BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 74

Canoeing
On a quiet stretch of the Bow River, at the north end of Wolf Street, Blue Canoe (403/
762-3632 or 403/760-5007; 9am-9pm daily May-Sept., $36 one hour, $20 each additional
hour) rents canoes for use on the river, from where it's an easy paddle upstream to the Ver-
milion Lakes and Forty Mile Creek.
Fishing and Boating
The finest fishing in the park is in Lake Minnewanka, where lake trout as large as 15 kilo-
grams (33 pounds) have been caught. One way to ensure a good catch is through Banff
Lake Cruise (403/762-3473), which offers fishing trips in a heated cabin cruiser; trolling
and downrigging are preferred methods of fishing the lake. A half-day's fishing (3.5 hours)
is $395 for one or two persons. The company also rents small aluminum fishing boats with
outboard motors for $48 for the first hour, then $24 for every extra hour to a maximum of
$125 per day.
Before fishing anywhere in the park, you need a national park fishing license ($10 per
day, $35 per year), available from the Banff and Lake Louise Visitor Centres and sport
shops throughout the park.
GOLF
One of the world's most scenic golf courses, the Banff Springs Golf Course spreads out
along the Bow River between Mount Rundle and Tunnel Mountain. The first course was
laid out here in 1911, but in 1928 Stanley Thompson was brought in by the CPR to build
what was at the time North America's most expensive course. In 1989, the Tunnel Nine
opened (along with a new clubhouse), creating today's 27-hole course.
Fully restored, the course is typical Thompson, taking advantage of natural contours
and featuring elevated tees, wide fairways, treacherous fescue grass rough, and holes
aligned to distant mountains. From the back markers it is 7,087 yards and plays to a par
of 71. The course is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but it's also challenging for every
level of golfer. Pick up a copy of the topic The World's Greatest Golf Holes, and you'll
see a picture of the fourth hole on the Rundle 9. It's a par three, over Devil's Cauldron 70
meters (230 feet) below, to a small green backed by the sheer face of Mount Rundle rising
vertically more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above the putting surface. Another unique
feature of the course is the abundance of wildlife: There's always the chance of seeing elk
feeding on the fairways, or coyotes, deer, or bears scurrying across.