BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 56

River brought about by glaciation. At one time the river flowed north of Tunnel Mountain
and out of the mountains via the valley of Lake Minnewanka. As the glaciers retreated,
they left terminal moraines, forming natural dams and changing the course of the river.
Eventually the backed-up water found an outlet here between Tunnel Mountain and the
northwest ridge of Mount Rundle. The falls are most spectacular in late spring when runoff
from the winter snows fills every river and stream in the Bow Valley watershed.
To get there from town, cross the bridge at the south end of Banff Avenue, scramble
down the grassy embankment to the left, and follow a pleasant trail along the Bow River
to a point above the falls. This easy walk is one kilometer (0.6 mile); 20 minutes each way.
By car, cross the bridge and follow the Golf Course signs. From the falls, a paved road
crosses the Spray River and passes through the golf course.
Banff Centre
On the lower slopes of Tunnel Mountain is Banff Centre, whose surroundings provide
inspiration as one of Canada's leading centers for postgraduate students in a variety of
disciplines, including Mountain Culture, Arts, and Leadership Development. The Banff
Centre opened in the summer of 1933 as a theater school. Since then it has grown to
become a prestigious institution attracting artists of many disciplines from throughout
Canada. The Centre's Walter Phillips Gallery (St. Julien Rd., 403/762-6281,
12:30pm-5pm Wed.-Sun., free) presents changing exhibits of visual arts from throughout
the world.
Activities are held on the grounds of the Banff Centre year-round. Highlights include
a summer educational program, concerts, displays, live performances, the Playbill Series,
the Banff Arts Festival, and Banff Mountain Festivals, to name a few. Call 403/762-6100
for a program, go to the website www.banffcentre.ca , or check the Crag and Canyon (pub-
lished weekly on Wednesday).
Vermilion Lakes
This series of shallow lakes forms an expansive montane wetland supporting a variety of
mammals and 238 species of birds. Vermilion Lakes Drive, paralleling the TransCanada
Highway immediately west of Banff, provides the easiest access to the area. The level
of First Vermilion Lake was once controlled by a dam. Since its removal, the level of
the lake has dropped. This is the beginning of a long process that will eventually see the
area evolve into a floodplain forest such as is found along the Fenland Trail. The entire