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Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, Alberta

Quantum82
Explorer
Explorer
We are planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies this summer. How many nights do we need to book in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper to comfortably see the highlights of the Rockies? I'm thinking 3 nights in each area would give us 2 full days to explore. Would that be sufficient?

We are travelling in a 32ft travel trailer, so I'm trying to book Canada Parks with electric.

Any tips for what else to see in Alberta would be appreciated. We're driving from Ontario.
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35 REPLIES 35

StirCrazy
Navigator
Navigator
Quantum82 wrote:
I actually scored a site!

I was number 77 this morning when the site went live....I couldn't believe my eyes. We got a site at Lake Louse Hard Sided camping as well as Banff Trailer Court, full hookups.

Last week Friday I was able to score a site at Wabbasso near Jasper, so we're good to go.


so much for staying to your local area for travel recomendations. I was there this morning and I was 57000 when it went live. last week jasper sold out in under and hour, the week befor Mt revelstoke sold out in under 20 min.
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trigley
Explorer
Explorer
I like Wabasso, A little further out and quiet. Have not been there for a long time. Sites were smaller and I believe they still are.

Quantum82
Explorer
Explorer
I actually scored a site!

I was number 77 this morning when the site went live....I couldn't believe my eyes. We got a site at Lake Louse Hard Sided camping as well as Banff Trailer Court, full hookups.

Last week Friday I was able to score a site at Wabbasso near Jasper, so we're good to go.
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gmckenzie
Explorer
Explorer
Not sure if anyone has tried to book today, but I'm down to ~32,000 people in front of me from ~47,000 when I started to wait.
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profdant139
Explorer II
Explorer II
I'm a little late to the dance, but here is a link to three blog posts that might be of interest:

Peter Lougheed

Banff and Jasper

Lake Louise and Yoho

In general, I would say that the Canadian Rockies are the most spectacular area I have ever seen in my life, and I have done a lot of traveling. I would recommend spending as much time in that area as you can, if you hike. If you don't hike, a week or ten days might be enough.
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garyhaupt
Explorer
Explorer
Did I miss something? The fellow said Banff, Jasper...both federal parks. Open to all and not impacted by any BC restrictions. Yes, the Rockies are both within provincial and federal boundaries. I wouldn't hesitate to advise come on....yes, you may have to be a bit creative for your night camp. It may not be a campsite with fire pit and so on..might be a rest area..or a gravel pit.

No off grid camping allowed in Federal Parks..at all.

Caveat is...when the border opens, there will be just a huge amount of US travellers and they'll over-run most all of it.


Gary Haupt
I have a Blog..about stuff, some of which is RV'ing.

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SideHillSoup
Explorer
Explorer
They were last summer, and most of them were packed like never before because people weren’t traveling and staying close to home.
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MACHZER
Explorer
Explorer
I think all private BC campgrounds are open to anyone?
Clandeboye , Manitoba

SideHillSoup
Explorer
Explorer
All BC provincial parks are not excepting “reservation” for people from outside of BC until July 8th.
If someone drives up from out of the province of BC with their RV and gets a “first come first serve” site and it is available, they can book that site.
Parks Canada have no restrictions for reservations or FCFS sites, that I know of.” At this time”
However. The boarder between the US and Canada is still closed to all non essential travel at this time.
When the 49th opens to “travelers ” is anyone’s guess. My “guess” is late fall of 2021....maybe....
Soup.
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Quantum82
Explorer
Explorer
MACHZER wrote:
As I said , do a google search o BC campgrounds.
The BC provincial and GOV sites are closed to none residents. WAs he same last summer
They are saying booking may open on July 8 to non residents depending on C-19 counts of course,
You know by then they will be grabbed by the BC residents

https://bcparks.ca/covid-19/


Gotcha!

We'll double check, but I think we'll stay out of BC at least overnight anyway. Hopefully the USA border is open by then, I'd really like to head south for the trip home. Canada is a nice country and all, but I miss the USA!!
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MACHZER
Explorer
Explorer
As I said , do a google search o BC campgrounds.
The BC provincial and GOV sites are closed to none residents. WAs he same last summer
They are saying booking may open on July 8 to non residents depending on C-19 counts of course,
You know by then they will be grabbed by the BC residents

https://bcparks.ca/covid-19/
Clandeboye , Manitoba

Quantum82
Explorer
Explorer
MACHZER wrote:
Just a Reminder, all BC provincial and gov campground's are closed to all campers that reside outside of BC


That's not what I've read.

