jbenitez7399

After being sold out of a lot of our travel plans this last summer, I'm planning 2023 summer early. Hearts set on Canadian Rockies.

Details:

• family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids - 17/14/11; well traveled and not complainers)
• 3 weeks, able to add days if needed
• roadtrip, car (not RV)
• staying in vrbo/air bnb since hotels tend to be pricey for 5 (plus we cook most meals and need that kitchen)
• focus on nature, hiking, natural wonders (vs. museum, big cities) but also enjoy small town charms and kitch

I'd like help with planning the order of the trip (and of course any must sees, hikes, breathtaking drives, etc). I've been reading about flying in to Calgary and from there driving to Jasper, Wells Gray, Yoho, Lake Louise/Moraine, Kootenay, Waterton Lakes, Banff and back out of Calgary. Thoughts? Open to other routes. Ideally we don't want to move everyday. We want to stay at least 2 nights when we stop, maybe 4 or so nights in/near Banff & Jasper. Thank you in advance for your help and comments!

janisj

I think you might get more 'eyes' on your questions if you post it on the Canada Forum.

janisj

. . . or ask the moderators to move this thread to the Canada board . . .

obxgirl

Isn't the poster planning a road trip?

Why suggest they move a road trip post to another forum?

. . .

zebec

Yo JB,
Check out Canada's best-kept travel secret in the Rockies: Lk. O'Hara. I'm forever trotting it out on posts such as this. The lake is a perfect microcosm of all the best that the Rockies have to offer. Outstanding hiking country and still home to grizzles---signs appear now and then stating that certain trails are off-limits due to sightings. Stunning tarns, a clear lake plus fantastic mountain scenery there in BC's Yoho park---a truly world-class experience.

*One cannot just show up. It has long been mandatory to sign up months ahead with park personnel for one of the coveted spots onboard the bus that early each summer morn transports the lucky ones uphill to the lake itself. Accommodations have been limited in the past to (repeat) customers at the historic luxe lodge, but nowadays there is apparently an additional lodging.
Added value: the location is right across the border from Alberta's far-more famed Lk. Louise et al.

I recommend the consensus fave 'The Lake Oesa trail'. Oesa is Cree for 'ice' and that wonderful hike goes up through different ecosystem levels til one finally arrives at Lk. Oesa.

Have a great trip!
I am done. the hiking boots

tomfuller

Making a rare visit to the "Road trip" forum (nearly 3 months since last response). My favorite cheap place to stay in the Canadian Rockies (with a large kitchen) is the HI Hostel about 5 miles SW of Jasper. It is not far off the Icefield Highway. I stayed there first by myself and then went back with my wife a few years later. My best tip on a lake to visit in the Canadian Rockies is Patricia lake not far north of Jasper. It was the site of a secret British military project involving making a boat/ship out of Pykrete. Pykrete was developed by Sir Geoffrey Pyke and is a mixture of ice and sawdust. The Brits were planning on making an unsinkable aircraft carrier out of it with large refrigeration units piping the coolant through the hull.
If you wanted to fly to Calgary, that would work well to visit Jasper and maybe Banff. My visits to Jasper were getting off the ViaRail Canadian. When traveling with my DW, I rented a car with limited miles in Jasper within walking distance of the train station.

zebec

Tom's post and its great ideas reminds me---the YHA in that region used to run its own van tour called the Rocky Express. Folks on that tour stayed at about a half-dozen of the more interesting hostels (i.e. Rampart Ck etc) spread across a week. My wife and I were in our 40s but still had a fun time. We both agreed that it was good value. Whether YHA or its competitors still have any sort of equivalent tour I do not know. Maybe worth some research.
Note that the Lk Louise YHA once had an excellent rep, with its own popular cafe and a wide variety of rooms. If its standards have remained consistent, that hostel would be highly recommended for a family.
Bon chance.
I am done. the grizzly

sludick

To add to Tom's post regarding Patricia Lake - take a look at Patricia Lake Bungalows. It's outside town (but only a few miles, so close), with a lake (canoes) and good space with amenities for kids to play. Not VRBO, but there is a fire pit and at least Pyramid Cabin has cooking facilities in it. https://www.patricialakebungalows.com/pyramid-cabin

cmcfong

Oh I see the fabulous Lake O’Hara has been mentioned. It is one of my most spectacular travel experiences, I have been several times. My favorite hike is Lake MacArthur. It’s a jewel of quiet and peace in a very heavily visited area. Also strongly recommend ranger led hikes and presentations while there.

melproffit

hello,
are you still planning this trip for June? still looking for guidance? if yes, where are you beginning your trip from?

jbenitez7399

yup! still planning trip. framework is:

2n Calgary (need lodging, will rent car)
4n Canmore/Banff (airbnb in Canmore)
4n Jasper (Miette Cabins)
4n Lake Louise area (Lake Louise Inn)
travel home

I have a long list of hike we want to do. any must do activities? I need lodging rec for Calgary (clean and maybe affordable). I'm in shock how expensive lodging is and from what I read the places are just meh for the $$ paid. but we are super excited for the Canadian Rockies!!

melproffit

be aware this will be a long post i'm afraid. may have to break it up. good to hear your excited about your trip. it appears you've changed plans a bit from your original post-number of days, where your visiting, etc. i'll mention that our trip was pre-pandemic and we may have had different ideas on what to focus on so i know some of this will be uninteresting for you. and you may already be aware of some of it. certainly sounds like your interested in less road time than we experienced.

