Moon Canadian Rockies: With Banff & Jasper National Parks: Scenic Drives, Wildlife, Hiking & Skiing

by Andrew Hempstead

Overview

Snowy peaks, icy glaciers, glittering lakes, and alpine meadows: Answer the call of the wild with Moon Canadian Rockies. Inside you'll find:

• Strategic, flexible itineraries in the national parks, including a two-week Canadian Rockies road trip
• The best hikes in the Canadian Rockies: Find the right trek for you with details on length, elevation gains, difficulty levels, and trailheads
• Can't-miss outdoor experiences: Hike to incredible vistas and try to spot moose, bighorn sheep, wolves, and black bears. Soak in a natural hot spring after a day on the slopes or wander through meadows of colorful wildflowers. Ride across the Columbia Icefield in an Ice Explorer, float through the sky in a mountain gondola, or white-water raft down rivers of snowmelt. Go horseback riding though the Tonquin Valley or fish for your own fresh dinner and camp under the stars
• Expert insight from Banff local Andrew Hempstead on when to go, where to eat, and where to stay, from campgrounds to luxurious mountain lodges
• Full-color photos, detailed maps of each park, and handy directions, including driving times and mileages, and coverage of gateway towns
• Background information on the landscape, culture, history, wildlife, and environment
• In-depth coverage of Banff National Park, Kootenay National Park, Yoho National Park, Jasper National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and nearby cities of Banff, Canmore, Jasper, Calgary, Radium Hot Springs, Golden, and Kananaskis Country

With Moon's practical tips and local insight, you can experience the best of the Canadian Rockies.

Hitting the road? Try Moon U.S. and Canadian Rockies Road Trip. Focusing on the parks? Check out Moon Best of Glacier, Banff, and Jasper.
 

About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.

For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640496729
Publisher:	Avalon Publishing
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Series:	Travel Guide
Edition description:	11th ed.
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	235,387
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 5.60(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

As a professional travel writer, Andrew Hempstead spends as much time as possible on the road, traveling incognito, experiencing the many and varied delights of each destination just as his readers do. He looks forward to spending every second summer at home in the Canadian Rockies, traveling mountain highways and hiking trails, exploring new places, and updating old favorites.

Since the early 1990s, Andrew has authored and updated more than 60 guidebooks, and supplied content for regional and national clients like Expedia and KLM. His photography has appeared in a wide variety of media, ranging from international golf magazines to a Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum.

Andrew and his wife, Dianne, own Summerthought Publishing, a Canadian regional publisher of nonfiction books. He is a member of The Diners Club® World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy. Andrew has also spoken on travel writing to a national audience and has contributed to a university-level travel writing textbook.

Andrew and his family live in Banff, Alberta.

Table of Contents

Discover the Canadian Rockies 10

13 Top Experiences 14

Planning Your Trip 22

If You're Looking For 24

Avoid the Crowds 26

Best of the Canadian Rockies 28

Top 15 Hikes 29

Rockies Road Trip 31

Winter Adventures 32

Family Fun 34

Camping Out 36

Best Wildlife Viewing 37

Banff National Park 38

Town of Banff 49

Lake Louise and Vicinity 91

Icefields Parkway: Banff 108

Nearby Parks 115

Canmore 120

Sights and Recreation 125

Entertainment and Events 133

Food 134

Accommodations and Camping 136

Information and Services 140

Getting There and Around 140

Kananaskis Country 141

Bow Valley Provincial Park 147

Kananaskis Valley 149

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park 155

Spray Valley Provincial Park 161

Sibbald 164

Elbow River Valley and Vicinity 166

Sheep River Valley 169

Highwood/Cataract Creek 171

Kootenay National Park and Vicinity 174

Sights and Recreation 179

Accommodations and Camping 185

Information and Transportation 186

Radium Hot Springs and Vicinity 187

Yoho National Park and Vicinity 196

Sights and Recreation 201

Practicalities 211

Golden 215

Jasper National Park 220

Icefields Parkway: Jasper 227

Town of Jasper 236

Nearby Parks 265

Waterton Lakes National Park 273

Sights and Drives 279

Recreation 280

Entertainment and Events 287

Food 287

Accommodations and Camping 290

Information and Services 293

Getting There and Around 294

Nearby Parks 297

Calgary 297

Sights 303

Sports and Recreation 314

Entertainment and Events 315

Shopping 322

Food 323

Accommodations and Camping 328

Information and Services 331

Getting There and Around 332

Background 334

The Landscape 334

Plants 338

Animals 339

History 346

Essentials 351

Getting There 351

Getting Around 356

Recreation 357

Accommodations and Camping 364

Travel Tips 369

Health and Safety 370

Information and Services 372

Resources 376

Suggested Reading 376

Internet Resources 380

Index 383

List of Maps 390

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From the Publisher