The Canadian Rockies

Overview

The Canadian Rockies are four national parks that touch each other along the Continental Divide: Banff and Jasper on the Alberta side, Yoho and Kootenay on the British Columbia side. Together with three provincial parks they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the scenery lives up to the photos. Turquoise glacier lakes, icefields you can walk beside, and limestone peaks rise straight out of the valley floor.

What surprises most Americans is how managed the experience has become. You cannot drive your own car to Moraine Lake, Lake Louise parking costs more than a nice lunch, Lake O'Hara is a lottery, and Jasper is still recovering from the 2024 wildfire. None of this makes a trip harder if you plan in the right order: flights and rooms first, then the spring shuttle release, then everything else.

This page walks through each park, the logistics that trip people up, where to base yourself, and three itineraries. For park passes and camping across Canada, see national parks. For the city you will likely fly into, see Calgary and Alberta.

Park passes and fees

Every person stopping in Banff, Jasper, Yoho or Kootenay needs a Parks Canada pass, even if you are only driving through to a hotel. You buy it online before you go, at the park gates on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Banff, or at visitor centers. Rangers check at the gates and in parking lots.

The math is simple. The family/group Discovery Pass pays for itself on the seventh day, and it covers more than 80 Parks Canada places nationwide for 12 months. One daily pass covers all four Rockies parks on the same day, and it expires at 4 pm the following day. For reservations, camping and other parks, see national parks.

Banff and the Bow Valley

Banff is a real town of about 8,000 people inside the national park, with a main street (Banff Avenue) of outdoor stores, restaurants and hotels framed by Cascade Mountain. It sits at about 4,540 ft (1,383 m). Most first-time visitors base here, and it has the widest choice of rooms and the best transit links.

Canmore as a base

Canmore sits just outside the park gate, 16 miles (25 km) and about 20 minutes east of Banff. It is a working mountain town with a good food scene, cheaper rooms and fewer tour buses, and you need a park pass only on the days you drive into the park.

Roam Route 3 connects Canmore and Banff for C$6 (about $4) one way, and Canmore's local buses are free. Canmore is also the trailhead town for Kananaskis Country, a provincial area to the south with superb hiking. Kananaskis requires a separate Kananaskis Conservation Pass for parked vehicles; buy it online from Alberta Parks before you go.

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

These two lakes, 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Banff, are the reason many people come. Lake Louise is the famous one with the Fairmont Chateau at its shore and Victoria Glacier at its head. Moraine Lake, 9 miles (14 km) up a side road, is smaller, more intensely blue, and ringed by the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

How to get there in 2026 and 2027

Moraine Lake Road is closed to private vehicles year-round. Your options are the Parks Canada shuttle, Roam transit's reservable service, a licensed commercial tour, or being a registered guest at Moraine Lake Lodge. In practice the road is open to shuttles from about June 1 to mid-October; it closes for winter because of avalanche risk.

Lake Louise lakeshore still allows private cars, but parking costs C$42 (about $30) per vehicle per day from mid-May to mid-October, the lot often fills before 8 am, and RVs are not allowed. Most visitors use the shuttle instead.

1. Put the spring release date in your calendar. In 2026, Parks Canada released 40% of the season's seats at 8 am Mountain Time on April 15 at reservation.pc.gc.ca. Expect a similar mid-April date for 2027 and confirm it on the Parks Canada site in March.
2. Book a morning slot to Moraine Lake first, then plan Lake Louise around it using the Lake Connector. Early-morning seats go first.
3. If you miss out, the remaining 60% of seats are released at 8 am Mountain Time two days before each travel date. Be online at 7:55 am with your account logged in.
4. As a backup, look at Roam's reservable Super Pass, which includes the Lake Connector, or a licensed sunrise tour from Banff or Lake Louise.

