My wife and I will be traveling in the Canadian Rockies from mid-June to mid-July. We will arrive and depart by rail from Jasper, where we will rent a car. Our accommodations are pretty much set, from Jasper to Banff, Lake Louise, Calgary and Waterton Lakes National Park, then back to Jasper. We are interested in finding out of the way places for birding, photography and exploration. We are in our 60s and not interesting in camping or extensive hiking, but we are healthy and ambitious. Suggestions?

Driving from Jasper, be sure to hike through Maligne Canyon.
Many great photo opportunities and maybe even a Bald Eagle.
http://hikejasper.com/Hiking-Maligne...in-Jasper.html

You should see lots of wildlife and birds. I like staying at the HI Hostel about 3 miles SW of Jasper if you run out of places to stay.

Here is a good guide to the Rocky Mountain parks - should give you some information and ideas where to start:

http://www.amazon.com/Parkways-Canad.../dp/0978237528

You might also want to take a look at the parks website - lots of information (just search by park name, i.e. - Jasper, Banff, Waterton):

http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/np-pn/index_e.asp

A few years ago flew into Calgary carrentals.com a convertible

up to Banff Lake Louise Ice fields(many bears and birds)

Jasper then

over to Revelstoke Penticton(lots of lake birds) and back.

might consider a route like that if you have time

will take you over the spine of the rockies

mapquest.com classic directions distances

Happy Planning,

Thanks to all of you. We are really excited about our trip - right now focusing on the VIA Rail experience ahead of us. We hope to be able to add suggestions for others when we return.