Hello - we are planning a 2 week trip to Banff and Glacier with our 3 teenage sons (ages 18, 16, and 13). We have done an RV in Glacier before, but never have been to the Canadian Rockies with an RV before. I would be very interested in any tips/watchouts for using a 24ft RV to explore the Canadian Rockies (thinking Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise areas) as well as any MUST SEE/DO hiking and other outdoor excursion recommendations.

Our family is physically fit for day hikes of 5-10miles, but we are also interested in some non-hiking activities (rafting? fishing? kayaking?).

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Christine

There is some excellent advice on a similar thread: Glacier to Banff/Jasper in Class A RV with family

When do you plan to make this trip? I'm assuming that it is not this summer or that you already have your campsites reserved. If not, you are probably out of luck - and there is no "free" camping in the parks.

Thanks much - I did see that post about all the ins and outs of campgrounds. We are set with camping reservations, so I was mainly interested in knowing if there are Canadian roads that can't be traversed with a 24ft RV (we are familiar with the Glacier-US area), or trailheads that don't allow RV parking.

Aside from the RV logistics, I was also very interested in the best hikes and other excursions for teenagers like rafting, fishing, rock climbing, etc. If there are particular outfitters that you have used who are good that would be a great help!

Thanks,
Christine

Welcome!

When is your trip? And which Glacier NP - there is one in Canada and one in the US?

In the Canadian Rockies, there are only two roads where RVs might present an issue. I believe that RVs are not permitted on the road up to Edith Cavell, though that road is closed until mid to late August, so probably not an option anyway. RVs are permitted on the road to Takkakaw Falls, but you may have to back around the two hairpin turns. If you're not a confident RV drive, you may want to give that some thought.

There are no trailheads that explicitly forbid RVs; it's more a matter of finding available parking. At the popular locations like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, parking can fill before 8am in the morning, and Moraine Lake, in particular, has very, very spots for RVs. While a 24ft unit is relatively small, it should not be parked in regular spots because it's almost certainly too long and will block the view of people trying to get in and out next to you. You need to use RV spots. There's no shuttle at Moraine Lake in the summer, so you need to arrive really early to park there. There are free shuttles to Lake Louise from an overflow lot, so that's likely your best bet.

Other places with parking issues include Johnston Canyon - you can take a bus there from Banff and Banff townsite. RV parking is very limited in the townsites - if you search, there is a website that shows you parking locations, real time availability etc. for Banff and Banff NP. So you generally have to park on the outskirts and walk, cycle or take public transport (in Banff). In Canmore, RV parking would generally be frowned upon on most streets (too narrow), and in some parking lots. And like Banff, it gets very congested. For RVs, best to park in the supermarket lots and make the short walk into the town core. Or park at the info centre and take the bus (or longer walk).

For other trailheads, it really depends. Smaller trailheads may fill up quickly, so you just have to see whether there's enough room to park safely and not obstruct other vehicles/sightlines. If you want do a trail that has a smaller trailhead - like Wilcox Pass, plan to get their early or later in the day.

The timing of your trip will be important in suggesting activities. For fishing, you need gear and the appopriate permits. So best to use an outfitter - all outfitters with permits in Banff/Yoho NP will be listed at www.banfflakelouise.com/ There are also outfitters who work in the provincial parks in Kananaskis Country. For rafting, there isn't any rafting (only floats) in Banff NP. There is rafting in Jasper NP (would need to stay near Jasper) or west of Yoho NP on the Kicking Horse River. For the latter, outfitters will be listed on the website mentioned above. Definitely need to book in advance for those trips - best time for those is mid July to early September. Kayaking is more limited in Banff NP because many of the popular lakes are glacial fed, so VERY cold and outfitters likely want to avoid safety issues. You can rent kayaks on the Bow River in Banff (though it's still running very high now) and at Lake Minnewanka. Canoe rentals are available in more places, though can be pricey ($105+ per hour and you'd need two canoes).

For climbing, Canmore has a great climbing gym in Elevation Place, the main rec centre. It has autobelays, so anyone can climb after a short orientation and you can rent shoes & harness. For outdoor climbing, you'd need to book a guide or take a guided course (only certified guides can guide/teach/instruct in the parks). Most guides and companies operate out of Canmore - at this point, it's a matter of who still has availability and your budget. Though if you don't have your own gear, that probably limits you to one of the few larger companies that have rental/loaner gear. From personal experience, I can recommend Yamnuska Mountain Adventures (https://yamnuska.com/rock-climbing/b...uides-lessons/). The best bet might be to book a guide - usually a single guide would be able to handle up to 6 people. For three people a full day would be around $600, $450 for a half day. $680 and $500 for 4-6 people. Cost includes gear. I would inquire promptly if that's of interest as their schedules tend to be filling up by now, especially for weekends. You can call or e-mail and the office staff can help figure out your best options - they're really helpful. Other companies may offer various one day courses - costs are pretty much all equivalent given the cost of getting permits for the parks/hiring certified guides etc. In Jasper, I can recommend Rockaboo - they offer one day sessions (possibly half day too) as well as private guiding. Rockaboo Mountain Adventures ? Mountain Guide Services in the Canadian Rockies

For hiking:

(Note that we use kms here, so miles may make a few of us scratch our heads, LOL)

Lake Louise - probably the loop to the two teahouse, possibly Skoki area
Moraine Lake - depending on fitness, Sentinel Pass or at least into Larch Valley
Yoho NP - Iceline Trail (long day, but there are variations) or up to one of the many waterfalls, Sherbrooke Lake/Nigel Meadows
Banff NP - Helen Lake, Molar Pass area, Bow Glacier Falls
K-Country - EEOR, Ha Ling, Lady Mac, Mt Allen, Baldy etc.

There's also the via ferrata at Mt. Norquay - a different kind of more controlled rock climbing

Thanks so very much for these great suggestions! We booked a 1/2 day at the via ferrata so far and are checking into some of your other suggestions.

And thanks for pointing out the miles faux pas

Christine