Banff Forum: 6 nights Banff vs Jasper

Welcome to the TA forums RockChalk

As banff has stated splitting your time between Banff and Jasper is an excellent way to explore the Canadian Rockies. Banff is only a 90 minute drive from Calgary where you can rent a vehicle or use the airport shuttle services to travel to Banff.

In July and August you will have excellent options for hiking in the Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper areas. All of the summer activities will be in full swing at that time as well so if you are interested in going whitewater rafting, canoeing, horseback riding, cycling or a ride on the Banff Gondola there would be excellent options available.

You can find information regarding activities, accommodation and dining in Banff and Lake Louise at www.banfflakelouise.com

I'm not sure what your price range or budget is for accommodation but a few recommendations if you are looking for quiet accommodation in Banff are:

Buffalo Mountain Lodge which offers cabin or chalet style accommodation with fireplaces and an outdoor hot tub. It also has an excellent restaurant.

Hidden Ridge Resort also offers cabin style accommodation many with fireplaces and a sauna and outdoor hot tub.

Banff Boutique Inn is a fantastic bed and breakfast with many options and styles of rooms. It is also close to downtown Banff where there are many excellent restaurants.

Lake Louise is very accessible from Banff as its only a 45 minute drive on the Trans Canada Highway but if you choose to stay in that area for easy access to the multitude of hiking trails in the Lake Louise area, a few recommendations for accommodation are:

Baker Creek Chalets which offers cabin accommodation. Its a 10 minute drive from the village of Lake Louise but it's in a beautiful location and has a great restaurant.

Paradise Lodge and Bungalows has cabins and hotel-style accommodation available. Its located between the village of Lake Louise and the lake itself so accessing the trails in the area would be very easy from this location.

Simpson's Num-ti-jah Lodge is located just north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway (also referred to as Highway 93 North). It is on the shores of Bow Lake and from there you would have great access to trails in the area (such as Bow Glacier Falls) and further along the Icefields Parkway.

A few hiking recommendations are:

Parker Ridge which is a great half day hike near the Columbia Icefield Centre and Wilcox Pass which allows you to gain nice views of the Athabasca Glacier.

Enjoy your trip!

BanffLakeLouise