Colorado to Banff Camping Advice

We're traveling from Colorado up to Banff/Jasper in about a month, and I was just hoping someone here might be able to provide some advice for free/cheap camping spots outside of the national parks? Any places we should try?

 

Just left Jasper today. Bring bug spray or better yet a flame thrower if you camp anywhere near water.

 

Haha will do. I've heard the bugs can be brutal. Any recommendations on places to camp up there?

 

We just stayed at the Wapiti campground outside Jasper. Not bad as far as big established campgrounds go, had a big running stream next to our site and all the firewood we could burn for $8/day. Didn't get off the pavement much on this trip since it was just the wife and I, but highway 93 between Jasper and Banff is some of the most scenic pavement I've ever seen.

 

I'm heading to Jasper/Banff next week. Staying at Wapiti Campground for one night and Tunnel Mountain Village 1 for 2 nights (bookending with hotels). Going to be bringing the pup.

We're planning on seeing Lake Maligne, driving down the the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) and bumming around Banff and Lake Louise for a few days. Anyone have any recommendations on places to eat/things to do? We're planning on doing a lot of hiking, and maybe renting a canoe. Other than that, open to suggestions!

 

Jasper:
- the paw / the other paw coffee shop, good baked goods and java.
- maligne lake is great - if you're canoeing, take some time and get out beyond the narrows and spirit island. makes for a long day, but it's way quieter and far more scenic back there. some good backcountry canoe camping in there at fisherman's or coronet creek. also allows you to check out spirit island after the tour boats have stopped running.
- if canoeing, avoid rentals at the lake themselves, they're like...40 bucks an hour - there's a couple of outfits in town that will even deliver to a lake of your choice, but can be super pricey. if you're planning a lot of paddling, you'd be better off renting from calgary [university outdoor centre or Mountain Equipment Co-op] and take a boat with you
- Patricia lake is a good afternoon paddle and is usually the quietest of the big lakes. good swimming too.
- wabasso campground is a bit quieter and cheaper, no showers tho.

Banff:
- Bear Street Pizza is excellent. try the honey and chili oil.
- banff is a zoo. be prepared.
- if you end up downtown, try to find the fudge shop. it's worth it.
- An outstanding paddle is 40 mile creek to vermillion lakes. You snake your way up a nice clear creek and fidn a back channel that leads to vermillion - if you stay nearer the highway, you can find the connection between the lakes and make your way up the chain. Super picturesque and easy. The back channel can be difficult to find if you dont know where to look, so you can also put in at vermillion and follow some boats down the creek and back. it links up with the bow.
- check out the banff springs. it'll be a zoo, but worth a look.

Canmore:
if banff is crazy, canmore is a good alternative. check out canmore brewing co. or the grizzly paw [might be overrun].

if you're up for biking, there's a couple of linkages between banff + canmore that are nice. if youre up for paved, the legacy trail is great. if you want some gentle mountian biking, the goat creek trail starts in canmore [a bit out of town, by grassi lakes] and is mostly downhill to banff. you can take goat creek out, stop for a pizza and beer, and then saunter back on legacy. nice day.
- bit of a grind, but Ha Ling peak is pretty popular.
- the smith dorrien highway is an excellent gravel road that links to Kananaskis country. scenic as hell, but can get super dusty.

Kananaskis Country:
a provincial park near banff national park. quieter, just as picturesque. the delta hotel out there is pet friendly. good rides and hikes in the area. Nice flat day hike is around the upper kananaskis lake. if you want a peak, try mt. indefatigable. Upper lake is excellent to paddle as well.
- highway 40 is a great road, lots of wildlife and places to stop. lots of campgrounds as well.

Shoot me a PM if you have any questions!

 

Thanks man! I'll sort through all this as I plan.

 

If you're coming up from the US border just take the 40 up to Banff. It's a great drive if you like overlanding on gravel.

 

Yeah I'll be coming up through Montana. Where does 40 cross the border? Or where does it start?

 

It starts in the Crowsnest Pass area.

 

Thanks for this info! We definitely hit up a few places you recommended.

We were a little disappointed with Jasper and Mt. Robson Provincial Parks -- but only because the wildfires caused a lot of haze that obscured the scenery. It is definitely on our list to go back.

The Icefields Parkway was awesome. Again, kind of obscured by haze. But I wish we had taken more photos along the way. This was also the only day it rained.

Lake Louise was definitely a zoo, as well as Banff. Lots of people everywhere. Found the fudge shop!

Took a drive down the Bow Valley Parkway (1A) and saw some wildlife and took a hike up to the Castle Lookout.

Canmore was great. Super cool town. Made it to the Grizzly Paw for dinner and beers on Friday. Great place.


I'd say that staying in the campgrounds for multiple nights was the way to go. We stayed in Wapiti for only 1 night and I wish we had done at least 2. Overall, the weather was great and the scenery was incredible, even if it was obscured by haze.

Thanks for the tips!

 

Hah, sounds like you had a good go of it! Icefield Parkway is one of the all time great drives in the world, glad should got to see it, even with the haze.

Smokes only getting worse - we're still early in the fire season up here, so you were lucky you came when you did!

Next time you're up this way, drop me a line and hopefully we can meet up for some camping and adventures!

 

Will do! Maybe next time I'll bring the Tacoma, too.

 

Great follow up gents...Been watching this thread and was feeling for OP (I'm further away than OP and prolly further south yet still in Canada lol)...I did the same type thread on a past trip to KY and boy did the KY guys step up. Glad to see some real content in this one as well.

Kudos to the locals, and kudos to The Yellow Dart for posting a trip report

Dawesome!