What to do at the lakes

At Lake Louise, the Lake Agnes Tea House hike is 2.2 miles (3.5 km) one way with about 1,300 ft (400 m) of climbing, ending at a log teahouse first built in 1901. The Plain of Six Glaciers trail, about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) one way, has a second teahouse and views onto the glacier. Canoe rentals at the boathouse are pricey and lines are long by midday.

At Moraine Lake, climb the Rockpile (10 minutes) for the classic view, walk the lakeshore trail, or hike to Larch Valley, which turns gold in mid to late September. Parks Canada often requires hikers on Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass to travel in tight groups of four or more when bears are active; signs at the trailhead say whether the rule is in force.

Above the lakes, the Lake Louise Ski Resort runs a summer gondola on the other side of the valley. Grizzly bears are often seen feeding on the avalanche slopes below it.

The Icefields Parkway

Highway 93 North runs 144 miles (232 km) from Lake Louise to Jasper along the spine of the Rockies, past more than 100 glaciers. Without stops it takes about 3.5 hours; with stops, plan a full day. It is part of the park, so you need a valid pass to drive it.

Parks Canada listed the Icefield and Wilcox campgrounds as closed in October 2026. Glacier View Lodge, above the Icefield Discovery Centre, is the only hotel at the icefield.

Jasper after the 2024 wildfire

In July 2024 a wildfire swept into Jasper and destroyed roughly a third of the townsite's buildings, along with large areas of forest around it. The town reopened to visitors within weeks, and by 2025 most hotels, restaurants and attractions in the surviving parts of town were operating again. The town wants visitors back.

Jasper is quieter and wilder than Banff. Expect fewer hotel rooms than before the fire, burned slopes around town, and ongoing construction.

What is open (as of October 2026)

• Open: Maligne Road, Maligne Lake and the Maligne Lookout (reopened in October 2024); Medicine Lake viewpoint along the same road; Pyramid Lake, Pyramid Island and the Pyramid Bench trails; Patricia Lake; Valley of the Five Lakes; Athabasca Falls; The Whistlers trail (reopened August 2025); Wapiti Campground; all backcountry campgrounds.
• Closed: the main Maligne Canyon trailhead and picnic area; the Mount Edith Cavell day-use area and Cavell Meadows trail; Whistlers and Wabasso campgrounds, plus several smaller frontcountry campgrounds; Opal Hills and the Tonquin Valley via the Astoria River.
• Check before you go: Miette Hot Springs is seasonal and was listed as closed in October 2026. Parks Canada has removed dangerous trees only on designated open trails, so stay off anything signed closed.

Parks Canada keeps an open and closed list for Jasper that it updates often. Check it the week you travel.

Jasper Dark Sky Preserve

Jasper was named a Dark Sky Preserve in 2011, and it is one of the largest in the world at about 4,200 square miles (11,000 sq km). On clear nights from late August through April you can see the Milky Way from a pullout five minutes from town, and the northern lights appear on active nights. The Jasper Dark Sky Festival runs every October with talks, telescope nights and concerts; dates are posted on the Tourism Jasper site in spring. For aurora planning, see northern lights.

Yoho and Kootenay

Cross the Continental Divide west of Lake Louise and you are in British Columbia, though still on Mountain Time. Yoho and Kootenay get a fraction of Banff's crowds and use the same park pass. BC adds provincial sales tax to the 5% GST, so the same meal or room costs a bit more than in Alberta.

Yoho

Lake O'Hara

Lake O'Hara is a high basin of lakes and ledge trails that many hikers rank as the finest in the Rockies. The road is closed to private vehicles and bikes, and day visitors ride a Parks Canada bus booked by random draw.

