ESSENTIALS - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 545

ster, Bill Peyto, Jimmy Simpson, and Curly Phillips were the best known—crop up again
and again through the mountains. Another legacy of their trade is that many of the main
hiking trails began as horse trails.
The tradition of travel by horseback continues today in the Canadian Rockies; some
companies have been operating since before the parks were established. Trail riding is
available in Banff, Jasper, Waterton Lakes, and Yoho National Parks, as well as in Can-
more, Kananaskis Country, Radium Hot Springs, and Grande Cache. Expect to pay around
$35 for a one-hour ride (usually covering around 3 km/1.9 mi), $60 for a two-hour ride,
and $75-105 for a ride that includes a meal. If you're an experienced rider, consider head-
ing out of the mountains 40 minutes east of Canmore to Griffin Valley Ranch (north of
Hwy. 1A, 403/932-7433, www.griffinvalleyranch.ca ) . This sprawling property is one of
the few places in western Canada that allows unguided riding. Horse rentals are simil-
arly priced to trail riding; the only additional cost is an annual membership (simply sign a
waiver and pay an $80 fee). Trails lead through the valley and to high viewpoints where
the panorama extends back to the Canadian Rockies.
Pack Trips and Guest Ranches
Overnight pack trips consist of up to six hours of riding per day, with nights spent at a re-
mote mountain lodge or a tent camp, usually in a scenic location where you can hike, fish,
or ride farther. Rates range $175-245 per person per day, which includes the riding, accom-
modations, and food. These trips are offered by Brewster Adventures (403/762-5454 or
800/691-5085, www.brewsteradventures.com ) , east of Canmore; Boundary Ranch (403/
591-7171 or 877/591-7177, www.boundaryranch.com ) , in Kananaskis Valley; through the
south end of Banff National Park by Warner Guiding & Outfitting (403/762-4551 or
800/661-8352, www.horseback.com ) ; and in Jasper National Park by Skyline Trail Rides
(780/852-4215 or 888/852-7787, www.skylinetrail.com ) and Tonquin Valley Adventures
(780/852-1188, www.tonquinadventures.com ) .
GOLFING
The Canadian Rockies hold special appeal for golfers because some of the world's most
scenic courses lie in their midst. All of the best courses are public, lying in national parks
or on provincial land, so anyone can play at any time. The scenery alone stands the courses
of the Canadian Rockies apart from others, but there are many other reasons that the region
is a golf destination in itself. Stanley Thompson, generally regarded as one of the pree-
minent golf course architects of the early 1900s, designed three courses in the Canadian