I'm not sure whether anyone can answer this question, but I thought I'd give it a try.
We're interested in touring the Rockies for the first time next July. BUT: Though I know that July is a busy time for touring in that area, I'd still like to avoid crwods as much as possible. We'd be flying in to Calgary, alas.
Question: Is it going to be really horrendously crowded? I suppose we could get out of Calgary a.s.a.p-- but will the airport, roads, etc etc. be pretty much a madhouse all that month? In short, should one avoid passing near Calgary at all in July if one is not interested in the "stampede"?
Thanks for knowledgeable in-put.

Hello poss,

As you may have found out already, Stampede will take place from July 7 through 16 in 2006.

If you are not interested in the Stampede, I think there is merit in avoiding this area during Stampede. It's true that Stampede makes the airport busier than usual, hotels in Calgary fill up more than usual, and there is a spill-over effect in the mountains as well. Mountain accommodations get very booked up, and there are lots of people at the popular scenic lookout points.

However, that does not mean that there is bumper to bumper traffic between Calgary and Banff, between Banff and Lake Louise, between Lake Louise and Jasper, and so on. Even during the busy tourist months of July and August, traffic outside of Calgary is light by most people's standards.

If you're not tied to children's school vacations and those kinds of considerations, and if you have some flexibility in when you can travel, I personally think that the last two weeks of June and the month of September are good periods during which to visit the Canadian Rockies.

In the last two weeks of June and in the month of September you have the best of both worlds, so to speak. You escape the peak tourist season, and yet you still catch the mountain lakes at their turquoise best. The side roads, some of which can be closed as late as the latter part of June and some of which can be closed as early as the beginning of October, depending on conditions in any given year, are open. I'm thinking of side roads like those to Moraine Lake, Takakkaw Falls, and Mount Edith Cavell.

If someone else reads this post and if that person is confined to travelling in July and August, I would urge that person not to despair. While Calgary Airport handles a steady stream of visitors during July and August, and of course especially during Stampede, it is not a madhouse. Even at the busiest of the scenic lookout points in the mountains, it takes very little effort to escape the crowds. All you have to do in some instances is walk 20 yards off the path that the tour bus passengers follow to the favourite photo opportunity points, and you've lost the crowd.

I've known this for a long time, but I was reminded of it yet again when we took my mother-in-law and my husband's American cousin to Moraine Lake on July 15, 2005. As is our habit, we took our miniature propane barbeque with us and had a barbeque / picnic at one of the picnic tables that's tucked away in the forest downhill from the parking lot. Even on the busiest summer day, we have never known every picnic table to be occupied.

That particular day was even more amazing than usual. Not a <b>single</b> table was occupied. Not one. Since we had our pick, we chose our favourite table, the one next to the stream that flows out of the end of Moraine Lake. There we were, in the forest, with chipmunks coming to investigate what was going on, oblivious to the dozens of people traipsing from their cars and buses to the spot that the favourite photo op.

I know that not all of you can bring your propane barbeques from home. However, you can pick up a picnic lunch from Laggan's Bakery and Deli in Lake Louise the village, and the world's your oyster.

Thanks so much Judy (and for your many other posts also). Can't do late June because that's our favorite time for sailing in our Chesapeake waters; and early September isn't good for us because that's height of hurricane season here, and we're reluctant to be away. I think it'll have to be July sometime, and maybe right smack in the middle of stampede might be the best time of all? I.e. fly into Calgary and get over to the mountains, while, hopefully, many folks will stay in Calgary? Or if we've got to do July, does it simply not matter what the exact dates are?

Hi poss,

If you are not interested in Stampede, I would avoid coming to the area during Stampede. Stampede does swell the number of tourists in the mountains. Many people combine a visit to Stampede with a visit to the mountains. They attend Stampede near the beginning and then continue to the mountains, or else they visit the mountains first and take in Stampede near the end. If you must visit the area in July, I would say the last two weeks of July would be better.

There is another blip on the tourism radar screen during the first weekend in August, which is a holiday long weekend in several Canadian provinces, including Alberta. That is to say, there again are more than the usual number of tourists, more than the usual number of accommodations in places like Jasper are inclined to impose 3-night minimum stays, and so on.

Many thanks again, Judy!
I'm going to try for reservations from July 18-27: 10 nights, 8 full days.
I'm thinking the first night either Calgary or Canmore, depending on if we get in early enough to make going on to Canmore appealing (or Banff I guess?) Then 2 days at Lake Louise? Probably at the Fairmont, if I can get a decent price; the setting simply looks too wonderful to pass up. Then up to Jasper and the Fairmont there for 2 nights? Then back down to Yoho, maybe at Emerald Lake? Then somewhere closer to the airport for the last night. Does that sound about right? By the way, we're &quot;senior citizens,&quot; in good health. We like walking/hiking and gorgeous scenery (and excellent accommodations and food); no interest whatsoever in shopping (or museums on this trip).
You are a real treasure trove of help. Thanks so much!

I have been to Calgary during the Stampede. If you stay in a hotel just off the Barlow Trail in the northeast quadrant of the city, I don't think you will be highly aware of the Stampede.

We use the Greenwood Hotel because it is close to the main road to the airport. Other than a few hay bales in the lobby, western style hats on the staff, and a few horse trailers in the parking lot, there were few other signs that the big event was in progress.

There are several major hotels in that area. I would make my reservations as soon as you can, however, because the good places do fill up.

Hi Poss,

Let's see. This is what you've been thinking so far, if I understand your correctly.