• Random draw: in 2026 the application window ran from March 2 to March 23. Apply through the Parks Canada Reservation Service with up to six people per reservation, including children.
• Bus season: June 19 to October 4 in 2026. Inbound buses left at 8:30 and 10:30 am; return buses at 9:30 and 11:30 am and 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 pm.
• Camping: the 30-site campground opened reservations on February 10, 2026, with a three-night limit and a maximum of two reservations per household per season.
• Walking in: you can always walk the 6.8-mile (11 km) road each way, about 14 miles (22 km) round trip on gravel, with no reservation. Bring bear spray, food and water.
• Le Relais: a small day shelter run by volunteers sells hot drinks and snacks for cash only.
• Lodging: Lake O'Hara Lodge books far ahead; the Alpine Club of Canada's Elizabeth Parker Hut is assigned by a lottery the previous fall.

Kootenay

Highway 93 South leaves the Trans-Canada at Castle Junction and runs about 87 miles (140 km) to the town of Radium Hot Springs, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes from Banff. Easy stops include Marble Canyon (a short trail over a narrow gorge) and the Paint Pots, ochre-colored mineral springs used by the Ktunaxa people for pigment. At the south end, the Radium Hot Springs pools sit beside the red cliffs of Sinclair Canyon, and bighorn sheep wander the town streets. Kootenay works as a half-day out-and-back from Banff or as the start of a drive west into BC.

Wildlife and safety

You will almost certainly see elk, bighorn sheep and deer, and you have a fair chance of seeing black bears or grizzlies from the road, especially in May and June along the Bow Valley Parkway, the Icefields Parkway and Highway 93 South. Caribou, mountain goats, wolves and moose are rarer.

• Parks Canada asks you to stay at least 100 ft (30 m) from elk, deer and sheep, and at least 330 ft (100 m) from bears, wolves and cougars.
• Elk are most dangerous during calving in late May and June, when cows defend their young, and during the September–October rut, when bulls charge people and cars in the Banff and Jasper townsites.
• Do not stop in the traffic lane for a "bear jam." Pull fully off the road or keep driving. Feeding wildlife carries heavy fines under federal law.
• Carry bear spray on every trail and know how to use it. You cannot fly with it, so buy it in Calgary, Canmore or Banff. Many outdoor stores also rent it.
• Summer wildfire smoke can haze views for days, and fires can close roads. Check the park's alerts and Alberta's 511 road report before long drives.

Snow is possible in any month above treeline. For bear-country hiking basics, see outdoors; for emergencies, see safety and health.

Getting there and around

Calgary International Airport (YYC) has nonstops from many US cities and US preclearance on the way home, which means you clear US customs in Calgary and land in the US as a domestic passenger. See flights. Edmonton (YEG) is the better airport if you are focusing on Jasper.

Without a car

• Banff Airporter: door-to-door from YYC to Banff (about 2 hours) with a stop in Canmore, 11 departures a day. Winter 2026/27 adult fares are C$88.90 (about $64) one way to Banff; summer 2027 is C$91.56 (about $65), plus GST. Book at banffairporter.com.
• Brewster Express: runs from the Calgary airport and downtown Calgary to Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise year-round, and on to Jasper once a day from May through mid-October, with stops at the Columbia Icefield. The full run from the airport to Jasper takes about 8.5 hours.
• Roam Transit: Banff's public buses are good. Route 8X to Lake Louise costs C$12.50 (about $9) one way or C$25 (about $18) for a day pass, and is reservable in summer for a C$3 (about $2) fee. A system-wide day pass is C$30 (about $21). Check roamtransit.com for seasonal routes.

A car still gives you the most freedom for Yoho, Kootenay and the parkway. YYC rentals sell out in July and August, so book with your flights, and check the contract before driving a US rental across the border. See driving in Canada, crossing the border, and getting around for the Rocky Mountaineer train.

Where to stay and when to book

Rooms are the bottleneck. Summer rates in Banff and Lake Louise are high, and many hotels add a destination or resort fee. Alberta charges 5% GST plus a 4% tourism levy on rooms; BC hotels in Yoho and Kootenay add provincial taxes on top. Rates below are typical summer prices for two, before tax.

For general booking advice, see where to stay. Prices everywhere here are shown before tax, and tipping works as in the US: 15–20% in restaurants. See money for taxes and budgets.

