Stunning Lake Louise and Banff National Parks

Banff  National Park, Alberta (28 degrees, cold and a surprise snowfall)

Bow Lake

Traveling the ice field highway to Lake Louise is so beautiful.  This mountain range roars up to the sky and I could not stop taking pictures of it. The range dusted in snow from the night before really brought out its beauty. I'm only posting three photos and it took a lot of restraint not to fill this whole post with them. :) 

We spent only one night at Lake Louise due to having to travel and spend an overnight in Canmore  to find a new chassis battery. After arriving we found out Parks Canada has a very efficient shuttle service which takes you to some of the most popular areas such as Lake Moraine and Lake Louise. 

It was a quick drive from our campground to the Visitor Center to pick up a shuttle. The shuttles are well staffed with pleasant and helpful folks who direct you to the right bus and advise you when the last bus leaves the area you are visiting. We took the Lake Moraine shuttle. If you drive you car there instead be prepared to go early in the morning to snag a very limited parking space. The bus was hassle free and easy. 

We decided to hike up to the overlook of Lake Moraine and to not look at the lake until we got up there. It's an easy trail and once you reach the overlook, even on a cloudy day the views are stunning. The water is a light blue from glacier melt and so clear. 

Lake Moraine

We then hiked down and had a snack at the lodge. From there we hiked around one side of the lake. Once you got away from the lodge the crowds soon dissipated. It's a beautiful place to rent a canoe.

Our next stop was Banff for four nights. We woke up to this unexpected snowfall the next morning. It was one of those Christmas card snowfalls and so beautiful.  It didn't last very long and melted completely the next day.

Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court Campground

"What the...???"

Jimmy was very confused about the snowfall. He hasn't walked in any for about six years. He used to love it but seemed rather confused by it this time.  

Our nephews Dan and Ben visited Banff this spring and suggested the Johnson Canyon Hike. The next day we drove out. In the summer finding a parking place here can be a challenge.  There is actually a sign as you enter telling you how many spaces are left.  At this time of year it wasn't an issue but if you come in the summer plan accordingly. There is not a shuttle to this area. A coffee shop and restaurant are also on the premises. 

It's a beautiful hike and well maintained. You go by lots of waterfalls and even one you view from inside a cave. The metal bridges make access so easy to this beautiful place.  We spent most of the afternoon just taking our time.

Waterfall viewed inside a cave

Our visit to Lake Louise did not disappoint. Again we took the shuttle bus to here from our campground.  It was very crowded but once we got on the overlook trail we did not see very many people. I guess most visitors go down to the lake to view it. However, the overlook was a much better way to see the beautiful resort and escape the crowds. This was the first National Park established in Canada. 

Chateau Lake Louise

View looking out from the hotel

Campground Reviews:

Lake Louise Trailer Campground: 5 stars, well spaced, 30 amp full hook ups, no WiFi, good Verizon signal in some places, make reservations well in advance, great location

Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court Campground, Banff National Park, 5 starts, most sites are pull through, 30 amp full hook ups, no WiFi, good Verizon signal, great location, one of the best campgrounds we have stayed in, make reservations well in advance.  This campground had been sold out for months.

The Call of the Mountains - Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park, Alberta, (low 28 degrees, high 42 degrees, snow showers)

"going to the mountains

is going home"

John Muir

To say Jasper National Park is spectacular is an understatement. It's vast, beautiful and at this time of year has more wildlife then we have seen all summer in Alaska.

Our campground was a great location for seeing the park and accessing the downtown Jasper area. The town is very vibrant with lots of restaurants and a great visitor center. We had only brief glimpses of blue sky, but enjoyed the park nonetheless. Our first day was spent exploring the Maligne Lake area. It was a very pretty drive and we saw lots of elk, moose and big horn sheep. It mating season for the elk and the males were very busy protecting their females. We heard lots of bugling which is certainly a very eerie sound.

Found some Park Canada Red Chairs at Lake Edith

This moose hung out at the edge of the road and caused quite a traffic jam

Heads of Big Horn Sheep were everywhere

Maligne Lake

There are some nice boat rides on Maligne Lake, however, the weather did not really cooperate.  The boat does offer some great views on the lake but it was really too cold and rainy to justify the cost.  Nest time!!!

TIP:  Advance reservations for the boat trip during the busy summer season is a must.

We did take a short hike out to Moose Lake. The icy snow made it a little treacherous but it was  nice to be out enjoying the quiet forest.

Moose Lake

The next day we hiked Maligne Canyon. This is one of the best hikes we have taken and that is saying a lot. The trail goes along a steep canyon where you cross up to six bridges. We took our time and went from bridge one to four and back. One of the interpretive signs says the river acts like natural sandpaper and has slowly over time wore through the rock to create this magnificent canyon. The views are very dramatic and some overlooks take your breath away. 

