Advice - Travel Through Canada

[Ynot4me2]

Thanks Scottn'Wendy - yes, this trip will be mid August to early Sept.

Now I'm jealous and want to go back. Lol. Not knowing what you are into (hiking, fishing....) a good suggestion to help you plan is trip advisor, lonely planet... sites like that can help you plan. Lots of hiking trails of all levels and lenght, There's so much to see and the best is not necessarily Banff and Jasper. Although that drive between the 2 is just simply ahhhh. If you have more time the drive from Radium Hot Spring or even Golden in Kicking Horse Canyon to Revelstoke is also famous going through Roger's Pass and Eagles Nest. This is Canada's outdoor play grounds. Another suggestion, if possible, is go after the kids are back in class. It makes it a little less (not by much) crowded.

[DougW9876]

Be sure to check the Canadian websites to be certain what you can or can not bring with you. Last time we crossed they were not allowing Potatoes to come in, and I think they were looking for Citrus fruits as well. Of course firearms are severely restricted unless on a hunting trip and handguns are a big no in any case.

[el Rojo]

Yeah leave your pea shooter at home. This sounds like a good trip.

[MWB777]

Guys - this has been really helpful. Love this forum. Great information. Hope I can be as helpful as everyone has been to me. Thank you!

[MikeRC]

For you experienced RVers traveling in Canada, I would appreciate any advice. We are now planning a legendary trip before we get too old to enjoy it. From Dothan, AL to Upstate MI (about 1,100 mi), then from Mackinaw City KOA (used before and love it) to Grand Forks Campground (ND), then a Ramada overnight in Moose Jaw, SK, then to Bow RiversEdge Campground in Cochrane, AB. Goal is to visit Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper National Park again. We thought it best to hub from Bow RiversEdge near Calgary for 3 days rather than fighting the tourists in Banff. Then back home to AL. I know - long trip over about 5 weeks. We've done the MI trip many times - but never this trip over 5k mi, and never in Canada. I'm pulling a Reflection 303RLS 5th wheel with an F-250, 6.7 diesel. Any diesel fuel issues? Hook up issues? I'm open to any advice from you experienced RVers. Thanks

First of all, diesel is available everywhere. Or the farmers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta would have trouble staying in business. 24hr stations and cardlocks on most major highways (https://www.google.ca/maps/search/diesel+gas+station).

I also can't determine how much time you can spend in Canada. I'm thinking 5 to 7 days from the way this discussion is going, which would be pretty difficult to get to the Rockies and have a good look around. Camping in Saskatchewan is pretty nice during the early fall. I can highly recommend Moose Mountain and the Qu' Appelle Valley Provincial Parks campgrounds (https://parks.saskatchewan.ca/). Lots of cycle paths, walking and paddling on small lakes/ponds. Booking window opens in April (sign up for the newsletter updates). Then maybe just go to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (Saskatchewan or Alberta side). Or Dinosaur Provincial Park (https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/south/dinosaur-pp/) or the Drumheller area (https://roadtripalberta.com/best-dru...camping-spots/).

If you do want to go as far as the rockies a really convenient spot for day-tripping campground hub a bit closer than Cochrane is Bow Valley Provincial Park (https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/ka...ng/bow-valley/). The booking window for the Alberta Provincial Park campgrounds is 90 days and you have to be on your computer at 8am sharp 90 days before your expected arrival to book

If you want to try staying in the National Parks, booking for those campsites starts January 1st, and is (again) highly competitive. The tourist crowds do start to thin out in later August, but places like Lake Louise and Banff are always busy. You can't drive in to Lake Louise or Morraine Lake most of the summer, but they do run a shuttle (https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/ban...0-top10/louise). Quite a few of the campgrounds along the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper are first-come-first-served, but they do not have power or water and are completely full on the weekends. They have recently rebuilt and modernized the Whistlers campground in Jasper (https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/jas...z-stay/camping). Pine beetle damage has been extensive in the area and the former dense forest of the Jasper area campgrounds has been thinned (almost completely removed in some areas).

But I get to live here, and this is 90 minutes from my door in Kananaskis Provincial Park:



Mike C

[MWB777]

Mike C - Wow. I so appreciate the time you took to pull all those facts together complete with links. Makes me wonder if you're a park agent, you know so much. Thanks! My wife and I are looking at revising the time there...think we cut ourselves short.

[pengle]

@MWB777
We just traveled from Newfoundland to British Columbia this past summer. Arrived at the Rockies in mid-August. Bow RiversEdge ($40US/night) is a very nice park with 30amp FHU. I wouldn't (and didn't) want to drive the 90 miles back and forth to Banff. We stayed at Banff Tunnel Mt II ($36US/night) even though it only had 50 amp, no water, no sewer at the site. There is a minimal-charge shuttle into town. Then another shuttle up to the Banff Gondola. The Johnston Canyon hike is one of our favorites, but you need to be there before 9a to get a parking spot and to minimize wait times on the trail. It is VERY popular. Doing the Marble Canyon hike afterwards is convenient, much less crowded, and almost as cool. We added the Silverton Falls to the end of the day.

Lake Louise Campground ($30US/night) also has 50amp, no water/sewer and is a great location for visiting/hiking Lake Louise. Moraine Lake is virtually impossible to get into. Visitors were heading onto that road at 2am in the morning in order to get a parking spot. The road out there was closed all 4 times we passed it. We arrived at Lake Louise at 7:10am and the lower parking lot was full but the upper parking lot was 75% empty. After your pictures and hikes at the Lake you CAN get into the Chateau despite the signs saying otherwise. Just walk in the FRONT door.

Like others have said you do need to find out when you can make reservations because those two campgrounds are booked during the summer.

[Alfredo]

These campgrounds are perfect and next to the towns
Banff - stayed at Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court - full service sites
Jasper - stayed at Whistlers Campground - full service site
Lake Louise side trip - take the bus shuttle , you will get in. My sister in law who works at Banff said we might not get in when we drove there in July and we surely didn`t. (should have went real early) Parking security directed us right back to the highway. Ended up at Emerald Lake about 30 minutes away for lunch on the deck at Cilantro . very nice.

[OshawaDave]

By diesel fuel issues, is diesel readily available in the areas I'm traveling from North Forks, ND to Moose Jaw, SK, to Cochrane, AB.

If you haven't done it already, download the GasBuddy app. It searches out fuel stations and prices based on your location.

[Castlerock]

@MWB777
Divide Creek is another interesting stop. The creek runs along the Continental Divide where it splits into 2 forks. One flows east to Hudson Bay, the other west to the Pacific.

There is also one of many 'Last Spike' monuments nearby which commemorates the completion of the Rockies segment of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The Spiral Tunnels (railway tunnels) in Field BC are worth the stop.

Although it's a little out of the way, Boulton Creek campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park has full hookups and is closer to Canmore/Banff/Lake Louise than Cochrane. Plus, you won't be staying next to a sawmill or gravel pit. There is also a hotel and casino at the Hwy 1 & 40 interchange in case you've had too much fresh air and sunshine. Southern Alberta is the sunniest place in Canada.

Have a great trip.