Getting Closer to Nature - Camping in the Canadian Rockies
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for Canadian Rockies, Canada.
Why go camping in the Rockies? What draws people from the comforts of the city, their homes, beds and kitchens to live for a few days in the open air? For many it is an annual outing, for some a regular weekend excursion and for others a step into the unknown. It is a world of sharing the environment with mountain peaks, wild animals, dense forests and spectacular, shimmering waters.
Whether staying in a tent, a heated yurt, a teepee or a motorhome (RV), camping brings one closer to nature. It provides challenges like outdoor cooking, thrills such as being close to elk or even bears and an opportunity to soak up the natural wonder of the mountains in a way that no other visit can.
Camping is one of the main activities that draws visitors to the Canadian Rockies and the region hosts several thousand campsites, mostly open during the summer season. Many campgrounds are located in the area's renowned national and provincial parks but there are also privately owned and municipal options.
JASPER & AREA
Getting away from it all is the reason many people visit Jasper and what better way to experience that than through camping. The area is teeming with wildlife and campsites—Jasper National Park has over 1,700 sites for those wishing to share their alfresco vacation with the surrounding rocky peaks. Campgrounds vary from those with primitive facilities—like Honeymoon Lake, 52 km (32 mi) south of Jasper—to ones with full electrical, water and sewerage facilities for RVs, such as Whistlers Campground with over 750 sites just outside town.
Two-hundred kilometres (124 mi) north of Jasper, Grande Cache provides remote wilderness camping in nearby Willmore Wilderness Park. Here, sites are free, have no facilities and can only be reached on horseback, on skis, on foot or by bike.
South of Jasper along the Icefields Parkway, visitors have three campgrounds to choose from. Waterfowl Lake is the largest with over 100 sites, while the David Thompson Resort, 40 km (24 mi) east of the parkway, offers additional amenities such as on-site RVs for rent, a restaurant and mini-golf.
BANFF & LAKE LOUISE AREA
A conveniently located mountain environment with cosmopolitan sophistication is the attraction of Banff. This belies the camping opportunities around the town, which are phenomenal—there are 1,100 sites within 5 km (2 mi) of the centre. Tunnel Mountain I is the biggest campground with over 600 sites, including facilities for RVs and tents.
Banff National Park, with nine campgrounds in the Banff/Lake Louise area, can provide travellers with the feeling that they're not just visiting, but actually a part of nature. This comes through sitting around campfires and cooking outdoors in the evenings after hiking or enjoying the views of the stunning, emerald-green glacial waters of Lake Louise.
KANANASKIS COUNTRY & CANMORE
The close proximity of Kananaskis Country to Calgary allows city dwellers, who want a weekend getaway with Mother Nature, to take full advantage of nine provincial and recreational parks on offer. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park alone has six campgrounds and those staying here can enjoy restful nights under the stars after hiking, cycling, golfing, horseback riding and fishing in the area. Sundance Lodges offers slightly more luxurious options, including heated-walled tents and wooden-floored teepees with foam mattresses. For those wishing to stay outside the parks, Canmore has private options such as Spring Creek RV Campground, which is within walking distance of the town centre.
GOLDEN & YOHO NATIONAL PARK
A visit to Golden to enjoy the outdoor environment and the many activities available can be accompanied by a stay at one of the campgrounds in Yoho National Park. There are over 300 sites, most of which are located west of Field, including several at Lake O’Hara, which is a 13-km (8-mi) hike along the Cataract Brook Trail. There is also limited camping in or near the town. And for those wanting an old wild west experience, BeaverFoot Lodge, 35 km (22 mi) east of Golden, provides the opportunity to stay in one of 20 covered wagons set in a circle around a western-style camp barbecue.
REVELSTOKE
Located along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), Revelstoke brims with historic charm and those who decide to stay here will find various camping choices available. City campgrounds, like Lamplighter, are just a stone's throw from the town centre and offer the luxury of wireless Internet access. Camping in and among the flora and fauna is available at three provincial parks, one of which, Blanket Creek, is 25 km (15 mi) south of town on Highway 23. Noah's Ark Resort provides a family-oriented experience a short hop from Revelstoke with RV hookups, cabins and amphibious all-terrain vehicles for families to rent.
RADIUM HOT SPRINGS AREA
Getting closer to nature can involve soaking in naturally hot mineral-rich water from a ground spring while camping in Radium Hot Springs. Luxury stays in resorts like the Fairmont Hot Springs (which can accommodate over 300 RVs and has pools, a spa and golf) are available, alongside more rustic experiences at Redstreak Campground in Kootenay National Park.
WATERTON
Waterton National Park is host to the town of the same name, a crystal-clear lake, splendid mountain scenery and wondrous wildlife that wanders the streets and nearby forests. Staying at one of over 200 sites in the Townsite Campground or a few kilometres away at Crandell Mountain Campground on semi-serviced sites provides an opportunity to get close to nature, to smell the morning dew, watch the night sky, cook alfresco and perhaps dream of a bygone time when our ancestors did this on a daily basis.
