jain_shashank

Hi,

My family is visiting Banff, LL, Jasper, & Yoho parks for 9 days from June 25th to July 4th. We have a 4 year old with us and we are beginner hikers. I do have a carrier for him from REI that I can carry him in whenever he is tired.

After research and reading on TA forums, I came up with the following itinerary so far. Please help me in filling the gaps and answer my questions.

June 25th: Fly into Calgary & check into a hotel near airport.

June 26th: Leave for Banff around noon.

a. At Banff, Lake Minnewanka Loop Drive. maybe boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka.

b. Banff Gondola.

c. Mount Norquay Drive

d. Drive to Lake Louise via Route 1.

e. Check into Lake Louise Inn.

June 27th:

a. Take Lake O'Hara shuttle bus at 10:30 (already have confirmed reservations).

b. Do Lake O'Hara Shoreline Trail (1.9 miles long loop around the lake)

c.Return back by 2:30 PM bus.

d. Yoho Valley Road - Trakakkaw falls

e. Wapta Falls hike

f. Emerald Lake Road.

June 28th:

a. Lake Louise - Shoreline Trail (1.2 miles)

b. Lake Louise Sightseeing Lift.

c. We wanted to do the Agnes Teahouse hike but I guess it would be difficult and unsafe for us with our 4 year old. Even the horseride tours won't take 4 year old or double.

d. Need some more here to do ???

June 29th:

a. Lake Moraine - Rockpile Interpretive trail (0.4 miles); Shoreline Trail (0.7 miles) & Consolation Lakes hike.

b. What else or any hikes can we do ???

c. Go to Alpine Center in the evening.

June 30th: Leave for Jasper on Icefield Parkway.

a. Plans for stopping at all the popular lookouts.

b. Athabasca Glacier Snocoach tour (haven't booked yet due to weather uncertainty) . Is it ok to buy tickets at walkin or should I reserve in advance?

c. Any short / easy & safe hikes on this route that we can do ??

d. Check into lake Patricia Lodge at Jasper.

July 1st:

a. Planned for Mt. Edith Cavell and Path of Glacier trail but just read that Hwy 93A is closed till July. Is the full road closed or a part of it and can we reach Glacier trailhead?

b. Maligne Canyon & Lake; Medicine lake; Cruise to Spirit island

c. If we can't do Mt Edith Cavell, we can drive to Mount Robson Provincial Park. Is it worth it?

d. Since it is a Canada day, see the parade in the afternoon and fireworks in the night.

July 2nd:

a. Patricia lake & Pyramid Lake

b. Hwy 16E drive.

c. Miette Hot Springs

d. Jasper Park Tramway.

July 3rd:

a. Drive back from Jasper to Lake Louise - Stop at any points missed while going to Jasper.

b. Bow Valley Parkway drive

c. Johnston Canyon hike.

d. Vermillion lakes.

e. Stay overnight at Banff (Have to still book a hotel here).

July 4th:

a. Check out Banff town

b. Drive back to Calgary and fly home in the evening.

Please advise anything missed above. Any short (3 miles max total) / safe (not along big drops due to 4 year old).

I would also like a suggestion for any good half hour helicopter tour info of the glaciers.

If any part of the itinerary seems practically not doable, please point it out as well.

I really appreciate your answers. Thank you very much.

ShelliDawn

Just a quick comment that you won't be able to do a helicopter tour of glaciers. Helicopter tours are not allowed in the parks' airspace as it disturbs the wildlife. You can do helicopter tours of Kananaskis country, but it doesn't have any glaciers.

wbnc

jaine
Your itinerary sounds very well-planned. Obviously you have done your homework. My husband and I did the same (omitting Yoho) via a Rocky Mountaineer rail/drive loop tour that began (drive part ) in Jasper and ended in Banff where we caught the RM traveling E return to Vancouver. It was wonderful. We were able to travel the Icefields Parkway over 2-4 (I forget now) days stopping en route to hike on the easy trails--all of which I downloaded from the park websites. Our pace pace was steady but not rushed and we spent overnite time in Jasper, Lake Louise, and Banff. There was time to explore and to truly appreciate the beauty of the Canadian Rockies.

My only reservation is that maybe you have planned too much--esp with a 4 year old who may have a meltdown now and then (as they often do) and would welcome a slower pace. In other words--leave as is but plan to regroup/plan as the spirit moves. For example,The boat ride to Spirit Island takes a almost full day--if you include lunch. The drive up to Edith Cavell(not to be be missed--truly spectacular) is slow and winding and this will take time.

Whatever the outcome--I hope you enjoy your time spent there and wish you safe travels--
Wendy

jain_shashank

Thanks very much for your replies.
Well, even though I have planned the itinerary, I understand about my 4 year old. So we will be flexible and play by the ears. I had not done a detailed research about Spirit Island. I didn't know that it takes a full day. In that case, we will skip it.

