Vermillion Lakes, Banff

We paddled the Vermillion Lakes in Banff this summer because we could rent boats there while our own boats sat out the 48-hour drying period that is now required. Access and boats rentals are on in the Bow River at the Banff Canoeing Club.

We paddled up Echo Creek, which was nice and high this year. It was also very busy with other paddlers.

We had mixed weather, with periodic cloudy/smokey periods obscuring the sun. The creek itself was lovely.

We then cut over to the lakes, having to portage a small beaver dam. The portage was short but tricky and Jenn was a real trooper here (we did not put on a master class of dismounting on a steep bank). On the way back, we just shot the beaver dam.

We paddled the first and second lake but then couldn't find the third lake and ended up meandering up the creek that feeds them. It was fairly windy and hot so, after an hour, we turned around and retraced our steps.

Echo Creek was a welcome relief from the heat and was a great float back down to the dock. 

Next time we might try paddling up the Bow instead.

Vermilion Lakes, Banff

The Vermilion Lakes are located due west of the town of Banff and can be accessed from the townsite (via Forty-Mile Creek) or directly from the Vermilion Lakes Road. Oddly, Forty-Mile Creek is listed as Echo Creek on the google map below.

The Banff Canoe Club rents both kayaks and canoes. We launched from their beach which gives access to both the Bow River and 40-Mile Creek. 

The first lake is located about a 15-minute paddle up 40-Mile Creek, which includes passing under a train bridge and navigating some deadfall.

The first lake is a pleasant paddle with a roundtrip of about an hour. Access to the other two lakes is via another creek (along the north side of the lake paralleling the road--hard to see from the water). Doing the second two lakes would add about another hour to your trip.

The scenery is spectacular, although the lakes are shallow. The furtherest lake has a natural hot spring. We saw an Osprey catch a fish and paddled past a family of nearly mature Canada Geese feeding on the weeds.

You can see the dock you can launch directly into the lake from in the picture below. The cut in the bank above is the TransCanada Highway.

The return down Forty-Mile creek is a bit more fun as you have the help of the current. Some of the turns are tight (as evidenced by the many bow prints on the muddy banks!).

 The creek was fairly busy the day were were there and lovely photos abound.

Overall, a nice paddle suitable for first timers with limited endurance and skill.