Any help would be appreciated...We are four women planning a
two week trip to Banff, Jasper area this summer. Our main
focus is seeing the sights and hiking. Any ideas on trails
to include...in particular day hikes around Banff, Lake
Louise, Icefields and Jasper. We are used to hiking in the
Great Smokies with a typical hike being 8-12 miles. Also,
any out of the way places to include on our trip would be
appreciated. Any suggestions on how to divide our time
between these areas with two weeks to do it? And food,
where would you recommend? I am new to this web site and
appreciate any suggestions!
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Hi Canadabound, you are in for a treat in the Rockies!
There are tons of great hikes and hostels. Banff and Jasper
are the only two towns really, in the Parks. Banff is more
commercial, but still fabulous. You could do a day hike up
Mount Rundle. You could stay cheaper in Canmore, about 30
km from Banff. There is one place with a bunch of cabins
right on the river (sorry I forget the name). There are
great hikes around Canmore including the 30 km trail beside
the Bow River into Banff. You can rent bikes for that trail
with the money you save! There are lots of other
accommodations in brilliant places, however, and places to
pick up groceries and eat. I have a few great hikes that I
could tell you about, but I'm not sure if you are bringing
camping gear or are relying on hostels or hotels. One
camping hike that comes to mind is Berg Lake. It is best
done in three days, two in - one out. You hike right up
into the Mt. Robson Glacier, passing dozens of waterfalls on
the way. This hike starts about an hour's bus ride from
Jasper. To find out more on the internet go to British
Columbia Parks (B.C. Parks) and look up Mount Robson, then
Berg Lake). There is a bus that goes up the Parkway between
Banff and Jasper. I think the ride is at least six hours.
It's the only road, and a "must do". You would pass Lake
Louise on this road. There is a hike there into a cabin, or
other day hike opportunities. Anyway, I could go on and on
in the wrong direction, so if you want to let me know a bit
more about how you plan to get around (car, bus, hitch-hike)
and sleep (tent, hostel, budget, deluxe) I'll be more
specific.
Enjoy! Jackie
What a chatterbox! Don't torture yourself with Mt Rundle.
That is a hike that even mountaineers find exhausting. From
the top all you see is Banff and Canmore. Yuck.
So many hikes... the classics are well known - Edith Cavell,
Lake Ohara, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake and all worthy of
a looksy. THere are many good hiking guides for the
rockies, I suggest you pick one up from your local library
and have a look through it. One piece of advice I would
give you is to not overlook Yoho and Kootney Parks. Less
well known because they don't have a famous town, but to my
mind Yoho is far more grand than either Banff or Jasper, yet
receives 1/10 the number of visitors.
Be sure to bring your bathing suit as there are three hot
spring pools.
Remember too that with a few exceptions there is certain
amount of similarity between different hikes. They all
feature lakes, mountains, glaciers, and forest. So don't
push yourself to do every hike - try more to see different
kinds of areas. (Banff) Sunshine Meadows, Mt. Edith Pass
Loop, Lake Minnewanka to Ghost lake area - remote and long,
but easy hiking (Lake Louise)Plain of the Six Glaciers, Mt.
Fairview, (Moraine Lake Area) Valley of the Ten peaks to
Sentinal Col.(Icefield) Chefren Lake, something near the
Columbia Icefield, (Yoho) Mt. Stephen Fossil beds (guided),
Iceline Trail, Emerald Lake, Lake Ohara to Lake Oesa or
Hamilton Lake, would give you an intereting cross section.
Just a few ideas.
I'm planning on going to Canada myself and was interested in
the hiking around Banff/Jasper area. Reading the tips are
making me very excited! I'm actually really interested in
the wildlife and was wondering if anyone knows much about
killer whales. I've heard that you can do kayaking trips.
Where are the best spots? Are there any tours that aren't as
"touristy" or even better, where you can go on your own??
Also, where are the best spots for seeing bears?
Bears are the only animals (besides Cougers and wolves)
where I can't say 'go here and you'll see one'. It is luck
of the draw. Grizzlies often tend to wander to the Larch
Valley late in the summer, at which time the Wardens close
the area. Strangely, your best bet may be the side of the
road. Usually bears will take off if you are on foot, long
before you get near enough to see them.
