Vancouver to the rockies, 2 week road trip ideas?
Jan
26
Anyone got any itinerary/accomodation/campground suggestions? Late June; camping/b&b mix, start and finish in Vancouver and want to see Banff, Jasper naturally. Thanks.
A nice place to sight see & possibly stay is around Valemount BC & Mount Robson (largest peak in the Canadian Rockies). Robson Shadows Campground is a nice base to see the Mtn. You can rent cabins if you prefer that to a tent, also good to go whitewater rafting or even on a gentle float tour from here. Helicopter tours & heli-hiking are also available if that is in your budget. Awesome views! It can be a little cheaper staying in the Valemount area & is about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs drive to Jasper from there depending on how fast you like to drive 
. A pretty campground pretty much right in Valemount is called Swift Creek campground. There are also many hotel/motels & B & Bs available in that area too. Rear Guard Falls is a pretty walk. Between Jasper & Banff some nice little rest stop areas to check out are Honeymoon Lake, the water seems to be a little warmer than all the other glacier fed lakes & is even nice to swim in. You can camp here too. Bubbling Springs is a good place to stretch your legs & take a bathroom break. It is right beside the roadway – the water bubbles up from the ground & the sand is kind of pink – just a small spring. Horseshoe Lake is worth the little walk to find it. Very pretty & the water is so clear that from up on the rocky cliffside you can see the fish. The Columbia Ice Fields are worth a look & you can tour in an ice buggy if you want – there are some pretty campsites close by too. Num-Ti-Jah Lodge on Bow Lake is beautiful. I often stop there but have yet to spend a night. You can hike up on the glacier but may need to go with a group.
January 26th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
A nice place to sight see & possibly stay is around Valemount BC & Mount Robson (largest peak in the Canadian Rockies). Robson Shadows Campground is a nice base to see the Mtn. You can rent cabins if you prefer that to a tent, also good to go whitewater rafting or even on a gentle float tour from here. Helicopter tours & heli-hiking are also available if that is in your budget. Awesome views! It can be a little cheaper staying in the Valemount area & is about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs drive to Jasper from there depending on how fast you like to drive
. A pretty campground pretty much right in Valemount is called Swift Creek campground. There are also many hotel/motels & B & Bs available in that area too. Rear Guard Falls is a pretty walk. Between Jasper & Banff some nice little rest stop areas to check out are Honeymoon Lake, the water seems to be a little warmer than all the other glacier fed lakes & is even nice to swim in. You can camp here too. Bubbling Springs is a good place to stretch your legs & take a bathroom break. It is right beside the roadway – the water bubbles up from the ground & the sand is kind of pink – just a small spring. Horseshoe Lake is worth the little walk to find it. Very pretty & the water is so clear that from up on the rocky cliffside you can see the fish. The Columbia Ice Fields are worth a look & you can tour in an ice buggy if you want – there are some pretty campsites close by too. Num-Ti-Jah Lodge on Bow Lake is beautiful. I often stop there but have yet to spend a night. You can hike up on the glacier but may need to go with a group.
References :
lived in the area for many yrs
January 26th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Just a suggestion here. Having covered the area you are interested in visiting many times I would suggest taking the Yellowhead Highway from Kamloops up to Jasper. It is mainly a two laned highway in very good condition with campgrounds in numerous places along the way such as Clearwater, Blue River, Mt. Robson Provincial park and naturally everywhere in and near Jasper. Take the Icelands Parkway from Jasper to Banff (toll highway) and visit the Columbia Icefields which is in between the two parks. Camping everywhere along this road but beware of bears etc. After you have visited Banff and Lake Louise take the Trans Canada Highway west through Rogers Pass, Golden, Revelstoke. Once you get to Sicamouse you have the choice of continuing on Hwy. 1 or heading south through Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton and either take the Coquiahalla home or continue south to Highway #3 which is very scenic and again, plenty of campgrounds.
Have a great holiday.
References :