Fenland Trail with Vermilion Lakes add on

The Fenland is a short "nature" trail on the edge of Banff that loops through forested areas beside Echo and Forty Mile Creeks and the marshland beside the Vermilion Lakes.

The "fen" in Fenland Trail. A fen is a type of wetland that is fed primarily by nutrient-rich groundwater. The availability of water throughout the growing season creates a fertile oasis in this generally dry and sparse mountain environment. Plants such as sedges, grasses and mosses thrive here.

We stopped and had our lunch beside the Forty Mile Creek. There were several canoes and kayaks that went by.

The view from our lunch spot.

This is the first of the three Vermilion Lakes. We could see rain falling in other parts of the valley.

Mt. Rundle from the second Vermilion Lake.

Mt. Rundle (on the right) and other peaks that surround Banff, from the second Vermilion Lake.

Today's hike:

Length -3.94 miles

Duration - 2 hours, 25 minutes (including lunch)

Elevation gain - 110 feet (11 floors on the Fitbit)