Lynn0527 is right, best camping times here after August and kids back at school, as for climate, this past weekend we were baking in 29 Deg plus weather camping at Little Bow PP on Lake McGregor catching tons of Walleye but yesterday and today we are shivering a little due to the rain and big temp drops. There is a saying for a reason "If you get bored of the weather here wait 10 mins", bring layers and you will totally enjoy.
Kids leaving tonight in 36ft A series RV for WATERTON LAKES (4 nights/3 days) and going to stay at the Townsite campground for ease their first trip with their puppy. If you are doing Glacier and coming into AB then do try and get one or two nights in Waterton to explore some hikes and around town and lakes (nice video on the gov website for Waterton Lakes).
Glacier St Mary's very popular and they do a courtesy shuttle bus on the going to the sun road (check when season operating!). If you can take that over one or two days do so, you will be able to take in the scenery instead of white knuckling your drive on the switch backs and drops. If you have time worth staying a couple of nights and preferably more on each side of Glacier.
Banff is very touristy in the town now, but do try the Magpie and Stump for great mexican food and Coyotes for steak, as well they have a really neat museum in town worth more than an hour of your time and when we were last there donations for admission.. Banff Springs Hotel is a must see and do being very iconic of the area. You will be about half hour to 40 minutes from Lake Louise here worth a look see at the Chateau and Lake (enquire to see photos of our ice carvings which are huge draw in the winter months), also if you have time to go a little further afield, Johnston Canyon around 1A Loop off the main Transcanada and if still time the two most beautiful lakes we feel in Canada are Moraine and Emerald Lakes. If you have a kayak/canoe or rent one it's wonderful feeling out there on the lakes in the NP, especially when school is back in
๐ ๐ ๐Of course there are hot springs, aerial view lifts, Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake loops and much more to see and do around Banff.
On your route up through AB try to follow the cowboy trail and if time permits try to head towards Bragg Creek and onwards into Kananaski's country for a half day or maybe an overnight = Elbow Falls, forget me not pond, Allen Bill pond, rafting elbow river, and beautiful scenery and wildlife abounds in K' country. We affectionately refer to it and Hwy 40 as our back yards.
Another route would be to come in via Longview and take Highway 40 up to Canmore = beautiful scenery and will be close to Spray Lakes and the area where stunning back drop wedding photos are taken on that side of Canmore. You will hit gorgeous mountain ranges heading into Banff like Three Sisters and many others.
As a heads up, Lake Louise CG we will never by choice stay at again as many of our friends have said as well, trains go through all night long tooting their horns and you get zero sleep, just saying. What we do now is go visit Lake Louise and other nearby lakes/attractions and then head up to the Columbia ice fields not far away and if we are Jasper bound usually will do an overnight boon docking at the base of on the Icefields parkway. Think it's Brewsters that organize the Cats out to the ice fields although we typically hike out to them in past years.
You have a truly wonderful trip planned with options to hit the most stunning scenery. So much to see and so little time! "Come feel the breeze on Lake Louise".
It Takes No More Effort To Aim High Than To Aim Low - Reach For The Stars
