pitched squeak sound. Grizzly bears, wolves, coyotes, and golden eagles all eat Columbian Ground Squirrel. Perhaps, that is why we saw so many of them inside the campground that is protected by the electric fence designed to keep the bears out.

This is our Strava map of our Bow River Trail Loop after dinner walk. We walked 3.5km of its 6km length and spent just under an hour enjoying the views and snacking on Saskatoon berries. This is a trail suitable for a leisurely stroll. If you find yourself in the area it is a great walk with nice mountain views as a reward for very little effort on your part.