- Stanley Falls
Stanley Falls is a 2 mile out and back trail. The first half of the trail is paved, while the second half includes an incline climb up to the falls. There is a steep ledge along the side of the falls. I would recommend keeping your dog on leash, as I was anxious about Max getting too close to the edge even when he was on lead the whole time. There are some rocks along the water at parts that look tempting to walk across but are very slippery. Honestly, I was very nervous and anxious hiking along these cliffs. I wanted to get close enough to see the water and falls but also wanted to keep Max away from the edge which was difficult to finagle. The creek at the beginning of the trail was beautiful and Max enjoyed a swim on our way back to the car.
2. Athabasca Falls
This waterfall is only a short walk down a paved path from the large parking lot. I honestly did not enjoy this stop because of how crowded it was. I felt like I was at Disney. I had to wait in line just to get a glimpse of the falls and even then I was pushed out of the way by tourists with selfie sticks. The paved path and bridge is not really wide enough for dogs to pass each other and there were a LOT of dogs here. I think both Max and I were very overstimulated here. We did not stay long at all.
3. Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Falls is also a popular tourist attraction, but not as bad as Athabasca Falls. The upper falls are right off the parking lot down a paved path. Apparently, after you cross the bridge there is a trail to the lower falls which is not nearly as crowded and popular. However, Max and I took the wrong trail. We ended up doing 4 miles round trip on the Chaba Trail, which is directly across from the bridge. On the way back, I looked around again for the trail to the Lower Falls and could not find it, but apparently it does exist. On the way back to the main road, be sure to stop at the lodge gift shop and cafe! I purchased the best carrot cake I have ever had from the cafe and even shared some with Max!
