There is a Gold Ruch every year at this time in Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies. It is Fall and the famous Larch trees, the only deciduous tree (with needles) that turn colour, turn to a mesmerizing warm golden hue.
It is frequently asked – When is the best time to visit the Canadian Rockies and Banff? There are many answers, all of which are valid, but for the Gold Rush and to see the Larch trees; “The magical colour conversion begins around the middle of September and lasts only a few weeks. As autumn is a hugely popular time for visiting the Canadian Rockies, it’s essential to plan your trip. If you can make it work, go mid-week, early in the morning for fewer crowds.”
This is the time when the Banff National Park landscape is awash in the Alpine with Golden hues of Larch trees. There are multiple places to go and here are two posts with a fine list of suggestions:
9 Best hikes to See Fall Colours in Banff National Park
Bear in mind, that most of these hikes are quite popular and each year the “Gold Rush” grows, so be prepared and follow trail etiquette so all can enjoy. Also, the Larches can be found in the Alpine and you can go check other guidebooks like “Canadian Rockies Trail Guide ” ( my personal favourite to use ) and choose a hike and trail that suits your taste.
And you don’t have to only shoot the Larch Trees as the Birch, Poplar, and Aspen are very much part of the show. In the Banff National Park landscape, there are numerous opportunities to capture images with Fall colours that dazzle. While the Canadian Rockies may not have the hardwoods ( Oak, Maple, Elm) you will find, if you go looking, there will be a mountain landscape for you to capture and show the Fall palette of the Canadian Rockies.
The Banff National Park landscape has a vast selection of subject matter to capture and create landscape wall art for your pleasure. Larch trees are just one element, albeit a most beautiful element, that exists in the Canadian Rockies and Banff mountain pictures. You can find my Banff National Park and Canadian Rockies Landscape Wall Art on my website – www.gitaphotos.com.
With all that is available to see and experience in Banff and the Canadian Rockies – Why are Larch Trees so special? “One of the most distinctive features of larch is that it is a deciduous conifer, meaning it sheds its needles annually in the fall, unlike most evergreen conifers. This trait allows larch to conserve energy during the winter months when photosynthesis is not possible.” Simply put this is a once-a-year phenomenon, the scarcity of viewing as well as at prime time, brings the sense of “special” and “discovery” and “rarity” into your psyche.
All those things may well describe the Art of landscape photography in Banff National Park. Banff Art stores are full of landscape paintings and images because, while there are many paintings and images out there, there are precious few that both capture your heart, and emotions and engage your attention. Larch trees in full colour are one of those scarce, special, and rare moments the Canadian Rockies and Banff landscape provide.
The list of special things to see in Banff and the Canadian Rockies is extensive: snow-capped mountains, huge glaciers, expansive icefields, stunning coloured lakes, rivers, streams, huge forests of trees, varied and wonderful wildlife, wildflowers, waterfalls, sunrises and sunsets, multiple species of birds, and now add to your list “Larch Trees” – they are Candian Rocky Mountain Gold!
My Tag line is “Special Moments in the Rockies, Captured in a Print Forever” and for a small time in September, Larch Trees may provide a Special Moment for you!