Vancouver-Jasper-Banff-Lake Louise-Calgary

In Jasper, we like Whistler CG. Nice long pull-thru sites, FHU, trees, shade, and some privacy. Only a couple of mosquitos. In Banff do not stay at Tunnel Mtn. as it is only a "park on side of road" style CG. Bumper to bumper, filthy sites, beat-up tables. On the way, you might try Radium Hot Springs, as the pool is really nice. Clean, great locker-rooms, and not crowded in the a.m. Several RV parks in town, plus a provincial CG.

Do you have reservations for the Stampede and a place to stay during that event? If not you had better change your plans or make those reservations soon or you will be out of luck. And one week to travel to all those NPs is just not too wise - you won't see/enjoy much except driving!

More specifice on your planned trip would help us make suggextions.

What route are you taking to get to Jasper? Also, you might want to consider heading south out of Calgary (on 2 or 22) and back to Osooyos via Hwy 3, if you have enough time. What are you camping in? Do you have kids?

A fantastic trip. We did the reverse some years ago. Take the tour of the Jasper ice fields. Toward the end of your trip there is a museum called Buffalo Jump. well worth the stop.

IDman wrote:
In Jasper, we like Whistler CG. Nice long pull-thru sites, FHU, trees, shade, and some privacy. Only a couple of mosquitos. In Banff do not stay at Tunnel Mtn. as it is only a "park on side of road" style CG. Bumper to bumper, filthy sites, beat-up tables. On the way, you might try Radium Hot Springs, as the pool is really nice. Clean, great locker-rooms, and not crowded in the a.m. Several RV parks in town, plus a provincial CG.

This needs correcting. Tunnel Mountain has several campsites. Most are not park on the side of the road sites, but treed sites with fire pits and picnic tables.

The treed sites are not those with full hook-ups, but are quite nice and would be great for someone with a truck camper.

We have stayed in both at different times and enjoyed both types of sites.

I think if you stay for 6 days in National Parks it is more reasonable to buy an annual pass. There are lots of camp sites in the various national parks in the Rockies.

From Vancouver I would go straight to Clearwater via Highway 5 and do a tour of Wells Grey Provincial Park. From Clearwater go to Jasper and stay in one of the campgrounds there (personally I like Wabasso - electric only - as it is quieter than Whistler's). Jasper to Lake Louise and stay in the Lake Louise Trailer Court OR Jasper to Banff and stay at Two Jack Lake (no hookups) or Tunnel Mountain.

Hi folks, thanks for the great information so far. This is really helping me plan. To answer a few questions that have been brought up:

We don't have a planned route to Jasper yet, that is part of what I'm looking for input on. We have a hotel reserved in Calgary for the Stampede. Since I am still early on in my planning, I thought we could see quite a bit with 7 days or so but that is also why I have this thread going so I can get input from you folks on what I can actually see and do in that timeframe.

So keep the information coming in and sorry I don't have more details to share but hoping this thread will help me formulate the detailed itinerary. Thanks!

Go to the BC parks website to see what parks are along your route. Wells Gray has already been mentioned. Mt Robson is also a good stop, especially if you are up to doing some hiking.

You only have two major choices - 5 Kamloops to 16, or 97 to Prince George. But the later takes you well out of your way without much payback in scenery. There are more choices for getting to Kamloops, 5, 1, or 99.

99 is the most scenic, but toughest in an RV. 5 is divided highway. 1 stays lowest.

Are you driving back?

I would probably take the Coquihalla across to the Okanagan and spend the first night there. It'll be busy in July but still a nice place to see (unless you go there often). Then head up to Jasper on the yellowhead. I'd spend a couple of nights there if possible. Take the Icefields Parkway to Banff, there are lots of things to see in the Lake Louise/Banff/Canmore area, before heading to Calgary, it would be nice to spend a night in that area too.

We've been back and forth a few times, various routes. It's very nice trip!

It sounds like you are not concerned with hook-ups of any kind, so I will recommend a few stops. The Okanagan Valley area has lots to do, but as someone else said, will be very busy, especially as you will be starting out right on the long weekend. I would also say head up north of Kamloops on highway 5 and stop at Wells Grey Park north of Clearwater. There is a visitor's center right where you exit off highway 5, so stop there to get information. It is around an hour to drive in. Several hikes, and scenic waterfalls to see, and a good campground on the river at the lower end of Clearwater Lake.
If you don't stop there, it was also mentioned that there is a provincial campsite at Mount Robson, and a little further along another smaller one on a lake a few miles from Jasper Park. Stopping here would give you an advantage to arrive in Jasper early in order to get a campsite there. Keep in mind again that the weekend of June 29-July 1 is likely to be extra busy in the parks.
There are several campsites between Jasper and Banff that are available on a first come basis, so you may want to start early and stop early. One of the nicest is at Waterfowl Lakes about 50 km north of Lake Louise. If you hike, there are two hikes to alpine lakes right from the campsite area. Of course, there are many scenic views and short hikes all along the highway. Take the short side road into the Peyto Lake viewpoint a few km. south of Waterfowl Lakes.
If being right near Banff is not important, I like the campground at Johnson's Canyon, about 25 km. west of Banff, along the old highway, (1A I think it is), or Two Jack Lake which is east of Banff townsite.
Many things to see and do in the parks, and if you still have time, you could head towards Calgary and go into the Kananaskis Provincial Park in Alberta. Have a great time, and enjoy the stampede.