sfmasterG

I should be tending to elf business but distracting myself with Travel! Back to Banff planning. My big issues is: Do I base in Banff for my 3 days ahead of backcountry lodge hike? I think I shouldn't miss the icefield parkway but don't love the idea of driving up and back in one day but I don't love the idea of 1-night, 1-night, 1-night sort of situation either. This is all the end of July and I have the sense I should finalize lodging pronto. Could do camping too.

Day 1: Fly into Calgary - 6am departure from ATL arrive 12:30 pm - Drive to?

Day 2: Stay?

Day 3 Stay? - Feel like we should stay close-ish to where we will start our hike the next day. Or at least not drive 3 hours before hiking but this is a bit of a complication.

Day 4: Hike 9 miles into Shadow Lake Lodge (YAY) - Trailhead is 10 miles WEST of Banff

Day 5: Stay at Shadow

Day 6: Hike out of backcountry lodge - Drive to Calgary to stay at a hotel near the airport for 9am flight home (OR stay in Banff and leave the hotel at 5am to drive 1.5 hours to Calgary)

The backcountry lodge is fixed. I tried getting different dates but it's super sold out and these are the days of holiday I have to play with.

Thanks for pondering with me.

sfmasterG

Would basing in YOHO for 3 days be a way to stay in one place but travel to all?

emmajm

You don't have much time aside from your lodge days. (Do they have secure parking at the trailhead?) Look at Canmore for lodging. I don't think you have time for the parkway. Research shuttles in the Canmore Banff area because parking is difficult.

sfmasterG

So if I don't do Parkway - My first 3 days based in Banff/Canmore seeing Lake louise and hikig around Banff?

While I'd love to see Banff I'm concerned about too many crowds and hub-ub and looking for other ideas for lodging.

Considering camping but would be harder to bring all the gear. And sometimes camping can feel more crowded!!!

tomfuller

There is a NEW HI hostel on Sleepy Hollow Road on the outskirts of Jasper. I used to stay at the old one near the Jasper Sky Tram at the north end of the Parkway.
I enjoyed a hike down the Maligne Canyon. My wife drove me to the top and then parked at the bottom and hiked up to meet me.

ShelliDawn

The Icefields Parkway is an amazing drive (in both directions) and can easily be done in one day even with taking time to stop and enjoy sites/views along the way (as long as you don't want to do a long hike in the middle of it). So, if you're concerned about having to stay a night in Jasper to do this, you shouldn't be. As to where to base yourself for the non-lodge days, it really depends on what else you'd like to see/do. Are you interested in doing more hiking during those days? If not, what types of activities are you interested in?

I would recommend heading back to Calgary on day 6 since you have such a morning flight.