What The Hell is Larch Season?

Are you wondering what is Larch Season?

I have heard 20 people talk about Larch season, I literally had no idea what they were talking about and I have lived in Alberta my entire life. Up until this year I guess I had never heard anyone refer to Larch by that name before. So if you are as sheltered as I am, have heard people going on about the Larch or hear about them going out West of Calgary to the Banff and Canmore area, maybe to Larch Valley to take pictures, check out this post and enjoy.

Larch Trees

Larches are deciduous conifers in the genus Larix of the family Pinaceae (subfamily Laricoideae) for those who love botany. Growing from 20 to 45 meters (65 to 150 feet) tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south. That means they are common in the Mountains West of Calgary towards Banff. Larches are among the dominant plants in the boreal forests of Siberia and Canada. Although they are conifers, larches are deciduous trees that lose their needles in the autumn.

Calgary Larch Trees

There are many Larch trees even up to and through the river valleys in Calgary. They can be found along the Bow River Valley, the Elbow River Valley and throughout Fish Creek Park even. These trees provide a vibrant yellow scene for the brief week or so that they change color and then drop their leaves/needles to the ground.

Check out this great drone video as it flies through the Elbow Valley and along the Elbow River in the Discovery Ridge subdivision of SW Calgary. This is a view you don’t get from the ground level. Ps. Watch the riverbank in the video for the black bear, there were 4 of them there that day wandering through the neighborhood.

For those feeling adventurous, this is probably one of the best times of the year to head out to Banff and explore the National Park. There are very few tourists at all, the weather is cooler but its still warm and sunny during the day. You can walk the mainstreet of Banff without it being too crowded, the restaurants in Banff have no line ups or waiting, and if you venture up to Canoe on Lake Louise or visit beautiful Moraine Lake, you actually have an opportunity that the parking lots may not be overfilled so you can actually visit without having to take a shuttle bus. I will leave you with this final image of the beautiful Moraine Lake, arguably the most photographed and recognized lake in all of Canada.

Many locals cherish this time of year the most, and Larch Valley and Johnston Canyon are frequent places for Calgary hikers to go this time of year. And of course my favorite is always visiting Lake Louise itself. I have written about it previously on this site (go check out the exclusive pictures I have shared) and am hoping to get there once more before winter arrives and might even take the Intex kayaks up there again. There is something about being the only human out there on that water that is so special. There are other images I have taken at that lake that have such a unique feeling to them posted here on this site. Definitely check my other posts if you love the natural wonder of the Rocky Mountains.

Thank You Calgary

Thanks to those who have taken time to read this site and to help by liking and sharing the posts. I love creating these informational posts, writing reviews about local venues and events, blogging about all the cool things that are going on in Calgary. Knowing that someone is reading and enjoying some of the content makes it worthwhile. So, thank you so much for sharing my site with others and helping to expand the audience.

~ King Calgary

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