There are no travel restrictions into BC from any other province.

Canada Parks are open to all Canadians.

According to BCparks (provincial parks) the only restriction is the booking window. BC residents are given priority over other provinces.

Manitoba is the only province that we will run into restrictions. We plan to blast through MB if that's the case.
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MACHZER
Explorer
Explorer
Just a Reminder, all BC provincial and gov campground's are closed to all campers that reside outside of BC
Clandeboye , Manitoba

AKsilvereagle
Explorer II
Explorer II
Like others have posted, getting reservations is a must the first day they allow to do so - especially if you want electric hookups.

It is highly recommended for reservations upon any campsite if visiting during June thru Labour Day Weekend.

Unfortunately I am still a working stiff and my boss only allows me September off for vacation time, and that's still like pulling teeth or takes an act of congress to approve it, while I get the "take time off during the winter" speech, as my line of work does not allow summertime off.

So, upon my experiences of visiting the Canadian Rockies in the Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks - I was only able to tour the region during the month of September in 2011, 2012, and 2013 - and STILL haven't been able to see everything in the area....

I could only stay 4 to 5 days in the area before heading back home so I could still keep a job - taking my time commuting in my old 1970 rig via Alaska or Cassiar Hwy. it would take me 9 to 10 days time to arrive, so that would be about burning three weeks of vacation time just on commuting alone upon a round trip.

Had to cut my vacation short and head back in 2014 as I gotten a high fever and tonsilitis, or else I would have had all of my four different national park entry passes which I planned on getting :

2011 - east entry - Banff - (check)
2012 - south entry - Kootenay - (check)
2013 - north (w) - Jasper - (check)

2014 - had planned west entry to Yoho to obtain the four cycle of park passes, so I have yet to acquire that still.

During September, just the few main featured campgrounds do remain open as Parks Canada shuts down the others...

I have never had to make any reservations for an available campground site in any of my visits during September, however other than Lake Louise - Tunnel Mountain II (all electric sites) were always FULL and Whistlers (electric sites) were always FULL also....


I stayed at Lake Louise campground in 2011 and 2012 :
(availability was plentiful)

All sites are electric there for RV spots (189 sites), with easy and roomy two way access sites (drive in and out the other side) for even a motorcoach size rig in the middle portion of the RV campground, very maneuverable there...

The only downfall for some people at Lake Louise : is the trains run fast thru the campground and are real loud in all hours of the day and night, however they never bothered me as I wear earplugs when sleeping in the RV and I always wear hearing protection when walking around in public anyway to filter out the annoying noises and screaming kids and such.

I was possibly planning to stay at Redstreak at Kootenay NP in 2012, however that campground was FULL.


I stayed at Whistlers campground in 2011 and 2012 as well :
(I lucked out as in 2011 there were only 5 sites left, and only 2 sites left in 2012) - like I mentioned before - no electric sites were available as they were all taken......sites assigned to me were small.

If one thinks the trains are real bad at Lake Louise campground, try dealing with constant continuous loud mating calls of elk during the night at Whistlers in September - I say pick your poison in comparison.

Wapati campground closes during the month of September at Jasper Nat'l Park as they upgrade it for winter season.

I stayed at Tunnel Mountain I campground (no electric sites there) in 2012 and 2013 - sites are small that they assigned me just like Whistlers, however I was commuting in a cabover camper so it was fine for me.

I stayed overnight in the parking lot at Icefields Visitor Center (Jasper NP) in 2013 and stayed at Two Jack Main campground in 2013 as well....

Two Jack Lakeside campground sites were all full, as I overnighted in Two Jack Main campground on the final day they scheduled to close for the season - was planning on possibly taking the Lake Minnewanka boat tour however I didn't think the weather was going to hold up long enough during the day as I passed it up with threatening rainfall, and it did rain hard by mid day.

As for all that are reading this post, this gives one the idea that every one of those consecutive years that I visited the four National Parks, I visited different sites and other areas that I previously have not explored.

Will post more pictures time permitting, however I will close a few for now, pertaining to the trams and ski lifts :


September 2011 - Lake Louise Ski Lift and Mountain Resort - Banff NP :




September 2011 - Whistlers Mountain - upper terminal - Jasper NP




September 2012 - Sulphur Mountain - overlooking lower terminal - Banff NP


Sulphur Mountain - upper terminal - Banff NP



As noted, places like Waterton NP, the Kananaskis, Mt. Robson, etc. and such along the Canadian Rockies in those areas are a must see also if one has the time to visit.
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