Staying in the Canadian Rockies
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for Canadian Rockies, Canada.
Set between Alberta and British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies' rugged splendour inspires awe and wonder in the countless sightseers who visit every year. These travellers come from around the world to explore the mountains and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprised of four interlocking national parks—Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park and Yoho National Park—and three British Columbia provincial parks—Hamber Provincial Park, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park.
Whether visitors are planning an extended stay or are just passing through, they will find suitable accommodations to meet their budget and style with a mix of first-class hotels and lodges, family-friendly campgrounds, comfortably furnished cabins and affordable hostels.
HIGHWAY 1
Almost all visitors in the Rockies will travel at least a portion of their journey on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). This important thoroughfare passes through or beside popular urban centres such as Kananaskis Country, Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Field, Golden, Rogers Pass and Revelstoke, covering approximately 350 km (217 mi) from one side of the mountains to the other.
Visitors will soon discover the diversity of lodgings available along the Trans-Canada Highway. Whether guests are looking to enjoy some of the Rockies' finest luxury hotels such as the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise or comfortable, inexpensive hostels such as the SameSun Backpacker Lodge in Revelstoke, travellers will quickly find that there are lodgings to meet all budgets. For a more intimate experience, travellers can sojourn in a cosy bed and breakfast where exceptional service and hospitality are part of each stay. Those looking for more family-oriented lodgings may decide a vacation rental, cabin or chalet, like the ones offered by Lush Mountain Accommodations, provides them with the space and amenities they need.
What better way to enjoy the majesty of the Rockies and commune with nature than to wake up amongst the trees in one of the many campgrounds located along the highway. These campgrounds vary in services, from basic sites with fire pits, picnic tables and pit toilets to full-service pull-through RV sites with power, water, sani-dump and wireless Internet. Some campgrounds may offer yurts or teepees for rent as well, such as the Golden Eco-Adventure Ranch located near Golden. There are also a number of group campgrounds available for special functions and clubs.
BC'S HIGHWAYS 93 & 95
Visitors looking to travel south through BC's Rockies can turn off Highway 1 onto Highway 93 between Banff and Lake Louise or onto Highway 95 at Golden. These two highways meet up at the ever popular Radium Hot Springs and then continue on to travel through or near Invermere-Windermere, Fairmont Hot Springs, Skookumchuck, Wasa, Kimberley and Cranbrook.
Radium Hot Springs, Fairmont Hot Springs and Panorama draw many of the area's yearly visitors who travel along this road. At these stops, generously appointed hotels and resorts provide guests with easy access to the hot springs and ski hill, such as the Radium Hot Springs Lodge. These resort towns also offer a variety of other lodging choices, from quaint inns and bed and breakfasts to furnished cabins and vacation rentals.
As well as many private and provincial campgrounds such as Wasa Lake Provincial Park, this area also has a number of BC Recreation Sites. These campgrounds, while more rustic in amenities, are located in unspoiled sections of BC's Rockies and boast some of the most amazing scenery. Many of the recreation sites can be accessed by road and a few are even RV suitable. Visitors looking for remote sites will find several that are accessible only on foot or by boat.
NORTHERN ROCKIES
Visitors from Edmonton will travel the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) through Hinton to Jasper, the gateway to the northern Alberta Rockies. From Jasper, travellers can head south on Highway 93 to the majestic Icefields Parkway Region. Or, follow the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) across the border into BC and travel south on Highway 5 (Highway 5A) to reach the town of Valemount.
This region is home to a number of campgrounds, including several backcountry campsites, as well as a number of backcountry lodges. While backcountry campsites have few if any amenities, that is not always the case with backcountry lodges. Some lodges simply provide a warm, sheltered place to sleep while others offer deluxe accommodation and gourmet food. Many are accessible only by foot or horse, such as the Tonquin Valley Backcountry Lodge.
Jasper is home to an uncommon type of lodging: home accommodators. This type of lodging is very affordable and offers a room in a private home. Unlike bed and breakfasts, home accommodators do not include food, though they may provide small appliances such as a coffee maker or toaster. Another affordable option when staying in the area is one of the hostels in Valemount or Jasper. Guests looking for luxury and comfort will find it in the area's hotels, chalets and bed and breakfasts such as the Wyndswept Bed and Breakfast, which provides guests with every convenience and gorgeous views. The area is also home to eco-accommodations such as the Aurum Nature Lodge, which works to provide sustainable tourism.
SOUTHERN ROCKIES
Located in the southern Alberta Rockies on the Canada-US border is Waterton Lakes National Park. Within the park borders is the peaceful town of Waterton. North and west of Waterton, in BC, is Sparwood and the ski town of Fernie, which are situated along the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3).
An ideal way to experience the quaint, welcoming character of the southern Rockies is by staying in one of its lodges, inns or bed and breakfasts, such as the Rocky Ridge Country Lodge. The many vacation rentals and cabins allow holidaymakers the freedom to explore the region in their own way, at their own pace. Families can also enjoy this slower pace and the natural beauty of the area's untouched wilderness while staying at one of the many campgrounds. Travellers wanting a more traditional accommodation experience can chose to stay in a hotel, hostel or resort such as the exclusive 4-Star alpine lodge, the Lizard Creek Lodge in Fernie.
