September camping-Banff and Jasper

fanrgs is right -- there could be a little snow -- but don't be deterred -- it looks kind of nice when they spread it all over the mountains during the night, and you wake up in the morning to this:




That was taken in mid-Sept. in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, not too far from Canmore and Banff.

Check Glacier NP campground availability before you arrive HERE. Also remember that the Going-to-the-Sun Road can close early--Sept. 14 when we tried to drive it a few years ago.

We were in Waterton NP in mid-Sept. and we were one of very few tourists in the park. We followed a herd of bighorn sheep walking right down the middle of the road into town. The historic hotel was already closed for the season, so we didn't get to visit it.

On that trip, we stayed at Johnston Canyon when we were in Banff NP. Had free firewood (needed as it was cold), great hikes to the waterfalls, a rainy visit to Lake Louise, and a weekend bike race in Banff that packed the town. The campgrounds were only filled during the weekends.

We left Johnston Canyon in a snowstorm that turned into a whiteout by the time we reached Bow Lake. We even used a photo of the snow-covered trees and mountains around Bow Lake on our Christmas card that year. The snowstorm ended before Athabasca Falls and Jasper was dry, sunny, and much warmer than Johnston Canyon.

So, you should be prepared for a little of everything during the fall in the Canadian Rockies!

I visited the Canadian Rockies in Parks Canada three consecutive years only in September (2011 thru 2013).

For the exact days the OP is planning to be present, do check which campgrounds with electric hookups will still be open as Parks Canada will start phasing in upon seasonal closing of some campgrounds during September.

As noted, I can also contest that you will need reservations (only if you want electric hookups) at Whistlers in Jasper National Park as I only dry camped there and at the Icefields the whole times I was in the Jasper area.

Lake Louise, Tunnel Mountain I and II, (and the non lake campground side of Two Jack Lake while still open) during September have spots generally available with no reservations in Banff National Park....

I never had a problem getting electric hookups at Lake Louise with no reservations - (the layout is super friendly for big motorcoaches)... you might want earplugs if you are sensitive to fast noisy trains flying by.

Tunnel Mountain I or II could be a crapshoot for electric hookups with no reservations -

I never had a problem getting a dry spot at Whistlers.

Other than Lake Louise Campground, I would suggest reservations if one wants electric hookups during September (after holiday weekend).

Those were the only six overnighting areas I had stayed at in Banff and Jasper National Park upon my visits.

Years back we went to Banff, Jasper, and beyond. We too went in early September and were confident that we would easily get a hookup site at Tunnel Mt and others since in the states, most full hook ups even at state parks are easily available. That was not the case in Canada. We were so confident that we didn't even take our generator. Well, Tunnel Mt was full so we stayed at Two Jack Main. Dry camping. In Jasper at Whistler's, the hookup sites were full so we stayed in a dry spot. In spite of that, we did fine. We did manage to get to Lake Louise early and got an electric site so that was helpful. So definitely make reservations if you can, especially if you want hookups. Here's a link to places we stayed during our trip, hopefully it will provide some information.

We did a "Glacier and the Canadian Rockies" trip in September of 2012. We have done a lot of traveling before and since, but I can confidently say that that trip was one of the very best we have ever taken. Here is the first of six blog entries concerning that trip – I'm hoping that you can find some useful information in those six posts:

Part 1 of 6: Glacier and the Canadian Rockies

Based on our experience, my overall advice is to save as much time as you can for the Canadian Rockies. If at all possible, don't rush it.

In case you need any extra incentive, here is an "appetizer" shot from our blog -- this is Wilcox Pass, overlooking the Icefields:

Call a day or so ahead maybe to double check the CG's before arriving if you can, when you have a better idea of your arrival in the areas, but second week September (not long weekends though!!!) you should be fine as everyone is back into work and school mode after summer hols have been taken.

Check out the recent latest posts on their trip through the Rockies of www.Roadslesstraveled.us Emily and Mark Fagan do an absolutely awesome job with photos and write ups you'll find very useful following their Glacier trip up into Kootney and on to Banff/Jasper etc. Just a FYI.

We love spending time in the Rockies whether it be winter, summer, spring or fall being on our doorstep and we tend to wing it, but equally we will boondock happily if necessary. Tunnel Mountain isn't anything flash but we've typically found a spot with elec hook up there for access to Banff. Lake Louise CG can be noisy with the trains going right past besides you several times during the day/night. Brewsters has parking for O/N dry camping if you are stuck where the big cats go out to the receding rapidly glacier. Canmore just east outside of Banff typically has plenty available especially if school is back in and you are not arriving on a Friday or Saturday! Peter Lougheed and Kananaskis country both nearby are also wonderful places (Spray Lakes!) to stay.

Hope some of this might be of interest to you :) Also www.GonewiththeWynns.com came through on their trip to Alaska last summer and have great write ups and how awed they were in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper etc = worth reading up albeit they are now sailboat bound for their next life phase.

Enjoy, slow down and breath - we locals know how blessed we are to have all this on our doorsteps.

FTW.

Chief is right.

And I don't also think you can't beat September as the best time of the year to enjoy camping anywhere in the Rockies. ;)

We will be in Jasper/Banff from Sept 8- 15.
I made reservations last Jan.
Check on Canada Parks website for info on reservations.
Weather can be anything from hot to snow!
It's the Canadaian Rockies, it's always and adventure.