Vancouver-Jasper-Banff-Lake Louise-Calgary
Hi all, My wife and I are planning a road trip (camping in my pickup along the way) leaving Vancouver, BC June 28th making our way northeast toward Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise and arriving in Calg...
Forum Discussion
We just got back from our trip and it was a blast! Below is a brief excerpt of everything we did, thanks to everyone who gave us input.
Day 1
Leave after work and Drive northeast – we camped at Pinegrove campground North of Kamloops (reservations needed) they close the gate at either 10 or 11pm. This campground was literally just a place to sleep for us as we arrived at 11pm and left about 5am the next day to get on to Jasper. Consider looking for your own accommodations near Kamloops depending on what you’re looking for.
Day 2
Drive Kamloops to Jasper – Camp at the Jasper National park (reservations advised)
See downtown Jasper
See the Maligne canyon
Secure a canoe rental for morning of day 3 at Maligne Lake
Day 3
Canoe in the morning, take a fishing rod and catch a rainbow trout. They bite on a wobbler spoon tied on to a little green spinner with about a 12-18 inch leader between the two.
Drive south along Icefield Parkway
Lots of viewpoints and 2 waterfalls along this route to stop and see
Camp at Wilcox Creek Campground
Day 4
Go to the Icefield Center at 8:30am to catch the first glacier tour at 9am
Pack up a lunch and go on the Mount Wilcox hike at the entrance to the campground (allow most of the afternoon)
Drive south along Icefield Parkway – Camp at the Lake Louise Campground (reservations needed)
Stay 2 nights here or stay 1 night at Waterfowl Lakes Campground and then 1 night at Lake Louise campground, Waterfowl was closed due to flooding when we were there but it is supposed to be very nice and has 2 good hikes starting from the campground.
Day 5
Go see Peyto Lake from the Bow Summit Lookout
Stop and see Bow Lake
Go to see Emerald Lake (can do the hike up the granite monolith called Tower of Babel I believe)
Camp either Lake Louise Campground or Waterfowl Lakes campground
Day 6
Go to Lake Louise and see the Fairmont and then do the Plain of Six Glaciers hike which goes around to the back of the lake and then up the mountain to an old Teahouse and then 20 minutes past the teahouse is the ‘lookout’ which you should definitely do as well. This hike will probably take about 5 hours when it is all done
Drive down to Banff and get a campsite at Tunnel Mountain (reservations needed) for 2 nights or stay here 1 night and Johnston Canyon campground 1 night. Johnston Canyon has a nice waterfall boardwalk.
Check out the Banff Fairmont Hot springs – go to the Rundle Lounge and have a drink or lunch on the outdoor patio
Spend some time in downtown Banff, Buffo bills has live music.
Day 7
Do the Mt. Rundle hike. This is a more difficult one – about 8 hours roundtrip. Bring water and an extra layer because once you clear the tree line it can get windy and colder but the views are great. It is also somewhat steep once you clear the tree line.
Go to Rose and Crown afterwards for a much needed pitcher of beer and nachos on their outdoor rooftop patio
Camp either Tunnel Mountain or Johnston Canyon campground (reservations recommended)
Day 8
We woke up early and drove to Calgary for the stampede but depending on what you want to do you could spend more time in Lake Louise or Banff
Spent that night at the Fairmont in Calgary – old Canadian Pacific Railway hotel
Day 9
Checked out of hotel and drove west via Transcanda highway 1 to Roger’s Pass
Camp at Illecillewaet Campground (we didn’t make reservations but I think we got the 2nd to last spot, it is first come first server so getting there early in the day will help ensure you get a spot)
Some very nice Hikes from this campground up in the mountains that we didn’t get to do because we got there too late at night since we visited some friends in Calgary all day before leaving.
Day 10
Head West on TC-1 and stop in Revelstoke for a bite to eat – nice drive up in the mountains to through the provincial park the and you can get out and get a good view of the Revelstoke lake area
Arrive back in Vancouver that night
Day 1
Leave after work and Drive northeast – we camped at Pinegrove campground North of Kamloops (reservations needed) they close the gate at either 10 or 11pm. This campground was literally just a place to sleep for us as we arrived at 11pm and left about 5am the next day to get on to Jasper. Consider looking for your own accommodations near Kamloops depending on what you’re looking for.
Day 2
Drive Kamloops to Jasper – Camp at the Jasper National park (reservations advised)
See downtown Jasper
See the Maligne canyon
Secure a canoe rental for morning of day 3 at Maligne Lake
Day 3
Canoe in the morning, take a fishing rod and catch a rainbow trout. They bite on a wobbler spoon tied on to a little green spinner with about a 12-18 inch leader between the two.
Drive south along Icefield Parkway
Lots of viewpoints and 2 waterfalls along this route to stop and see
Camp at Wilcox Creek Campground
Day 4
Go to the Icefield Center at 8:30am to catch the first glacier tour at 9am
Pack up a lunch and go on the Mount Wilcox hike at the entrance to the campground (allow most of the afternoon)
Drive south along Icefield Parkway – Camp at the Lake Louise Campground (reservations needed)
Stay 2 nights here or stay 1 night at Waterfowl Lakes Campground and then 1 night at Lake Louise campground, Waterfowl was closed due to flooding when we were there but it is supposed to be very nice and has 2 good hikes starting from the campground.
Day 5
Go see Peyto Lake from the Bow Summit Lookout
Stop and see Bow Lake
Go to see Emerald Lake (can do the hike up the granite monolith called Tower of Babel I believe)
Camp either Lake Louise Campground or Waterfowl Lakes campground
Day 6
Go to Lake Louise and see the Fairmont and then do the Plain of Six Glaciers hike which goes around to the back of the lake and then up the mountain to an old Teahouse and then 20 minutes past the teahouse is the ‘lookout’ which you should definitely do as well. This hike will probably take about 5 hours when it is all done
Drive down to Banff and get a campsite at Tunnel Mountain (reservations needed) for 2 nights or stay here 1 night and Johnston Canyon campground 1 night. Johnston Canyon has a nice waterfall boardwalk.
Check out the Banff Fairmont Hot springs – go to the Rundle Lounge and have a drink or lunch on the outdoor patio
Spend some time in downtown Banff, Buffo bills has live music.
Day 7
Do the Mt. Rundle hike. This is a more difficult one – about 8 hours roundtrip. Bring water and an extra layer because once you clear the tree line it can get windy and colder but the views are great. It is also somewhat steep once you clear the tree line.
Go to Rose and Crown afterwards for a much needed pitcher of beer and nachos on their outdoor rooftop patio
Camp either Tunnel Mountain or Johnston Canyon campground (reservations recommended)
Day 8
We woke up early and drove to Calgary for the stampede but depending on what you want to do you could spend more time in Lake Louise or Banff
Spent that night at the Fairmont in Calgary – old Canadian Pacific Railway hotel
Day 9
Checked out of hotel and drove west via Transcanda highway 1 to Roger’s Pass
Camp at Illecillewaet Campground (we didn’t make reservations but I think we got the 2nd to last spot, it is first come first server so getting there early in the day will help ensure you get a spot)
Some very nice Hikes from this campground up in the mountains that we didn’t get to do because we got there too late at night since we visited some friends in Calgary all day before leaving.
Day 10
Head West on TC-1 and stop in Revelstoke for a bite to eat – nice drive up in the mountains to through the provincial park the and you can get out and get a good view of the Revelstoke lake area
Arrive back in Vancouver that night