Whether visitors are planning an extended stay or are just passing through, they will find suitable accommodations to meet their budget and style with a mix of first-class hotels and lodges, family-friendly campgrounds, comfortably furnished cabins and affordable hostels.
HIGHWAY 1
Almost all visitors in the Rockies will travel at least a portion of their journey on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). This important thoroughfare passes through or beside popular urban centres such as Kananaskis Country, Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Field, Golden, Rogers Pass and Revelstoke, covering approximately 350 km (217 mi) from one side of the mountains to the other.
Visitors will soon discover the diversity of lodgings available along the Trans-Canada Highway. Whether guests are looking to enjoy some of the Rockies' finest luxury hotels such as the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise or comfortable, inexpensive hostels such as the SameSun Backpacker Lodge in Revelstoke, travellers will quickly find that there are lodgings to meet all budgets. For a more intimate experience, travellers can sojourn in a cosy bed and breakfast where exceptional service and hospitality are part of each stay. Those looking for more family-oriented lodgings may decide a vacation rental, cabin or chalet, like the ones offered by Lush Mountain Accommodations, provides them with the space and amenities they need.
What better way to enjoy the majesty of the Rockies and commune with nature than to wake up amongst the trees in one of the many campgrounds located along the highway. These campgrounds vary in services, from basic sites with fire pits, picnic tables and pit toilets to full-service pull-through RV sites with power, water, sani-dump and wireless Internet. Some campgrounds may offer yurts or teepees for rent as well, such as the Golden Eco-Adventure Ranch located near Golden. There are also a number of group campgrounds available for special functions and clubs.
BC'S HIGHWAYS 93 & 95
Visitors looking to travel south through BC's Rockies can turn off Highway 1 onto Highway 93 between Banff and Lake Louise or onto Highway 95 at Golden. These two highways meet up at the ever popular Radium Hot Springs and then continue on to travel through or near Invermere-Windermere, Fairmont Hot Springs, Skookumchuck, Wasa, Kimberley and Cranbrook.
Radium Hot Springs, Fairmont Hot Springs and Panorama draw many of the area's yearly visitors who travel along this road. At these stops, generously appointed hotels and resorts provide guests with easy access to the hot springs and ski hill, such as the Radium Hot Springs Lodge. These resort towns also offer a variety of other lodging choices, from quaint inns and bed and breakfasts to furnished cabins and vacation rentals.
As well as many private and provincial campgrounds such as Wasa Lake Provincial Park, this area also has a number of BC Recreation Sites. These campgrounds, while more rustic in amenities, are located in unspoiled sections of BC's Rockies and boast some of the most amazing scenery. Many of the recreation sites can be accessed by road and a few are even RV suitable. Visitors looking for remote sites will find several that are accessible only on foot or by boat.
NORTHERN ROCKIES
Visitors from Edmonton will travel the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) through Hinton to Jasper, the gateway to the northern Alberta Rockies. From Jasper, travellers can head south on Highway 93 to the majestic Icefields Parkway Region. Or, follow the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) across the border into BC and travel south on Highway 5 (Highway 5A) to reach the town of Valemount.
This region is home to a number of campgrounds, including several backcountry campsites, as well as a number of backcountry lodges. While backcountry campsites have few if any amenities, that is not always the case with backcountry lodges. Some lodges simply provide a warm, sheltered place to sleep while others offer deluxe accommodation and gourmet food. Many are accessible only by foot or horse, such as the Tonquin Valley Backcountry Lodge.
Jasper is home to an uncommon type of lodging: home accommodators. This type of lodging is very affordable and offers a room in a private home. Unlike bed and breakfasts, home accommodators do not include food, though they may provide small appliances such as a coffee maker or toaster. Another affordable option when staying in the area is one of the hostels in Valemount or Jasper. Guests looking for luxury and comfort will find it in the area's hotels, chalets and bed and breakfasts such as the Wyndswept Bed and Breakfast, which provides guests with every convenience and gorgeous views. The area is also home to eco-accommodations such as the Aurum Nature Lodge, which works to provide sustainable tourism.
SOUTHERN ROCKIES
Located in the southern Alberta Rockies on the Canada-US border is Waterton Lakes National Park. Within the park borders is the peaceful town of Waterton. North and west of Waterton, in BC, is Sparwood and the ski town of Fernie, which are situated along the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3).
An ideal way to experience the quaint, welcoming character of the southern Rockies is by staying in one of its lodges, inns or bed and breakfasts, such as the Rocky Ridge Country Lodge. The many vacation rentals and cabins allow holidaymakers the freedom to explore the region in their own way, at their own pace. Families can also enjoy this slower pace and the natural beauty of the area's untouched wilderness while staying at one of the many campgrounds. Travellers wanting a more traditional accommodation experience can chose to stay in a hotel, hostel or resort such as the exclusive 4-Star alpine lodge, the Lizard Creek Lodge in Fernie.
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