Our Oldest Daughter lives between Banff and Calgary, so we got to enjoy the drive through Kootenay and Banff National parks all the time.
This is just after Numa Falls, and before the BC / Alberta Boarder ( Kootenay National Park)
This is just after Numa Falls, and before the BC / Alberta Boarder ( Kootenay National Park)
I should also have asked whether you need hookups and how long your fifth wheel is.
The whole Icefields Parkway area is worth a couple of weeks -- here's a sample -- this is looking down on the icefield from the Wilcox Pass area. Wilcox Campground is well located, but I don't know if it can accommodate your rig:
Click For Full-Size Image.
The other issue is the dog -- are dogs allowed on trails in the Canadian National Parks? I don't think they are in the US parks.
The whole Icefields Parkway area is worth a couple of weeks -- here's a sample -- this is looking down on the icefield from the Wilcox Pass area. Wilcox Campground is well located, but I don't know if it can accommodate your rig:
Click For Full-Size Image.The other issue is the dog -- are dogs allowed on trails in the Canadian National Parks? I don't think they are in the US parks.
And today clear skies.
Yesterday we were inside all day, today it’s coffee on the sundeck.... so far
Yesterday we were inside all day, today it’s coffee on the sundeck.... so far
StirCrazy wrote:dkilley wrote:
I know this is in alberta but consider spending a couple of days at Tunnel mountain rv park (national park) in Jasper. Our favourite rv park of all time.
only problem with this is tunnel mountian is in Banff.
I am not sure where you are coming from, but I can tell you this fall BC will most likly still be covered in smoke the way the forest fire season is going now. a lot of places are under evacuation alerts and such. unless you are going to vancouver I would not comitte any money to reservations or such so you can cancle if conditions are not improved.
Steve
Good point Steve, I never saw the date, yes this year would not be a good time to visit southeastern BC
Castlegar today.
There are a lot of places to visit up here. Banff / Lake Louise (LL) and Jasper are located in Canadian National Parks ( Canadian Rocky’s) and are very popular, so even in September if you have a “guesstimate” of when you will be in the area make reservations.
Note: the campground in LL is right by the CPR mainline Railways that crosses Canada.
Between now and when the National Parks system open for reservation for 2022, make an account and familiarize how it works well before the reservation opening date. Theses three towns I listed are very very very busy, and a reservation with hookups is a must.
Parks Canada
British Columbia Parks system also have a reservation system so same goes here with getting familiarized with it before next spring. However, 98% of all BC parks stop taking reservation after labour day weekend, and most close up for the season the last weekend in September. You can still drive in and get a FCFS site, and some of the park facilities may have also closed for the season on Labour day weekend. On the BC Parks page for making reservations you it will tell you how big a rig will fit into the site and most have pictures as well.
BC Parks
Lots of Private campgrounds all over BC and there are a lot of hidden gems out there. Easiest is to just Google a town or area you will be in a type in Campgrounds, most show up.
Some of the areas you should be googling over the fall and winter are: Okanogon Valley, Thompson Region & West & East Kootenays
As I live in the Kootenays check out:
Slocan Lake, Kootenay Lake, Arrow Lakes, Jewel Lake, Christina Lake, Moyie Lake, Kootenay River, Columbia River, Wasa Lake, towns of Nelson, Castlegar, Rock Creek, Greenwood, New Denver, Silverton, Ghost town of Sandon, Kaslo, dry docked paddle wheeler SS Moyie, Nakusp, Kimberley Revelstoke. Revelstoke Railway Museum,
Railway cam
Spiral Tunnel, Rogers Pass, Golden, Raduim Hot Springs, Fairmount Hot Springs, Ainsworth Hot Springs , Nakusp Hot Springs, Halcyon Hot Springs, Fort Steele Historic Site. Kootenay Lake Ferry, which is the longest free ferry ride in the world. Creston Valley ( fruit and Vegie, Hwy Stands)
Most of theses committees that I listed are small towns with a scatter of small cities, and most have small community campgrounds. As well PC Parks are scattered everywhere and some are not close to towns.
Note: there are two differnt ferry systems in BC. The Inland Ferries ( fresh water ferries) in BC, are all free.
Inland ferries
The BC Ferries Corp. cost $$$$, theses ferries are located on the BC coastal areas of BC ( salt water ferries)
BC Ferries
BC Hwy Cams
The Kootenay region alone from ( Alberta Boarder) east to west is about 5.5 to 6 hr drive, USA boarder) south to north is a 5 to 6 hrs drive. So there is a lot of other places you can see in BC, and hopefully others from theses areas will chime in with that info.
Your biggest dilemma is how much road traveling do you want to do, and or how much relaxing do you want to do. As in days between travel time.
Good luck with your quest and adventure.
Soup.
This picture was taken in June from our BC Parks campsite on Kootenay Lake.
Note: the campground in LL is right by the CPR mainline Railways that crosses Canada.
Between now and when the National Parks system open for reservation for 2022, make an account and familiarize how it works well before the reservation opening date. Theses three towns I listed are very very very busy, and a reservation with hookups is a must.
Parks Canada
British Columbia Parks system also have a reservation system so same goes here with getting familiarized with it before next spring. However, 98% of all BC parks stop taking reservation after labour day weekend, and most close up for the season the last weekend in September. You can still drive in and get a FCFS site, and some of the park facilities may have also closed for the season on Labour day weekend. On the BC Parks page for making reservations you it will tell you how big a rig will fit into the site and most have pictures as well.
BC Parks
Lots of Private campgrounds all over BC and there are a lot of hidden gems out there. Easiest is to just Google a town or area you will be in a type in Campgrounds, most show up.
Some of the areas you should be googling over the fall and winter are: Okanogon Valley, Thompson Region & West & East Kootenays
As I live in the Kootenays check out:
Slocan Lake, Kootenay Lake, Arrow Lakes, Jewel Lake, Christina Lake, Moyie Lake, Kootenay River, Columbia River, Wasa Lake, towns of Nelson, Castlegar, Rock Creek, Greenwood, New Denver, Silverton, Ghost town of Sandon, Kaslo, dry docked paddle wheeler SS Moyie, Nakusp, Kimberley Revelstoke. Revelstoke Railway Museum,
Railway cam
Spiral Tunnel, Rogers Pass, Golden, Raduim Hot Springs, Fairmount Hot Springs, Ainsworth Hot Springs , Nakusp Hot Springs, Halcyon Hot Springs, Fort Steele Historic Site. Kootenay Lake Ferry, which is the longest free ferry ride in the world. Creston Valley ( fruit and Vegie, Hwy Stands)
Most of theses committees that I listed are small towns with a scatter of small cities, and most have small community campgrounds. As well PC Parks are scattered everywhere and some are not close to towns.
Note: there are two differnt ferry systems in BC. The Inland Ferries ( fresh water ferries) in BC, are all free.
Inland ferries
The BC Ferries Corp. cost $$$$, theses ferries are located on the BC coastal areas of BC ( salt water ferries)
BC Ferries
BC Hwy Cams
The Kootenay region alone from ( Alberta Boarder) east to west is about 5.5 to 6 hr drive, USA boarder) south to north is a 5 to 6 hrs drive. So there is a lot of other places you can see in BC, and hopefully others from theses areas will chime in with that info.
Your biggest dilemma is how much road traveling do you want to do, and or how much relaxing do you want to do. As in days between travel time.
Good luck with your quest and adventure.
Soup.
This picture was taken in June from our BC Parks campsite on Kootenay Lake.
