Touring the Canadian Rockies in a Motorhome - Advice Needed

melon_collie

my wife and I are considering doing a tour of the Canadian Rockies later in the year (September). We want to do this in a motorhome (RV) rather than using hotels, etc. The plan would be to fly into Calgary and stay there for a couple of nights to settle in, then pick up an RV and travel from Calgary to Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Icefield Parkways and Jasper.

Our big problem at the moment is that it is difficult to get and reserve camp sites where you can park up the RV and avail of water, electricity and other services. Many of them appear to be run on a 'first come first served' basis, either that or many of them do not have the required services available.

Obviously we are a bit wary of travelling without the reassurance of having a guaranteed plot at each of the campsites on each night.

We are looking for some advice from other people who perhaps have done the same thing we are hoping to. How did you get on?

Any help of advice would be greatly appreciated.

tonydude

melon_collie wrote: »

my wife and I are considering doing a tour of the Canadian Rockies later in the year (September). We want to do this in a motorhome (RV) rather than using hotels, etc. The plan would be to fly into Calgary and stay there for a couple of nights to settle in, then pick up an RV and travel from Calgary to Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Icefield Parkways and Jasper.

Our big problem at the moment is that it is difficult to get and reserve camp sites where you can park up the RV and avail of water, electricity and other services. Many of them appear to be run on a 'first come first served' basis, either that or many of them do not have the required services available.

Obviously we are a bit wary of travelling without the reassurance of having a guaranteed plot at each of the campsites on each night.

We are looking for some advice from other people who perhaps have done the same thing we are hoping to. How did you get on?

Any help of advice would be greatly appreciated.

Lived in Banff for 18 months, camping spots go really fast , once the allocations are put up the popular camp sites are gone in minute's. Other sites are basic and if they have water and toilets usually if your lati to the party , your camp spot will be far from those services.

Arcto

There are pull in/rest areas all along the roads where you can stay overnight if you are really stuck. They do not offer water, electricity etc.

the_syco

Get a Discovery Pass; it's usually cheaper to get it online beforehand. It'll do you for the year. Have it displayed on the windshield. There's some sort of barrier section that you have to go through on the way from Calgary, near Banff. You need the pass to proceed.

Make sure you book the motorhome BEFORE you book the spots, when selecting, you get to pick if your motorhome is 21', 24', 27', under 35', or over 35'.

Look at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/reserve to see what dates certain sites are open, and when they take reservations.

Look at https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/Banff for example, and look at the maps. You can reserve spots now.

Booking dates now allows you to find out if certain places are closed. For example;

Due to planned construction at Tunnel Mountain Village 1 and Johnston Canyon, reservations are limited following Labour Day.

Labour Day is Monday, September 3rd.

But consider getting the ball rolling soon.



I picked a random date in September, which happens to be a Thursday. And as you can see, there are only a handful of spots left.

I'd advise having a few nights booked, so you know you can roll in, and there's a place booked for you. It'll cut down on any stress on the day, as you won't have to worry about finding a place to park for the night.

=-=

BRING EARPLUGS!

I went camping at Johnston Canyon, 10 September last year. At midnight, I heard CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......

At 1am, I heard nothing. And then, further down the valley, an echoy choooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Also at 2am. I'd swear the driver enjoyed pulling his horn :P

el diablo

What was making the "choooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" sound? An owl? :cool:

tonydude

el diablo wrote: »

What was making the "choooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" sound? An owl? :cool:

I'm guessing the Canadian Pacific train

el diablo

tonydude wrote: »

I'm guessing the Canadian Pacific train

Ah ok, those damn trains never stop.

the_syco

el diablo wrote: »

What was making the "choooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" sound? An owl? :cool:

Hawhaw. Friggin train.

I remember getting home early from nights (2-3am) to my place in New Westminster. Eerie hearing those trains blasting their horns like a wedding convoy. Soothing if you’re far enough away though. No word of a lie, I’ve looked up & played faraway train noises on the phone, background noise to get to sleep on insomniac nights, since coming back....