For our first hike we chose the Maligne Lakeside Loop. On the way there, we stopped at Medicine Lake. It seems we were lucky to see this lake because it disappears completely in the winter. (Aboriginal peoples called the lake Medicine because of its seemingly magical powers, and the United Nations created the Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site partly because of this unique drainage system.) On to Maligne Lake which is the largest in the Rockies. Although you can rent canoes, motorboats or take a guided cruise on the lake, we decided to do as many hikes as possible during our stay here so on our feet it was. (Those hiking boots really were a wise investment as we were to find out in the next week.) Along the lake are picnic tables tucked away among the pine and spruce trees. The trail then veers away from the lake and after a few minutes it was difficult to concentrate on anything other than the billions of mosquitoes swarming around us. This went on for about 40 minutes (we were moving pretty quickly) before the trail took us back to the beautiful lake. It seemed endless while we were in there, swatting away and wondering if this was indicative of what to expect on future hikes. Lol
We stopped on the way back for another short hike along Maligne Canyon. There are a series of bridges, which cross this incredible limestone canyon. At on point the narrow gorge drops about 160 feet where the water rushes through with great force.
