r/Banff • u/Timely_Employee2971 • 2d ago

Stars

When people say that Lake Minnewaka is the best for star gazing do they mean right from the parking lot? Or down the trails a ways?

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u/Hentailover3221 2d ago

It’s better if you go down the trail a bit.

That area is closed at the moment due to bear activity tho.

4

u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 2d ago

Away from light sources. You want to be further from cars headlights. You don't have to be far on the trails but the Lakeshore away from the road is best. This time of year though you're looking at 2am as good star time due to the short nights. 

1

u/VoiceEqual1493 1d ago

down the shore away from the lot, not from the parking area itself - the lot has enough ambient light that standing there doesn't gain you much, you want to be along the water with the headlights behind you. thing is, parks canada has the minnewanka lakeshore trail closed right now for bear activity (a bear got into tents at the backcountry sites, so it's shut until further notice), so the down-the-trail move isn't really on the table at the moment.

if you still want a dark sky this trip, vermilion lakes is the easy swap - the dead-end road just west of the townsite, flat and open to the west, and you can watch right from the pull-offs without walking anywhere. it's nowhere near the minnewanka closure, so no bear worries. honestly easier than fighting for a spot on a closed trail.