Make a side trip on David Thompson Highway (#11) towards
Nordegg. You'll avoid some of the crowds and see some
spectacular sights. I believe there is a hostel at Nordegg
and many campgrounds in the area as well. I'd recommend the
the day hikes to Siffleur Falls and to the summit of either
Mount Baldy or Coliseum.
Jackie, we are renting a van and plan on staying as cheap as
possible..hostels, et cetera. We will be doing day
hiking trips..not overnight camping. Our time is divided
with several days devoted to each area (Banff, Lake Louise,
Icefields, Jasper). Our plans aren't set so other ideas
are appreciated (Yoho, Nordegg...)
Hey, thanks Jackie, Captain Canuck and The Scrutineer for
your ideas! Any others would also be greatly appreciated!
We are getting S-O-O EXCITED!
If you are travelling from Banff to Jasper on the Icefields
Parkway, it is definitely worth taking a short trip up the
David Thompson. There is a camping area called the David
Thompson Resort about 1/2 hour east to the Saskatchewan
River Crossing (which is just south of the Columbia Ice
Fields). This is a very beautiful area for hiking, and is
incredibly scenic. I do a lot of day motorcycle trips
through this area...
Ignore the posts above. I did extensive day hiking last
year in the same area and can give you the best of the best
day hikes of the length you want: The classics are The
Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park (20 km); Twin Falls and
Whaleback in Yoho National Park (19 km); Larch Valley and up
to Sentinel Pass near Moraine Lake in Banff National Park
(18 km); Parker's Ridge (just off the Icefield Parkway in
North Banff National Park near the Icefield Centre -- only
an hour up and 1/2 hour back but with an excellent view of
the Saschatewan Glacier); Berg Lake Trail up to the foot of
Mt. Robson -- trailhead 57 miles west of Jasper -- its 22
km. one way to Robson Pass so you can do it with 2 nights
camping near the lake or, do what I am going to attempt this
summer -- start at 6 A.M. and do it up and back in one very
long day or as far up as I can get by 4:00 P.M. -- this is a
fantastic trail going through the Valley of 1000 Waterfalls;
The Rockwall Trail in north Kootenay National Park -- you
can hike parts of it with very very long day hikes of either
26 km. or 38 km, or do it with one or more nights camping.
I'm going to attempt 2 long day hikes this summer: see
http://fn2.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/~davidwss/rockwall.html
for an hour by hour description of a guy who did the 38 km
loop in one very long day; the Alpine Trail near Lake O'Hara
in Yoho National Park (but you need a special reservation to
take the bus into this area -- check with the Yoho Park
Center in Field, B.C.); Emerald Lake Walk around the lake is
nice but touristy; Hamilton Lake Hike near Emerald Lake in
Yoho National Park (approx. 16 km r/t with an 835 meter
elevation gain). These are the classics and must do's. If
you need more information you can e-mail me. Try this
website: www.worldweb.com/ParksCanada-banff Also same
website, but with -jasper -yoho -kootenay at the end will
get you starter information. Also get good Backcountry
Guides, Day-Hiking Guides, and tons of information from
Parks Canada: Call 1-800-748-7275. Have a good time. I
will be doing these same trails between July 12 and 29th.
I forgot to mention a couple more day hikes you would like:
Paradise Valley 18 km. only slight elevation gain in Banff
National Park; Plain of the Six Glaciers 12 km. basically
flat along and near Lake Louise; Mt. Edith Cavell Loop about
4 hour R/T hike starting off of highway 93A about 15 km
southwest of Jasper; Wilcox Pass Hike 12 km starting just
south of the Icefield Center in south Jasper National Park.
If you do even 3/4 of these hikes you will have seen the
best.
The Iceline trail is great...I agree with above. We also
climbed Mt. Temple by trail--non-technical and only took an
afternoon. It was a great hike, but check the weather. Also
there was a really cool teahouse above Lake Louise, ask
around. If it's still there, I would check it out. It's 4
miles or so one way. Have a great time!