dmpalena

We're putting together our plans for next summer to visit Banff and Jasper and wondered which month is likely to offer more sunshine? I read an earlier trip report from mid July and it seemed like there was rain everyday!!

I'm sure the Rockies are gorgeous rain or shine, but frankly I prefer shine--LOL!!

Also on a previous post I mentioned that we will be planning a 10-12 day trip and wondered if it would be worth adding Glacier National Park in Montana to the trip. Is the scenery there different from Banff and/or Jasper?? It would make a difference where we would begin and end our vacation, so please let me know your thoughts. We are not really hikers and plan on doing short hikes and such.

Have also tossed around the idea of flying into Vancouver since we've never been there, but wondered how long a trip it is from Vancouver to the Rockies. If we chose to start there, say opposed to flying into Calgary, what sort of itinerary would you suggest?? (We would need to do a loop since two of our tickets would be mileage plus vouchers and we would have to fly into and out of the same airport).

Any ideas and/or suggestions would be much appreciated!!

Thanks, Diane

sludick

Hi, Diane. We are vacationing in Banff right now, having flown into Seattle and driven across B.C. to get here (our second time doing so). With only 10-12 days, I don't think you have time to do either one (driving from Vancouver or doing Glacier in Montana).

Others will advise you best about Jasper, as our schedule doesn't give us sufficient time to visit that spot. I'd say you'd need at least 2-3 nights at Jasper.

Vancouver to Banff can be driven in a day, but you won't enjoy it. It can be a gorgeous drive, and I strongly suggest you devote no less than 2 days to it.

For 10-12 days, you would have time to either visit Waterton Lakes (on the Canadian side of U.S. Glacier Nat'l Park). Or visit Royal Tyrell Museum -- awesome dinosaur fossils. Or over to Canadian Glacier park, or Mt. Revelstoke, Yoho, Kootenay national parks.

Personelly, we think any of these edges out Glacier National Park in Montana. Not that it isn't beautiful as well, but Banff/Jasper are awe-inspiring.

lunabug

Statistically, I am told, The last two weeks in July and the first two weeks in August are the sunniest. As June is often the wettest that can go through into early July. However, we can get rain in the mountains any time in the Summer months.
If it is rainy the worst downside it that the scenery can look more like the prairies than the mountains as you can't see the peaks. Rain rarely seems to last for more than a day or two and I wouldn't let the possibility of rain put you off.

ShelliDawn

You can not only get rain anytime in the mountains, you can also get snow anytime of year, especially at the higher elevations. Mountain weather can change very rapidly.

I really don't know that July or August is better than the other. There might be some statistics available, but you could hit the year where the weather doesn't follow the trend.

As for itinerary suggestions, do a search on this forum for Judy_in_Calgary as she has listed many itinerary suggestions and they would be a good place to start.

belleamie

We did Banff/Jasper this year in June & had what I call perfect weather (bright sun, 20oC). Yes, it was cool but perfect for being out in the open all the time. We did many short hikes. The Icefield Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in the world (It equals the Amalfi Coast in Italy in my books.) We drove thru a snow storm at Parker Ridge (8 minutes) yet picnic-ed in our short sleeves a little further that day.
If you are not hikers, take the gondola up the mountain either at Banff or Jasper. Don't miss Lake Louise and Peyto Lake. Have fun planning.