# Jasper And Banff Park Info



## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

Hi,

We're thinking about a trip to the Jasper/Banff area of Alberta Canada this June. It looks like it will be in the last two weeks of June. We live in Southern California and I'm thinking of going to Spokane WA first to visit DWs sister and then heading further north into Canada. I'll probably take Hwy 95 north from Coeur d'Alene and then 93 on into the park area. When we're done in the parks we'll head south on Hwy 2 (Canada) to Hwy 89 (US) in Montana and stop to visit some more family in Montana. DWs high school is also having a reunion around the 4th of July. When done in Montana we'll just zip on home via Interstate 15. I've done the drives to Washington and Montana many times over the past 20 years (summer and winter and once with the OB) but we've only been into Canada a few times.

I could really use some help on where to stay in the Jasper Banff area. I see there are lots of campgrounds in the parks but I can't tell yet how hard it is to get reservations or which ones are good. I would like to setup at one location for 4 to 5 days and just drive to the various places from there. We did that at Yellowstone 3 years ago and that worked well. I was also looking at some campgrounds in the town of Canmore. I don't absolutely need hookups but it would make things a bit easier. Any advice or information on specific campgrounds and when/how to make reservations would be appreciated.

Also is there anything special I should be aware of when taking the trailer across the border and towing in Canada? We've all got our passports so we're good to go there.

Thanks for the help.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

It's been years since I've been out there, but when we went we stayed at Johnston campground, which is 1/2 way between Banff and Lake Louise for 4-5 days. We then hauled the trailer over the icefields parkway to Jasper and spent a few days there. IMO, there's a lot more to do in the Banff, Lake Louise area, and if I only had 4 days, I'd stick around there. You could also drive part-way up the icefields parkway, but the drive all the way to Jasper is a long one. Oh, also beware that it is a big climb over the pass on the icefields parkway.









Places I never want to miss when visiting those parks include:

Big beehive hike and Plain of Six Glaciers hike at Lake Louise (Don't try both in the same day unless you are in really good shape







), Moraine lake and the Johnston Canyon hike. It's been 8 years since we went and the walls of my house are still littered with the photos I took.

Have fun! I'm jealous!


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

Somewhere up there above Banff, not far above , we saw a bunch of people pulled over off the road. We stopped and looked! It was a long trail of train cars going into a tunnel, big deal ! We asked some one what we should be watching for and they said" keep watching", in a minute or so the front of the train came out of a tunnel a little up the hill and went right back into another tunnel! It was like a worm going in and out of an apple. The grade was to steep so they had built a lesser grade by going around inside and outside of this mountain. Kinda like a corkscrew . Has anyone else seen this ? Where is it ? We were on a Honda Goldwing about 30 years ago.


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## WACOUGAR (Dec 20, 2006)

We did this trip a couple of summers ago and it was wonderful. What a beautiful part of the country. We also entered the same way you are planning by going up through Idaho. That is an easy drive and once you get into Canada is very pretty and quiet. We spent one night in a provincial park on our way up that was very nice. I believe it was Wasa Lake PP. Then we headed up towards Banff. During our research, we weren't to thrilled with the options for campgrounds in the Banff area and we had several people recommend Mt. Kidd RV Park in the Kananskis Valley. Although this is a bit of a drive out of Banff, it was well worth it. We stayed there for about 5 days or so and just drove into Banff daily to see the sites. Mt. Kidd is a beautiful park and the Kananskis Valley is quiet and gorgeous. It will deserve another trip all of it's own someday. If you consider this park, remember that it is hard to get reservations and they begin taking them on March 1 I believe by phone only. Check their website.

After that we took the Icefields Highway to Jasper. This was in mid July and it was snowing. Keep this in mind if you are going in June. Expect any kind of weather. We stayed at Whistlers campground in the full hookup section. We liked it just fine. Personally we liked Jasper better than Banff because it was more natural and less crowded. Less commercialized I guess. We were there for about 4 days or so and had a really nice time exploring and hiking.

Be sure to buy a guide book on the area before you go. There is so much to see and do that you can miss without some guidance. You will have to buy an annual park pass (cheaper than buying per day, but still expensive). I actually sold ours through RVNet to someone that was going right after us that lived in our area so I recouped some of the cost. I have seen them on Craigslist, etc... so you could check before you go. It's alot of money to pay for 2 weeks if you aren't planning on going back up to Canada within the year. Just a thought.

Have a great trip. It is truly a trip of a lifetime. Such gorgeous country. Let me know if you have any questions.

Kelly


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## jnk36jnk (Mar 9, 2004)

We have stayed at the Tunnel Mt campground in Banf at least fourteen times (we were going up there every year until this one since 1997), beginning when we had our tent trailer and ending with our fiver. It is a very nice campsite and you can get full hook ups or no hook ups. I would go there before I would go all the way to the Kananaskis or even into Canmore. The views are spectacular. Mt Rundle is my all time favorite mountain and Banf is one of my favorite destinations. You can make reservations there now. When we first started going up into Canada, you couldn't and didn't need to, but now I would suggest that you do. We love to go to the hot springs and Dean has kayaked several times on the Vermillioin Lakes. We have been to Jasper as well but didn't like it as well, either the town or the campsite. We have stayed all around in BC and western Alberta and can't say enough about the beauty of the area. I think the first year we went up we stayed at that Johnson Ck campground in our tent trailer. It is an awesome place. j


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

sunnybrook29 said:


> Somewhere up there above Banff, not far above , we saw a bunch of people pulled over off the road. We stopped and looked! It was a long trail of train cars going into a tunnel, big deal ! We asked some one what we should be watching for and they said" keep watching", in a minute or so the front of the train came out of a tunnel a little up the hill and went right back into another tunnel! It was like a worm going in and out of an apple. The grade was to steep so they had built a lesser grade by going around inside and outside of this mountain. Kinda like a corkscrew . Has anyone else seen this ? Where is it ? We were on a Honda Goldwing about 30 years ago.


That tunnel is technically in Yoho park on the west side of Kicking horse pass. Defiently fun to watch and very busy with train traffic. It's also fun to read why the tunnel is there and about the mishaps with the old track that went straight down the pass. While over there, go up to Takakkaw falls, but don't take the OB because the road up doesn't allow trailers. The switchbacks are tight enough that tour busses can't make the turn and therefore back up one of the switchbacks...

Also, I would like to second the comment on the weather. As a kid, vacationing in Banff, we had a snowball fight on July 1st. I think there was ~6" of fresh snow that fell that day along the highway between Lake Louise and Banff. It's also always cold on the Icefield's parkway, but what do you expect when you are standing on a glacier.


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## jnk36jnk (Mar 9, 2004)

We were always there the first part of July. We have been there in floods and snow and rain. It is still beautiful. j


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