2015 Summer Roadtrip: Day 41—Fri—7/24: Banff, Boat cruise on Lake Minnawanka, Lunch at Two Jack Lake, bald eagles, Andrea mountain biking, Views of the Banff Fairmont Springs Hotel and Bow River/Bow Falls

We drove 15 minutes to Lake Minnawanka and took the one-hour boat tour of the largest lake in Banff National Park. It was very beautiful, peaceful, and serene. We even saw a bald eagle nearby in a tree. We ate lunch on the lakeside and then drove to pretty Two Jack Lake. Sarah and Ryan played with a cute puppy as we watched Columbian ground squirrels and many birds at the scenic shore side. Two majestic bald eagles with their huge brown wings and white heads and tails were either in the trees nearby or soaring overhead much of the time we were there. They were beautiful. After returning to camp, Andrea mountain biked along an intermediate trail about 3 miles to a scenic overlook of the Banff Fairmont Springs Hotel and the Bow Falls waterfall. We then drove to the lookout to enjoy the views with her and to pick her up from her fun ride that was mostly down hill. The hotel is spectacular. But on such a cloudy, drizzly day, it looks more like a haunted house. The Bow River is pretty as are the Bow Falls. We then returned to camp and enjoyed the view of the nearby forest and mountains. Denise and the kids had a great time playing the game “Headbands” as well.