Banff, Canada - Itinerary 8/1-4/22

Itinerary:

Day 1 - Drive 9-10 hr to Montana

WEST - Ronan/Kallispell/Whitefish if going I-15 to Hwy 93 Optional side trips:

Idaho Falls (lunch-Smitty's Pancake and Steak House for German Pancakes/Idaho Falls River Walk/Japanese Friendship Garden)

Missoula (dinner - The Notorious PIG BBQ)

EAST - Browning if going I-15 to Hwy 89 and Calgary

Day 2 - Drive 5-6 hr to Banff Canada and cross border

WEST - Eureka (gas/lunch at Tobacco Valley Historical Village)

Border Crossing - Roosville *Trip report *

Radium Hot Springs (hotsprings/lunch - Leo's Burrito and D's Mini Golf/pick

up Banff National Parks pass/gas - expensive)

Drive to Banff

EAST - Glacier National Park (optional 1-3 day side trip)

Border Crossing - Carway *Trip report *

Cardston, Alberta (LDS Temple)

Calgary (dinner/sight-seeing)

Drive to Banff

Day 3 - BANFF DAY

8-10 am - Bike Vermillion Lakes and Bow Valley Parkway E-bike or Roadbike

*Trip Report* Black Diamond Rentals - $39 for 2 hours - have kid bikes, trailers, trikes/YES reservations

Ultimate Banff - $19/hr bike - have kid bikes, kid bike hitch/trailers/NO reservations - first come, first served

12-1pm - Mt Norquay Green spot (free - picnic lunch with view of Banff from ski resort slope) Location

*Trip Report*

2-4 pm - Relax

5 pm - Dinner

6 pm - Banff Hotsprings ($9.25 per person, small with beautiful views, take bus)

Website

*Trip Report*

8 pm - Sulfur Mountain at sunset

*Trip Report*

Hike (free - 3 miles one way steep)

Gondola ($50-60 per person)

Hike to Cosmic Ray Peak (1/2 mi one way)

Gondola Upper Terminal (2 restaurants/1 cafe/museum/observatory -

look for Big Horn sheep)

Day 4 - LAKE LOUISE DAY

Lake Morraine - Sunrise Canoeing or Kayaking

*Trip Report*

3 am - Arrive at Lake Morraine parking lot and rest until sunrise OR

7 am - ROAM bus shuttle from Banff to Lake Morraine (1 hr to Lake Louise and 20

min shuttle to Lake Morraine - MUST have Super Pass to get to Lake

Morraine from Lake Louise)

9-10 am - Canoe Morraine Lake ($100 US for 3 person canoe 1 hr at Morraine Lake

Hotel or bring your own kayak/paddleboard

or

9-11 am - Valley of the 10 Peaks to Eiffel Lake hike - 7.6 mi round trip to small lake

surrounded by peaks

11-12 pm - Hike north around Lake Morraine - 2 mi round trip flat dirt trail

12 pm - Take shuttle or drive to Lake Louise - 20 min (VERY difficult to find parking $12.25 - can park at Lake Louise Park and Ride and take shuttle up - need

reservations for shuttle)

1-2 pm - Sack lunch at Lake Louise east shore/photos

2-5 pm - Lake Agnes/Little Beehive Hike (4-5.5 mi round trip hike to lake/views

above Lake Louise/tea house - very crowded in summer/Canadian cash

only) *Trip Report*

or

2-6pm - Plain of the 6 Glaciers Hike (9 mi round trip, teahouse for dinner -

bread/soup - not crowded) *Trip Report*

or

2-3 pm - Canoe (rent)/Kayak/Paddleboard (bring own) on Lake Louise

5-6 pm - Drive/Shuttle to Banff

7 pm - Dinner

Day 5 - ICEFIELD PARKWAY DAY

9-930 am - Takakkaw Falls (2nd tallest waterfall in Canada - 0.8 mi round trip hike)

10-11 am - Emerald Lake - Yoho National Park $10.50 adult, under 18 yr free)

Canoe on lake - (easier option than Lake Morraine)

The Boathouse Trading Co - $90/hr located at lake

Hike around lake - easy 3.2 mi walk

10-1030 am - Natural Bridge (beautiful rock formation right off the same Emerald

Lake road)

1130-1230 pm - Bow Lake (lunch and views - easy drive up or stroll around, park at

cabin off the highway)

