Jeff Schmerker
I'm here for the views
Spray Lakes Reservoir is a long, thin artificial lake south of Banff and north of the British Columbia border. It's prettier than your average lake, sure, but we're not here to look at a static body of water -- we're here to look at mountains. Spray Lakes had been a bunch of natural lakes which were connected when the dam was installed; the reservoir crammed between the Goat Range and the Three Sisters Ridge, with barely enough room to fit the Smith-Dorrien road in between. The west side of the lake features a long-abandoned road which is now a trail suitable for a long hike or a decent mountain bike ride.
Because it's on the far side of the lake and bounded by wilderness, this area is truly remote and offers access to the interior of Banff National Park that you otherwise would not get. A campground marks the north end, and a complex of cross-country ski tracks marks the south. If biking, plan on at least two hours of solid pedaling to get from one end to the other; on foot, you are looking at five or so hours -- both would require a longish shuttle (assuming you don't plan to retrace your steps). The best views are toward the south and are found near the middle of the trail.
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