Enjoy the area around the town of Banff the way the locals do!  Rent a mountain bike for the day and try some of the gentle rides listed below.

Try biking out the Vermilion Lakes Drive (you can take cars there, but many people walk and bike) - about 6 miles out and back.This is a great spot to see waterfowl and sometimes elk and deer. Bald eagles nest between First and Second Vermilion Lakes.

Another nice route is through the woods to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, and then along the no-motorized-traffic Sundance Road to the Sundance Canyon (about 6 miles out and back). There you can lock your bike in the bike rack and go for a pleasant loop hike, then bike back to town.

Another great loop on bikes is up Buffalo Street to Surprise Corner, then along the Tunnel Mountain/Hoodoos trail, coming out near the Tunnel Mountain Campground. From there, you bike back to town on paved roads, having completed a circuit of Tunnel Mountain.This ride takes you along some gorgeous montane meadows - great spots for romantic picnics or wildflower viewing (but NOT picking!)

Another bike loop - ride out to the Banff Springs Hotel, then onto the old Spray River fire road (no motorized access). An 8-mile loop brings you back onto the Banff Springs golf course, and from there you ride back to town. OR you can continue on around the golf course road for another pleasant 45 minutes or so, and then back to town.You're almost guaranteed to see elk somewhere along the golf course route.

All the above are easy bike routes (there are a couple of steep sections on the Tunnel Mountain circuit, but you can walk them if you like), and any combination would make a pleasant day, if you put a picnic in your backpack and enjoy all the pleasant stopping places!

But keep in mind a few safety suggestions:

WATCH OTHER DRIVERS: when you're on roads that also allow cars, watch out for those drivers! They're on vacation, they're looking at the mountains, maybe they're driving a large motorhome that they're not used to. Expect the unexpected, and cycle defensively.

ALERT FOR WILDLIFE: on a bike, you may be fast and silent. While it's nice to see wildlife, it's not so nice to meet a bear by surprise. Cycle with at least one companion, make a loud whooping noise every now and then, and slow down when you come to a blind spot.

PROTECT YOUR SKULL: Always wear a helmet. Yes, they look silly on most of us (I try not to look in a mirror when I have one on). But how silly will you look spending your Canadian Rockies vacation in the Banff hospital?

CONSIDER YOUR FITNESS LEVEL: if you're a "weekend warrior" (or someone who hasn't been on a bike in the last ten years) you can still enjoy these rides, but do take it easy! Remember, you're on vacation, it's not a race, and you want to feel great tomorrow, too, so that you can do something else active and outdoors in wonderful Banff!

Town Bikes are a big part of a local's daily lifestyle. Many locals like to boast that they own three bikes - mountain bike, road bike and the ever popular cruiser. You will see some pretty original town bikes parked around the downtown area. Biking in Banff is so popular that the Banff Lake Louise Tourism Bureau has produced a YouTube video, feel free to check it out!