Thanks for letting me know about helicopter tours as well.

out_and_about

I'll jump in here and say ... you have too much planned for pretty much every day, unless you want to use all 24 hours. And maybe skip taking time to eat.
The following are my personal choices, but seeing as I'm writing this, I'll take that liberty. =)
Consider stopping in Canmore for lunch, access there will be easier than in Banff, given your ambitious agenda. Once into Banff, take the gondola ride, you'll go through Banff to access it and while you're at that end of town, you might enjoy seeing Bow Falls (or save it for when you come back to Banff). The gondola ride is quick, but you'll want to spend some time at the top. You could do Norquay next, on your way out of town. En route to LL you will likely see wildlife and pictures are a must. Just don't get out of your car to take them.
Your Lake O'Hara day you can figure out as you go along, I like Takakkaw Falls myself.
At Lake Louise, you could certainly give the Agnes Lake Tea House a try, especially given that you have a carrier for your 4 year old. The elevation gain is 367 metres (about 1200 feet if you don't speak metric) and the trail is usually busy. It branches off the lakeshore trail not far from the Chateau. The lakeshore trail is completely flat and at the end of the lake you'll no doubt find climbers scaling the rock faces there, fun to watch. The trail also starts to gain some elevation, so you can decide how far up you want to go for the views. You can also rent a canoe and glide across the lake for awhile. When you head back to LL townsite, go to Samson Mall where the bakery is located!! and almost next door, you'll find the ice cream and candy store... need I say more?? If you still have time by that point, which means you have skipped the Agnes Lake Tea house, the sightseeing lift (which is the ski lift in winter) has a complimentary shuttle bus from Samson Mall, I think. The lift does not run in the evening so plan your day accordingly.
You won't need any extra hikes when you travel to Jasper, the lookouts often involve a nice walk, such as Peyto Lake and Athabasca Falls. It could be rainy, or at Bow Summit, even snowing, so make sure you have warm jackets packed, which you'll also need on the glacier. And I wish you sunshine for that day especially! =)
Mt Edith Cavell is a great area, not sure about the highway but guessing access will be there as it is so popular. I suspect your day will be full enough on return. But Maligne Canyon awaits if you like and Jasper Park Lodge grounds are beautiful. You'll find lots of wild flowers out by then too, I love the purple-pink "shooting stars"!
For July 2nd, I'd suggest Miette Hot Springs will take most of your day and it is fun rain or shine. The road in is not a fast one but gorgeous. Hike down to the old hot springs baths and see the ruins (that term makes me feel old!) and then go for a swim back at the pool. There is a quaint restaurant at the resort and you'll wish you could stay longer. Punchbowl Falls back closer to, the highway junction are a fun quick jaunt. Jasper Tramway will depend on your energy, time and weather. it does run later than Lake Louise's, and we have wonderfully long summer evenings.
I was so glad to see Bow Valley Parkway on your list, it is the old highway between Banff and LL. Good chances to spot some wildlife, and the speed limit does not push you through like the TransCanada highway does. No fences, just forest and road. Johnsons Canyon is along the way and a very busy/popular route but will be fun for your kiddo too. There is also a restaurant at the JC mountain resort, and again, you'll wish you could stay longer.
On your final day in Banff, Cave & Basin is also worth seeing, take the board walk over the marsh and look for the remaining tropical fish that were released a number of years ago... surviving year round because of the warm run off from Banff Hot Springs. There are riding stables near by, a pony lead ride is fun for little ones. If you like to shop, you can tour any number of shops, but if not, check out Cascade Gardens at the end of Banff Avenue en route back from the Cave & Basin. Or follow the foot path along the Bow River, there are canoe rides available there as well and the museum will have special presentations because of the 125 year celebrations. You'll likely wish you could stay longer... did I mention that before?
Let us know how much you loved it, because we know you will!

sandx

Hello
Forgive me for jumping into this post but my husband and I are also visting the Banff/LL/Jasper/Yoho area - this is our rough itinarary:

Fly in Calgary around 3pm - pick up hire car
Banff - 3 nights - (may I suggest the Rundlestone Lodge?)
Jasper - 2 nights
Field - 2 nights
Return to Calgary for 1pm flight

So as you can see we have left things pretty much loose as the weather can change things or we feel like doing something totally different but the accomodation is definitely booked. We have a rough idea of places we'd like to see which are Lake Louise, Lake Emerald, Banff Hot Springs, Trakakkaw Falls, the stone bridge, a full day along the Icefields Parkway but we are open to ideas that the locals may suggest to us. We haven't even thought about what we'll do in Jasper but we know we have a full day there and will take our Rough Guide book with us.

I appreciate you have a 4 year old but sometimes the totally unexpected can be much more fun and better then sticking to a fixed plan.

Good on you re booking the Lake O'Hara bus - we decided against that and will walk around Lake Emerald.

Have a great great trip!

sandx

Duh - didn't read the date on the above -ignore this please!