where to stop for the night

[StirCrazy]

Ok so for thanksgiving weekend we decided to leave the 5th wheel at home and do a three day loop from kamloops, to banff, to jasper then home with the truck camper.

so my question is between Kamloops and banff is there any good spots you can pull over for the evening besides truck stops and such. we are leaving thursday about supper time and I was intending on knocking two or three hours of driving off then stoping for the night, but I noticed 90% of the campgrounds have already shut down for the winter.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

c.traveler2 wrote:
StirCrazy....ioverlander is a free app. and it shows about a dozen places between your designations. Give it a try.

yup, I downloaded it and checked it out. I also have a book called "camp free in BC" which is pretty deicent.

Steve

[c_traveler2]

StirCrazy....ioverlander is a free app. and it shows about a dozen places between your designations. Give it a try.

[SideHillSoup]

StirCrazy wrote:

noteven wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:

noteven wrote:
Oh and when you are camped within sight of "someone" and "they" might "wonder what you are doing" and "report you" to "authorities"...

And said "authorities" roll up on your quiet peaceful camp where your tires are sitting on the ground god forbid,

Have a half bottle of whiskey in your hand when you answer the door.

"I don't think I should drive on ossifer..."

haha, did that before. oh and thanks for the tip on the iOverlander app.

Steve

yer welcome - oh and if you travel the Alberta Forestry Trunk Road on the east slope there's many places for a truck camper. Have your warm blankies I've scraped frost off the motocycle seat in August on this side of the Rockies.

My camper is one of them there moderen units, it has a furnace 😉

I have a wife like that…..;)

[StirCrazy]

noteven wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:

noteven wrote:
Oh and when you are camped within sight of "someone" and "they" might "wonder what you are doing" and "report you" to "authorities"...

And said "authorities" roll up on your quiet peaceful camp where your tires are sitting on the ground god forbid,

Have a half bottle of whiskey in your hand when you answer the door.

"I don't think I should drive on ossifer..."

haha, did that before. oh and thanks for the tip on the iOverlander app.

Steve

yer welcome - oh and if you travel the Alberta Forestry Trunk Road on the east slope there's many places for a truck camper. Have your warm blankies I've scraped frost off the motocycle seat in August on this side of the Rockies.

My camper is one of them there moderen units, it has a furnace 😉

[SideHillSoup]

charlestonsouthern wrote:
Proud Canuck -- I have never camped in Canada, so forgive me if you think this is a weird question. Are there any provinces in Canada which would allow a person towing or driving an RV long distances to just pull into a rest area, truck stop, visitor's center, forest service road, etc to overnight rather than drive tired on the road without sleep? We have even asked managers' at Wal-Marts here in the US because it was late and given permission to overnight in their parking lot rather than risk an accident on the road. I have a few Canadian friends, and they are the type who would be compassionate and even allow me to overnight in their driveway if it were necessary.

When it comes to National Parks and I’m only talking BC Provincial parks, you are not permitted to camp / park overnight parking except in a campground, their rules.
Now my son in-law used to drive an ore truck through Kootenay and Banff National park 2 times a day. And sometimes he would just pull over on the Sunshine Village overpass and catch a few winks, and he never got bothered. He did say that one time the parks people did show up and give the boot to a motor home that was parked in front of him, but they never bothered him….
So I guess it’s how you look at 3:am… :h

Soup.

[ProudCanuck42]

charlestonsouthern wrote:
Proud Canuck -- I have never camped in Canada, so forgive me if you think this is a weird question. Are there any provinces in Canada which would allow a person towing or driving an RV long distances to just pull into a rest area, truck stop, visitor's center, forest service road, etc to overnight rather than drive tired on the road without sleep? We have even asked managers' at Wal-Marts here in the US because it was late and given permission to overnight in their parking lot rather than risk an accident on the road. I have a few Canadian friends, and they are the type who would be compassionate and even allow me to overnight in their driveway if it were necessary.

Overnight stops are much the same in Canada as in the US. Walmarts, Costco, Rest Stops etc are usually OK with you pulling in overnight, but exactly as in the US, some do and some don't. Hwy 93 from Lake Louise to Jasper as mentioned by Bobsyouruncle is a Parks Canada Hwy. It is owned and operated by Parks Canada, so their road....their rules.

[noteven]

StirCrazy wrote:

noteven wrote:
Oh and when you are camped within sight of "someone" and "they" might "wonder what you are doing" and "report you" to "authorities"...