our focus was on wildlife, waterfalls, hiking (some may call our trails "walking in the woods" rather than hiking), and good food. to start, the two places to stay in Calgary i have experience with are: Holiday Inn Express near the university and the Best Western Plus Suites downtown. we use Hotels.com almost exclusively for our bookings so maybe start there with your dates and needs to see options. i know there are many hotels near the airport that may work for you. we fell in love with the Canmore area during our trip. look for ward to getting back. great base for lots of outdoor activities. our favorite hike near Canmore was Grassi Lakes. uphill to striking falls, small beautiful lakes, and amazing views. well worth it. our two other personal highlights from this area were both mainly drives but i'm guessing there are hiking opportunities if you look into it. by the way, just about everything/place i mention here are easily found through Google if you want more details.
Canmore food recs-Hogshead, Santa Lucia, Rocky Mtn. Flatbread Co., Valbella Gourmet Foods

the area commonly called Kananaskis Country it a great scenic/wildlife opportunity drive looping from Canmore around to near Ozada. you will pass both ends of this route as you drive Canada 1 from Calgary. from Canmore the drive goes south on hwy742 (Smith-Dorrien Trail) until it reaches the junction with Hwy 40 (Kananaskis Trail). we saw lots of wildlife during our trip thru here and highly recommend it for a day trip. be aware 742 is mostly dirt and there can be seasonal closures on both roads. a great resource for this is the webpage Kananaskis.com. take food and water because it's not available for the majority of this drive.
the other drive that is a must do for many of the same reasons mentioned previously is Hwy 1A also called Bow Valley Parkway. you join this off Hwy1 shortly past Banff on the right. this road is another great wildlife viewing opportunity, especially early am and at dusk. there are (were?) seasonal closures of the first 17km of this road during spring to reduce disturbance of new mothers & babies. something to be aware of. if that section is closed, you can drive north on Hwy1 until the junction that is Hwy 93 going west. if you turn east here it connects with 1A allowing travel south until you reach the closure and northward all the way to Lake Louise. might be worth looking at for your transit from Canmore to points north. also on this drive is one of the favorite hikes we did at Johnston Canyon. this is a very popular hike featuring waterfalls and a steel "trail" attached to the side of the canyon. i say go early if possible.

During any time in Banff city, check out the Bow Falls viewpoint. it's pretty cool. we spent very little time in town. Lake Louis is stunning and a hike around the lake is worth the time, if the trail is totally open. or maybe just any portion you like. lots of details out there on hiking options in the area. dining tip-the pub at the Post Hotel at Lake Louise called the Outpost was a great place for dinner. here are some places not to miss north of Lake Louise. traveling north you'll reach the junction of Hwy1 turning west and 93 continuing north. following 1 you will reach junction with Yoho Valley Rd., which be closed due to conditions into early summer. but it also leads to our favorite place on our entire trip-Takakkaw Falls. tallest falls in Canada. my suggestion is do everything you can to get to this place. words can't do it justice. if you do this and are hungry after, when you rejoin Hwy1, turn right/west into Field, BC and find the place called Truffle Pigs. good food all around but famous for their pies.
continuing north on 93 a must stop is the viewpoint for Peyto Lake. this is an other-worldly turquoise blue lake that cannot be done justice in pictures. easy access from the highway and can get crowded. this is an other-worldly turquoise blue lake that cannot be done justice in pictures. easy access from the highway and can get crowded.

continuing north on You'll reach Saskatchewan River Crossing, a junction with Hwy 11-David Thompson Hwy.-heading northeast. following 11,after a beautiful one hour drive, you'll come to a junction with a road i don't think has a name but should be signed for Bighorn Canyon Lookout/Crescent Falls on the left. if you get to Bighorn Service station on the right it's right behind you. Crescent Falls is a fabulous waterfall that can be reached ether from the parking area at Bighorn Canyon Lookout via a nice 3 mile round trip hike or by continuing the drive beyond this point to a rustic parking area. i suggest looking online for photos to see this outstanding falls. try adventurealberta.ca/crescent-falls-hike. another great spot. back on 93 you'll be on the Icefields Parkway with views and access (maybe) to Athabasca Glacier. i would look into this before departure to assess the status of both the visitor center's opening and trips onto the glacier. be warned, the parking and the center itself can be crazy busy. there is now a Columbia icefields Skywalk that was not there when we visited. looks cool though. moving onward, we enjoyed a stop and ramble at Tangle Creek Falls. on the right just next too the highway. your chosen location to stay near Jasper is an excellent spot. driving Hwy 16 both east and west in that area brought many wildlife sightings during our visit. to the east is Beauvert Lake and the Fairmont Hotel. nice for a walk. and possibly canoeing. many trail options near your chosen cabins. Jasper dining-Cassio's, Smitty's for breakfast, Bear Paw Bakery.
that's it. online research is your friend most definitely for road closures, business closures, and weather updates throughout your trip. it's a world best area for all the reasons you already know. be sure to report back here after you return.

cmcfong

I enjoyed your report. Thank you for posting!

jbenitez7399

thank you for all this info! it took me awhile to reply but I wanted to give the post the correct attention.

we are very excited for the trip. we did have to modify a bit

1n Calgary
4n Canmore
4n Jasper
3n Lake Louise

Johncalven

Your Itinerary seems to be an amazing adventure!! For nature sightseeing lovers and or adventure seekers how love to hike the Canadian Rockies are excellent. I would say the way you planned is good, you just need to add Yoho and Kootenay National Parks to have more fun.