Tue 18 - Calgary, Canmore or Banff

Wed 19, Thu 20 - Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Fri 21, Sat 22 - Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Sun 24, Mon 25, Tue 26 - Emerald Lake Lodge

Wed 27 - Calgary

Thu 28 - Fly home

I think you're getting close, but I don't think you're there yet. I think you're hopping around too much. Perhaps you could consider this itinerary, which involves one less hotel move:

18, 19, 20 - Banff

21, 22, 23 - Jasper

24, 25, 26 - Emerald Lake OR Lake Louise

27 - Calgary

28 - Fly home

If you really want to try both Emerald Lake and Lake Louise, then you could consider this:

18, 19 - Banff

20, 21, 22 - Jasper

23, 24 - Emerald Lake

25, 26 - Lake Louise

27 - Calgary

28 - Home

I think you should try to get out of Calgary and into the mountains for your first night. Even if you've flown from the east coast, I do not believe it will be onerous for you to get to Canmore / Banff.

Canmore is a town that I often recommend, but I'm not going to recommend it to you. You've expressed concern about noise. I've heard stories that on week nights, when there is more train traffic in Canmore, train noise disturbs guests at quite a few Canmore properties. I haven't experienced that myself, as I've slept in Canmore only on weekends, when train traffic is lighter. Besides that, I like the sound of trains, and I don't know that hearing them would bother me.

From everything you've said about yourself, I think you are perfect candidates for the Rimrock Resort Hotel. It's on a mountainside above, and set back from, Banff townsite. The view is stupendous and the service is impeccable.

I believe your other hotel choices are fine.

When it comes to Calgary, you have a few choices. I think it's widely agreed that the Sheraton Eau Claire Suites is Calgary's best hotel. It's a stone's throw from the Bow River, the Eau Claire Market and Prince's Island. In the park on Prince's Island is an upscale restaurant called the River Cafe. It's in a very tranquil setting amongst the trees and by the river.

The &quot;grand old lady&quot; of Calgary is the Fairmont Palliser Hotel. I don't believe you could go wrong staying there either.

A hotel to which you might give serious consideration is the Kensington Riverside Inn. It's a boutique hotel with 19 rooms just to the north of the Bow River. While it's close to downtown, it's not <b>in</b> downtown. Hence you don't have to navigate downtown's one-way streets to get there and, more importantly, to get out of there on the way to the airport the next morning.

My only concern about the Kensington Riverside Inn, in which I have never stayed myself, is that it's on a fairly busy street called Memorial Drive. I wonder what the traffic noise from Memorial Drive would be like. Not having experienced it myself, I really can't say.

If you do decide to stay at the Kensington Riverside Inn, the best restaurant in which to dine would be La Caille on the Bow. It has excellent cuisine, an elegant yet comfortable ambience, and a fine view overlooking the river.

A more modest restaurant, but a delightful one nonetheless, is La Luna Rossa (Italian cuisine). The street parking around La Luna Rossa has a 2-hour limit on it. However, while it's not immediately apparent, La Luna Rossa has free parking behind its building. La Luna Rossa doesn't have a view, and the interior is much more ordinary than that at La Caille. Nonetheless the quality of the food and the service are superb. If you go there I highly recommend you make reservations.

Thanks again to responders.
Judy: I wanted to give you quick feed-back on something (I'll get to thinking about/researching the rest later). I'd read about Rimrock, looked at web photos,etc and it looked simply wonderful. Then I read a whole bunch of reports (Tripadvisor maybe?) that suggested it'd be the wrong place for us (noise-freaks). A number of people spoke about the awful heating system (or maybe it was the plumbing?)-- something that made the rooms quite noisy and unpleasant-- despite the fact that it was in such a lovely peaceful setting. It's wonderful to be able to get &quot;up close and personal&quot; details like this on various &quot;talk&quot; sites: very, very helpful.
As have your notes and suggestions been! I'm curious, of course, how you have the time and knowledge (and inclination!) to respond so fully and promptly to so many queries. The folks who post on Fodors are fortunate indeed. Many, many thanks.

Hi poss,

Just a quick response to your point about noise at the Rimrock. I've stayed there and don't have any recollection of noise. But then I'm about a medium sleeper, not a particularly heavy one and not a particularly light one either.

If you fly from the east, getting out of Calgary and on to Banff or Canmore is not much of a problem. There are long hours of daylight that time of year, and the drive to Canmore is an easy one.

The Calgary airport is one of the more user friendly ones around. When leaving Calgary to drive to Canmore/Banff, I usually skirt the northern edge of the city by taking the Barlow Trail south to McKnight where I turn west. I follow McKnight until it becomes John Laurie.
I follow John Laurie to Shaganappi Trail where I turn south to the Trans Canada and then turn west.

This route is mostly wide boulevards and only a few lights.

There is a good street map of Calgary and Edmonton available from AAA.
I have one and I have used it. It shows the main streets quite well, but is a little lacking in detail on some of the winding residental streets. Nothing that got me lost, however.

I have flown to Calgary several times and usually we have had our rental car and we were on our way in short order.

Ever since 1998 I have taken my passport and entry into Canada was routine.

This past August was no exception, except that we flew in from Toronto.
We arrived before noon Calgary time and had no trouble busing to the Enterprise rental lot and picking up our car.

Last year (2004) we flew to Calgary during the Stampede. Again, with the car reserved well in advance, there were no dificulties in getting it.

In years past when we arrived during the Stampede, we did notice a few men and women in boots, broad hats, and western style clothes. But getting around the northern part of Calgary was no problem at all except during the usual evening crunch as people go home from work.

The only place I think you will find bothersome crowds in terms of the number of people is at Lake Louise. Even there, if you arrive at the Lake before 9 am, most of the tour buses are still enroute.

Moraine lake can be a little crowded, particularly on weekends.

Johnston Canyon usually draws a crowd to the extent that parking is scarce.