Banff National Park

The Canadian Rockies make for an amazing getaway without being too far away or breaking the bank on flights. These factors along with it’s endless stunning landscapes, make it an summer trip!

Elks in Jasper

EXPERIENCE

We chose to fly into Calgary to begin our trip. Edmonton is another great option if you prefer to start in the north and work your way down from Jasper. In our case, we began in Calgary and headed west to Banff city then up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park. In Jasper we chose to do a major hike on the Skyline Trail which is detailed in the previous post. Aside from this hike, we had several highlights in Jasper. We really enjoyed Malgine Lake and Magilne Canyon. We skipped the Miette Hot Springs but this could be another nice inclusion if you’re looking for a spot to swim.

After our hike we re-travelled the Icefields Parkway, this time hitting it on a much sunnier day. The weather allowed us to really check out the Columbia Icefield though we ended up skipping the excursion on the Snocoach which is quite popular. Along the drive we also stopped at Sunwapta Falls, Athabasca Falls and Mt. Tekarra. These excursions are all quick and easy walks from the car and worthwhile for sure. 

From here we headed through the Johnston Canyon back to Banff National Park along the Bow River. We made a day of the lakes and hit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. We chose to canoe on Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park and actually spend very little time at the more famous scenic spots because of heavy crowds. We skipped the gondola in Banff because it felt a bit touristy and we had our share of epic mountain views from the Skyline hike a few days earlier. The Vermillion Lakes of Banff were a gorgeous stop for photos and moose spotting.

Beyond Banff, we explored Yoho National Park which ended up being a highlight for us. Here we canoed Emerald Lake and really enjoyed the impressive Takakkaw Falls. We just drove through Glacier National Park and admired the foggy, rainy day tree line on our way to Revelstoke National Park. Here we climbed to a high elevation in the car and hoped to get a peak at the Meadows in the Sky. Instead we waited out the weather and had a picnic in the car at the top. The rain was relentless that day however, and we left the park without exiting the car. 

We spent our last night camping at a secret local spot called Gorman Lake. We were informed of this place by our Airbnb hosts and we were fortunate enough to find the turn in for it while looking for a bear sanctuary near Kicking Horse (that we never found). The drive into this hike was very rugged, but it was worth our effort. Despite overheating the transmission continuously on our seventeen kilometer journey to the trailhead- we made it. Once here, we caught a beautiful Rocky Mountain sunset then threw stuff in pack and headed into the woods. We arrived too late to make it all the way to Gorman Lake so had to camp deep in a wet forest. This spot felt truly enchanted and very “grizzy” (as our hosts described it). We survived the bears for the night then woke up to a forest floor of blueberries and carried on to the lake. After some light bouldering, we reached the lake which was quite nice and felt like a victory after many hours of effort to reach it. This was a great adventure and the perfect high note to end our trip to the Canadian Rockies on.

Jasper National Park

Gorman Lake

STAY

Starting in Calgary we spend the first night at the Sheraton near the airport which was very convenient. We got in exceptionally late, just as the coffee was being brought out. We had a nice night’s rest and enjoyed a solid poutine breakfast as warm welcome to Canada. Our second night, after traveling north to Jasper, was spent at the Overlander Mt. Lodge. This is a quaint little place with cozy rooms a beautiful lodge for dining. We took advantage of the view and the buffet in the morning before setting off on our big trek. After several nights of camping along the hike, we ventured back south near Lake Louise. While there is a famous accommodation here, we stayed just a block away at an equally historic venue, the Deer Lodge. While the room here was painfully small due to the historic nature of the construction we loved being within walking distance of Lake Louise, so we could beat the crowds for our picture taking in the early morning. This hotel also had a super fun lounge and delicious restaurant decked out in full mountain regalia. We enjoyed dinner here, since the town of Lake Louise is incredibly small, and could have enjoyed a dip in the rooftop hot tub had we been a little more ambitious. 

Our next stay was at a great Airbnb near Golden called the Il Nido Country Inn. This place was fairly remote, near Golden. We hit this spot after Yoho National Park on our way westward. Our hosts here were incredibly gracious and our room was new and spacious. The log cabin type accommodation was equipped with private kitchens in each unit and place had a beautiful hot tub free to guests on the deck. Our host offered a beautiful breakfast here for only five dollars extra, which was well worth the price for the conversation alone with fellow guests. We ended the trip with a stay at the Calgary Westin. We had a comfortable room here that served as the perfect place to repack our belongings before an early flight home. 

Sunset Near Gorman Lake

EAT

There is no shortage of good restaurants in the Canadian Rockies. Between Banff and Jasper the tourist machine is well oiled. Dining can be as sophisticated or rustic as you’d like while visiting this region. We chose to keep things simple in an effort to save money, and did lots of camp eating and cooking on our camp stove with groceries. 

Our favorite meals were probably at the Deer Lodge near Lake Louise and at a steakhouse back in Calgary. 

Moraine Lake