Whether staying in a tent, a heated yurt, a teepee or a motorhome (RV), camping brings one closer to nature. It provides challenges like outdoor cooking, thrills such as being close to elk or even bears and an opportunity to soak up the natural wonder of the mountains in a way that no other visit can.
Camping is one of the main activities that draws visitors to the Canadian Rockies and the region hosts several thousand campsites, mostly open during the summer season. Many campgrounds are located in the area's renowned national and provincial parks but there are also privately owned and municipal options.
JASPER & AREA
Getting away from it all is the reason many people visit Jasper and what better way to experience that than through camping. The area is teeming with wildlife and campsites—Jasper National Park has over 1,700 sites for those wishing to share their alfresco vacation with the surrounding rocky peaks. Campgrounds vary from those with primitive facilities—like Honeymoon Lake, 52 km (32 mi) south of Jasper—to ones with full electrical, water and sewerage facilities for RVs, such as Whistlers Campground with over 750 sites just outside town.
Two-hundred kilometres (124 mi) north of Jasper, Grande Cache provides remote wilderness camping in nearby Willmore Wilderness Park. Here, sites are free, have no facilities and can only be reached on horseback, on skis, on foot or by bike.
South of Jasper along the Icefields Parkway, visitors have three campgrounds to choose from. Waterfowl Lake is the largest with over 100 sites, while the David Thompson Resort, 40 km (24 mi) east of the parkway, offers additional amenities such as on-site RVs for rent, a restaurant and mini-golf.
BANFF & LAKE LOUISE AREA
A conveniently located mountain environment with cosmopolitan sophistication is the attraction of Banff. This belies the camping opportunities around the town, which are phenomenal—there are 1,100 sites within 5 km (2 mi) of the centre. Tunnel Mountain I is the biggest campground with over 600 sites, including facilities for RVs and tents.
Banff National Park, with nine campgrounds in the Banff/Lake Louise area, can provide travellers with the feeling that they're not just visiting, but actually a part of nature. This comes through sitting around campfires and cooking outdoors in the evenings after hiking or enjoying the views of the stunning, emerald-green glacial waters of Lake Louise.
KANANASKIS COUNTRY & CANMORE
The close proximity of Kananaskis Country to Calgary allows city dwellers, who want a weekend getaway with Mother Nature, to take full advantage of nine provincial and recreational parks on offer. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park alone has six campgrounds and those staying here can enjoy restful nights under the stars after hiking, cycling, golfing, horseback riding and fishing in the area. Sundance Lodges offers slightly more luxurious options, including heated-walled tents and wooden-floored teepees with foam mattresses. For those wishing to stay outside the parks, Canmore has private options such as Spring Creek RV Campground, which is within walking distance of the town centre.
GOLDEN & YOHO NATIONAL PARK
A visit to Golden to enjoy the outdoor environment and the many activities available can be accompanied by a stay at one of the campgrounds in Yoho National Park. There are over 300 sites, most of which are located west of Field, including several at Lake O’Hara, which is a 13-km (8-mi) hike along the Cataract Brook Trail. There is also limited camping in or near the town. And for those wanting an old wild west experience, BeaverFoot Lodge, 35 km (22 mi) east of Golden, provides the opportunity to stay in one of 20 covered wagons set in a circle around a western-style camp barbecue.
REVELSTOKE
Located along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), Revelstoke brims with historic charm and those who decide to stay here will find various camping choices available. City campgrounds, like Lamplighter, are just a stone's throw from the town centre and offer the luxury of wireless Internet access. Camping in and among the flora and fauna is available at three provincial parks, one of which, Blanket Creek, is 25 km (15 mi) south of town on Highway 23. Noah's Ark Resort provides a family-oriented experience a short hop from Revelstoke with RV hookups, cabins and amphibious all-terrain vehicles for families to rent.
RADIUM HOT SPRINGS AREA
Getting closer to nature can involve soaking in naturally hot mineral-rich water from a ground spring while camping in Radium Hot Springs. Luxury stays in resorts like the Fairmont Hot Springs (which can accommodate over 300 RVs and has pools, a spa and golf) are available, alongside more rustic experiences at Redstreak Campground in Kootenay National Park.
WATERTON
Waterton National Park is host to the town of the same name, a crystal-clear lake, splendid mountain scenery and wondrous wildlife that wanders the streets and nearby forests. Staying at one of over 200 sites in the Townsite Campground or a few kilometres away at Crandell Mountain Campground on semi-serviced sites provides an opportunity to get close to nature, to smell the morning dew, watch the night sky, cook alfresco and perhaps dream of a bygone time when our ancestors did this on a daily basis.
Canmore Camping
K-Country Campground
Family Resort
RV & Tent Camping
Pet-friendly Hotel