Another relaxing place to check out is the Jasper Hot Spring. It's a long, windy drive up to the springs and well worth the trip. It's more like a two big swimming pools filled with hot water and one cold pool for dipping...if you dare.  It was cold and surrounded by some snow. This is perfect weather is our opinion for a hot spring. We got such a kick out of seeing the life guards dressed in warm winter clothes and hiking boots holding life preservers.  It was relaxing and oh so enjoyable for only $7/person. 

Our next stop are the Columbia Ice Fields.  Be sure to dress warmly!

Wandering to Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park, Alberta (48 degrees, chilly, occasional glorious blue skies)

We are now traveling the Cassier Highway and it's one of the prettiest roads we have traveled on this summer. You pass many pristine lakes and small towns. It's quiet, isolated and so lovely. We stayed a couple of nights at Mountain Shadow RV Park and just relaxed.  The name of the campground aptly describes it's location and beauty.  The numerous lakes in the area look so inviting. and we wished we had our kayaks to paddles in this stunning area. 

Mountain Shadow RV Park, Iskut BC

Stewart BC Visitor Center

From here we traveled to Stewart BC. It a small town which straddles the border of British Columbia and the even smaller town of Hyder Alaska. To see this area it's best to camp in Stewart but plan on spending most of your time in Hyder. We came here in hope of seeing grizzly bears feasting on the salmon which come here to spawn. Alas, we saw lots of salmon but no bears. 

TIP:  You do need to cross the border with your passport in hand, but it's an easy crossing.

Salmon Glacier

The highlight for this area is the spectacular Salmon Glacier. We have seen lots of glaciers this summer and we were not too convinced this would be worth the effort. Our friend Barry, however, had arrived earlier and said on a scale of one to ten...it's an eleven!  Really....really!  It's that awesome. It takes some time to reach the glacier and travel on rough roads but our Jeep handled it easily.What really makes it so spectacular is how close you can get to it.

TIP:  Traveling to Stewart is out of the way but in our opinion well worth the extra miles and effort. 

We bid farewell to the friends we have traveled with on this adventure (We met up in April with Barry and Jann and May with Bob and Becky).  We have shared lots of laughs, hikes, meals, boat trips, glaciers, brews and so much more. Our plan is to visit the Canadian Rockies and exit Canada from there into Montana. Our friends have visited this area before and need to leave sooner. We wish them safe travels and look forward to meeting up again soon.

L to R (me, John, Jimmy, Barry, Jann, Bob, and Becky)

Our next stop is Hazelton, BC to visit the beautiful First Nations K'San Historical Village and Museum. It's a reconstructed village of People of the Gitsan. We arrived at the museum and signed up for a guided tour of First Nation Houses. 

Our guide was awesome and she told us many stories of their culture and how she is now trying to connect more to her heritage. You cannot take photos of the inside of the houses. There are beautiful displays of ceremonial robes and everyday items. It was a fascinating tour and one we would highly recommend. The campground where we stayed was within walking distance of the Village. 

After a quick stop in Prince George for some restocking it on to a highly anticipated visit to Jasper National Park in Alberta Canada. There has been a lot of smoke reported in the area Jasper/Banff area due to some nearby forest fires, however, a recent snow fall and lots of rain caused most of the smoke to dissipate. Our timing was excellent. The drive was so pretty and we stopped at two waterfalls along the way. What a great way to stretch our legs. Both waterfalls only required short hikes to enjoy them. The Milepost guide has been invaluable to pointing out these places. Without the guide we probably would have driven right past them. 

Mount Robson

Rearguard Falls

Whistler, our Park Canada campground is a gem. After checking in we quickly drove out to the Athabasca Falls while the weather is cooperating. It's a very busy place to visit but worth the hassle. It's been a bit of a shock getting used to large crowds after being in such remote areas for several months. The falls were roaring and plunged into deep canyons. There are sidewalks wandering all over the area to see the falls from many angles. It's a really beautiful area. 

TIP:  Campgrounds in the Jasper/Banff area need to be reserved well in advance. I made these reservations the first day they became available. I tried to change on of them two month prior to our anticipated arrival and it was very difficult. When we checked in they told us the campground had been sold out for months

Athabasca Falls

We will be exploring this area for a few days. Check back soon for more of our wandering

Campground Reviews:


Moutain Shadow RV Park Iskut, BC, 5 stars, flat sites on gravel and grass, well maintained, quiet RV park with full hookups, walking distance to a beautiful sake on property, nice trail, very limited WiFi, no Verizon signal, owners are very nice and show great pride in their campground.

Big Bear RV Park, Stewart, BC, 3 stars, full hookups on gravel and grass, worn out, muddy with lots of pot holes, very limited WiFi, no Verizon signal, great location to see area, busy campground with lots of caravan tours coming in and out.

K'San Campground, Hazelton, BC, 4 stars, across street from Village, full hookups, large open gravel sites, excellent WiFi, good Verizon signal, very friendly, quiet and peaceful, river nearby and nice trail.

Whistler Campground, Jasper National Park, Alberta,  5 stars, 50 amp full hookup sites on asphalt, well spaced, great location, make reservations way in advance, no WiFi, good Verizon signal, will be closed 2019 season for renovation