Canada Lake Moraine from Rockpile Trail

Length - 0.5 mi
Elevation gain - 32 ft
Route type - Out & back
0.5-mile out-and-back trail near Lake Moraine, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 10 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding, running, and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.

The road also closes to all traffic in mid-October; employees at the nearby lodge told me and several other photographers that a photo of the lake with snowfall is rare - "we have lots of photos with a beautiful sunrise, but we don't get many with snow."

So that I could be there before sunrise and scout-out a photo location, I woke at 3:30 AM to catch the shuttle with Fairview Limousine , one of the few shuttle services that will get you to Lake Moraine that early, because the road is closed to private vehicles.