And said "authorities" roll up on your quiet peaceful camp where your tires are sitting on the ground god forbid,

Have a half bottle of whiskey in your hand when you answer the door.

"I don't think I should drive on ossifer..."

haha, did that before. oh and thanks for the tip on the iOverlander app.

Steve

yer welcome - oh and if you travel the Alberta Forestry Trunk Road on the east slope there's many places for a truck camper. Have your warm blankies I've scraped frost off the motocycle seat in August on this side of the Rockies.

[StirCrazy]

noteven wrote:
Oh and when you are camped within sight of "someone" and "they" might "wonder what you are doing" and "report you" to "authorities"...

And said "authorities" roll up on your quiet peaceful camp where your tires are sitting on the ground god forbid,

Have a half bottle of whiskey in your hand when you answer the door.

"I don't think I should drive on ossifer..."

haha, did that before. oh and thanks for the tip on the iOverlander app.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

charlestonsouthern wrote:
Proud Canuck -- I have never camped in Canada, so forgive me if you think this is a weird question. Are there any provinces in Canada which would allow a person towing or driving an RV long distances to just pull into a rest area, truck stop, visitor's center, forest service road, etc to overnight rather than drive tired on the road without sleep? We have even asked managers' at Wal-Marts here in the US because it was late and given permission to overnight in their parking lot rather than risk an accident on the road. I have a few Canadian friends, and they are the type who would be compassionate and even allow me to overnight in their driveway if it were necessary.

most of them. road siade pull outs, truck stops, even walmart parking lots. althought some walmarts put up signs saying you can't but most I have seen you still can. costco parking lots are a good option also. when I go to alberta a lot I leave after supper and stop for the night in hinton in a parking lot all the time. there are also a lot of free campsites around that are not to far off the road. problem is just figuring out what is out there that matches your plans.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

ProudCanuck42 wrote:

BobsYourUncle wrote:


One place I have seen where there are places to stop is off Hwy 93 heading from Lake Louise towards Jasper. If you head north at the Sask Crossing turnoff there are a number of places where you can overnight including a few Government CGs. Not sure on their closing times though.

A lot depends on how far you will go in 1 day too.

Parks Canada Rangers will stop and ask you to move on if they find you overnighting anywhere but in a campground. All campgrounds north of Saskatchewan Crossing are already closed for the winter. At Jasper, the Wapiti campground is open till Oct 11.

Whistlers is open till then also. one of the tunnel mountian villages (I think 2) is going to be open all winter with power sites available this year as a trial.

Steve

[charlestonsouth]

Proud Canuck -- I have never camped in Canada, so forgive me if you think this is a weird question. Are there any provinces in Canada which would allow a person towing or driving an RV long distances to just pull into a rest area, truck stop, visitor's center, forest service road, etc to overnight rather than drive tired on the road without sleep? We have even asked managers' at Wal-Marts here in the US because it was late and given permission to overnight in their parking lot rather than risk an accident on the road. I have a few Canadian friends, and they are the type who would be compassionate and even allow me to overnight in their driveway if it were necessary.

[ProudCanuck42]

BobsYourUncle wrote:


One place I have seen where there are places to stop is off Hwy 93 heading from Lake Louise towards Jasper. If you head north at the Sask Crossing turnoff there are a number of places where you can overnight including a few Government CGs. Not sure on their closing times though.

A lot depends on how far you will go in 1 day too.

Parks Canada Rangers will stop and ask you to move on if they find you overnighting anywhere but in a campground. All campgrounds north of Saskatchewan Crossing are already closed for the winter. At Jasper, the Wapiti campground is open till Oct 11.

[noteven]

Oh and when you are camped within sight of "someone" and "they" might "wonder what you are doing" and "report you" to "authorities"...

And said "authorities" roll up on your quiet peaceful camp where your tires are sitting on the ground god forbid,

Have a half bottle of whiskey in your hand when you answer the door.

"I don't think I should drive on ossifer..."

[JaxDad]

I love roadside areas over campgrounds, amongst my top picks are rest areas. There almost always picnic tables, walking trails if you have a puppy to dewater, often a scenic view, etc. Out of “tourist season” you often have the place to yourself.

In this case I’ve used the Wire Cache Rest Area several times in that area.

Itl”s located here. 51°41'05.3"N 119°25'15.8"W