Canada
It all started with a dream. A dream that I had for a long time, to go to Canada and hike in some of their beautiful parks. I wanted to hike as far as I could, for as long as I wanted, without time constraints. So, for my birthday this past summer (June 2019), I went to Canada for 2 weeks.
I flew in to Calgary (YYC), which was a quick 2.5 hour flight from Denver, picked up the rental car, and headed into the city for the night. My mom went on the trip with me, just to make sure that if I fell off a cliff while hiking, I wouldn’t die alone - haha!
The next morning, we got up early, and made the 7 hour drive from Calgary to Jasper area, which we were staying in Valemount. The 7 hour drive turned into a 12 hour drive since we stopped at so many places along the way. Such places include:
Bow Valley
Canmore
Drove through Banff
Peyto Lake
Mystic Canyon
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Glacier
Valley of the 5 Lakes
We finally made it to Valemount! When looking at where I wanted to explore in Canada, I wanted to hit as many national and provincial parks as I could in my first visit. Being the social butterfly that I am, I often engaged in conversations and was frequently asked by the locals how I found their specific town when I would eat at a restaurant or go shop. Well, what can I say? I like to stay in places where I can be off the beaten path - places that aren't heavily trafficked with tourists, yet close to places I want to explore. I want the real deal.
My first stop led me to a farm B&B in the one stoplight town of Valemount, BC. I was able to hit up places like Mt. Robson Provincial Park, Wells Gray Provincial Park, Helmcken Falls, Spahats, and of course, Jasper National Park.
From their recommendations of things to do, the evening bonfires with guests, and Dan's famous (and super delish) Muesli on hand, Dan and Riette made our stay at Valley Mountain Ranch one we will never forget.
Then it was time to make our way back down towards Banff area for the next leg of our trip. Driving along Icefields Parkway was absolutely mind blowing. I live in Colorado, so I get the see mountains all the time, but these Canadian Rockies are different than MY rockies. It was like peak after peak lining the parkway and they felt so much closer than my mountains. Granted, most of my trip was overcast, cold and foggy, it was still worth it.
Golden, British Columbia. This cute little town was a little more populated than my first stop, with a fun main street full of shops and delicious restaurants. There is a beautiful teal River that runs right through the town, and the downtown square was full of color with all the beautiful flowers in bloom. I can see how this town would be very popular in the winter time, as it is right outside Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. We ate at delicious restaurants like Eleven22 and Whitetooth Bistro and Tourism Golden had many recommendations of "insider" things to do.
What really brought me to Golden, was the yurt I stayed at. I was looking for unique stays on Air Bnb and I came across Two Ravens Yurt and I immediately fell in love! I honestly booked my trip around the availability of this yurt. The location, the details, the hosts, everything about this spot was perfect. It is located outside of Golden, with easy access to Glacier National Park of Canada, Revelstoke National Park, and a quick hop over to Banff!
Suzanne and Justin were wonderful! They were easy to communicate with, full of recommendations, fun to have evenings drinks with, and the best part was that Justin does adventure guiding. We were able to do an evening river paddle on the Columbia River on our last evening there. I'm now addicted to the Yurt Life and I can't wait to go back next summer!!!
Quick Tips on Jasper, Banff & Canada:
If you plan to visit many parks, it’s a better value to get a Discovery Annual pass. It pays for itself in 7 days/visits. I did the family pass, since it was more than one person in the vehicle with me.
Canada wants you to enjoy their land and scenery. I rarely hit traffic, unless there were wildlife or construction on a road. You can also park on the side of the road and sleep in your car.
Get to Banff EARLY, like 7am or earlier type of early if you want to park at Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Otherwise you will have to park in other areas and be shuttled in like legit tourists. If you can park at Lake Louise, you can take the shuttle bus to Moraine while your car secures the spot. Parking is VERY limited in both places, and obviously SUPER touristy! The earlier you get there, the less crowded and better pictures you can get.
Big Beehive in Banff was my favorite hike! Do the 15-20 switchbacks - they suck so bad, but then you have reached the top and SO worth the views!
Do the Maligne Lake cruise in Jasper National Park. Book the early cruise, and if it’s too foggy (like my initial trip was) they can rebook you on later in the day trips.
Park Distillery - best food in Banff, and amazing Vegan burgers!
Lodging:
Calgary
Valemount, BC
Golden, BC
Here are some of my favorite pictures. They have been cropped and resized to fit this blog . If you are interested in any image for print, canvas, or panel designs, please feel free to contact me!
Enjoy!
-J
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