Spray River Trail - getting acclimated

We are taking it slowly, easing back into hiking, especially at this elevation. (I was rudely reminded of the altitude when I tried to bake a lemon poppyseed cake in a loaf pan on Monday. For the 35 minutes it was in the oven it oozed up and over the sides of the pan onto the brand new pizza stone that is supposed to better diffuse the heat in the oven. Then, as it was cooling in the pan for ten minutes, the entire loaf collapsed into a hole. Each slice looks as if it has a huge divot is carved out of it, but, it tastes great!)

The guide book, 50 Walks and Hikes in Banff National Park, by Brian Patton & Bart Robinson, refers to the Spray River trail as "a pleasant but unremarkable trek into the wilderness surrounding town." Maybe it's not a great hike, but there were some beautiful views.

Not too far into the hike, maybe 0.5 miles, we stopped for lunch. This is our lunch spot...

not too far from this bridge across Spray River.

From the bridge, we could look north, up the river, to the castle-like Banff Spring Hotel. (If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you might be able to see the Canadian flag flying over the hotel.)

Our first sighting of red Indian Paintbrush.

We crossed the bridge and climbed the hill and passed this overlook. That's our lunch spot, across the river just into the trees to the left of the bridge. (If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see the hotel at the Banff hot springs and the gondola up Sulphur Mountain.)

Further up the trail we had this nice view from a Spray River overlook.

Today's hike:

Length - 4.2 miles

Duration - 2 hr., 30 min. (including lunch)

Elevation gain - 240 ft. (24 floors on the Fitbit)