1-2 pm - Peyto Lake (beautiful glacial lake view - 1.5 mi round trip hike - go to

second platform for best photos - also nice at sunset) *Trip Report*

3-7 pm - Athabasca Glacier

Columbia Icefield Glacier Tour and Skywalk ($90-100 - reserve online,

walk on glacier and drink glacier water, skywalk above gorge, get to

Columbia Glacier Center tour area 30 min EARLY, no bathrooms on 2

1/2 hr tour) *Trip Report*

or

3-430 pm - Hike to Toe of Glacier (free, 1.5 mi one way, can't touch glacier - about

100 feet away)

8-830 pm - Athabasca Falls at sunset (0.6 mi out and back hike to 80 ft waterfall)

or

8-830 pm - Mistaya Canyon (beautiful canyon gorge with glacier river - 1.1 mi

loop hike)

2 hr drive to Banff from Columbia Icefield Glacier Center

Optional 1/2 day trip - Golden Skybridge (West of Yoho National Park - $27 adults -

suspension bridge, zipline, rock climbing wall)

Day 6 - JOHNSON CYN AND BANFF DAY

9-11 am - Johnston Canyon (3 mi out and back with 2 large waterfalls and metal

walkways in gorge, drive - can park at dirt parking area nearby, cafe at

trailhead) * Trip Report*

11-12 pm - Drive Bow Valley Parkway back to Banff (great photo views)

* Trip Report*

1-2 pm - Cascade of Time Gardens for lunch (free, gardens with gazebos, can walk

from downtown Banff - grab some food in Banff as you walk over)

2-4 pm - Cave and Basin Historical Site ($8.50 adults; $11 Lanturn tour only at

night)

4-6 pm - Shopping in Banff (many souvenier shops in downtown Banff)

6-7 pm -Dinner

7-9 pm - Two Jack Lake at sunset (beautiful lake view with mountains and

small rocky beach and picnic tables / can kayak or paddleboard here)

Passports and Covid vaccination cards are REQUIRED for all individuals. *Trip Report on crossing the border tips

Parking in Banff - MUST have a Banff National Parks Pass FREE parking

Paid parking on most roads

Shuttles in Banff - ROAM bus is best option for getting around Banff ($2 adult) and to Lake Louise ($25 with Super Pass)

Accomodations we loved:

Banff (more expensive, but closer and can walk to most in city sites) -

Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel ($$ - $$$ - hotel rooms with restaurant, bar,

exercise room, concierge, great service!, access to Black Diamond Rentals,

can be cheaper if booked early and get room with bad views)

Harvey Heights (cheaper condos, no gas stations/grocery stores, 15 min south of Banff) -

Mountain View Getaway ($$ - condo with kitchen, washer/dryer, 2 bedrooms, 2

levels)

Banff Boundry Lodge ($$ - condo with kitchen, washer/dryer, 2 bedrooms, 2

levels)

Canmore (cheaper hotels, condos, gas stations, grocery stores, 20 min south of Banff) -

Dining Favorites:

Banff -

Beaver Tails - large scones topped with sweet or savory options

COWS - ice cream and store

Banff Poutine - classic canadian dish of fries/gravy/cheese

Soooo many restaurants with every type from Italian to Korean we loved every

place we went to- just explore

Canmore -

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co - stone-fired pizza with classic and gourmet

options

McDonalds - if you have kids, you will go here eventually

Day 1 - DRIVE UP - Idaho Falls walkway, Smitty's, Missoula - Notorious PIG BBQ

Day 2 - DRIVE TO BANFF - Whitefish beach, Eureka historical village, Roosville Border Crossing

Calgary

Day 3 - BANFF

Vermillion Lakes Biking, Mt Norquay Green Spot, Hot Springs

Sulfur Mountain Gondola

Day 4 - LAKE LOUISE AREA

Lake Moraine

Lake Louise

Lake Agnes hike

Plains of the 6 Glaciers hike

Day 5 - ICEFIELD PARKWAY

Takakkaw Falls, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge

Peyto Lake, Mistaya Canyon, Athabasca Falls

Columbia Glacier Tour

Columbia Icefield Skywalk, Bears!

Golden Suspension Bridge

Day 6 - JOHNSTON CANYON AND BANFF

Johnston's Canyon

Cave and Basin, Cascade of Time Gardens, Banff Shopping

Beaver Tails, COWS icecream, Putine