When to go, month by month

Lake Louise usually thaws in early June and Moraine Lake in mid-June, so a May trip means white, frozen lakes. Peak turquoise is July through September.

For a national view of seasons and holidays, see when to go, and for skiing see winter in Canada.

Itineraries: 4, 7 and 10 days

4 days: Banff and Lake Louise

1. Day 1

   Calgary to Banff

   Land at YYC, pick up a car or the Banff Airporter, and stop in Canmore for lunch. Check in to Banff, walk Banff Avenue and Bow Falls, then soak at the Upper Hot Springs in the evening.

2. Day 2

   Around Banff

   Sunrise at Vermilion Lakes, Johnston Canyon before 9 am, then the Lake Minnewanka loop. Ride the Banff Gondola late in the afternoon for evening light.

3. Day 3

   Moraine Lake and Lake Louise

   Take an early shuttle from the Park and Ride to Moraine Lake and climb the Rockpile. Ride the Lake Connector to Lake Louise and hike to the Lake Agnes Tea House. If you have energy left, ride the Lake Louise summer gondola across the valley to scan for grizzlies.

4. Day 4

   Yoho and back

   Drive to Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge, then return east for an afternoon flight. Allow 2.5 hours from Field to the Calgary airport.

7 days: Banff, Yoho and Jasper

1. Day 1

   Arrive in Canmore

   Base in Canmore for two nights. Walk the Bow River path and have dinner in town.

2. Day 2

   Banff

   Johnston Canyon, the gondola, and the hot springs. Return to Canmore.

3. Day 3

   Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

   Shuttle to both lakes; move to Lake Louise or stay a night in Field.

4. Day 4

   Yoho

   Emerald Lake in the morning, Takakkaw Falls (late June to early October), and the Spiral Tunnels. Sleep near Lake Louise.

5. Day 5

   Icefields Parkway

   Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Mistaya Canyon and the Columbia Icefield, then Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls. Arrive in Jasper for two nights.

6. Day 6

   Jasper

   Maligne Lake and the Spirit Island cruise in the morning, Medicine Lake on the way back, Pyramid Lake at sunset, stargazing after dark.

7. Day 7

   Back to Calgary or on to Edmonton

   Either drive 5 hours back to Calgary via the parkway, or 4 hours east to Edmonton for a flight. See Calgary and Alberta for Edmonton.

10 days: the full loop

1. Days 1–2

   Calgary and Canmore

   Spend a half day in Calgary (Inglewood, Studio Bell, the riverfront), then drive to Canmore. Day 2 hike in Kananaskis Country, with a Kananaskis Conservation Pass.

2. Days 3–4

   Banff

   Banff sights on Day 3. On Day 4, drive the Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise, watching for bears.

3. Day 5

   The two lakes

   Early shuttle to Moraine Lake, Larch Valley if you are fit, then Lake Louise in the afternoon. Stay in Lake Louise.

4. Day 6

   Yoho or Lake O'Hara

   If you won the Lake O'Hara draw, take the morning bus and hike the alpine circuit. If not, do Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls.

5. Day 7

   Icefields Parkway

   A full day on the parkway with every stop. Overnight at the Columbia Icefield or continue to Jasper.

6. Days 8–9

   Jasper

   Maligne Lake, the SkyTram (in season), Valley of the Five Lakes, and a night of stargazing. Consider a guided wildlife tour at dawn.

7. Day 10

   Return

   Fly home from Edmonton (4 hours from Jasper) or drive back to Calgary along the parkway (about 5 hours). With an 11th day, drive south from Jasper to Castle Junction, take Highway 93 South through Kootenay, and spend a last night at Radium Hot Springs, about 3.5 hours from the Calgary airport.

For more multi-day drives, see road trips. Common mistakes: arriving without a shuttle seat, planning May for turquoise lakes, and trusting old Jasper guides that still list Maligne Canyon and Mount Edith Cavell as open. For a custom plan, see our trip planning service.