Planning the best Banff and Jasper itinerary can be overwhelming. These Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks contain so much natural beauty you might be wondering how to see it all, or at least as much as you can. You may even wonder if you can fit a third national park into your itinerary since Yoho and Kootenay National Parks are nearby. (Spoiler alert, you can!)
My husband and I recently ventured to Banff, Jasper, and Yoho for a 6-night, 7-day road trip. We were blown away by the beauty and all that we could fit into a roughly week-long itinerary. Our itinerary is detailed below. Be sure to read to the end where we highlight 8 important tips you’ll want to know as you plan the best Banff and Jasper itinerary. We’re also available for any questions you have – just leave us a comment and we’ll be sure to answer you.
* This post may contain affiliate links in which I receive a small commission if you use them at no extra cost to you.
In case you need it, here’s a quick refresher on the basics…
*Where are Banff, Jasper, and Yoho National Parks located? And what about Kootenay?
Banff National Park is located 80 miles west of Calgary in the Canadian Rockies. The park encompasses 1.6 million acres of rugged beauty and attracts 4 million visitors a year.
Jasper National Park is more remote, located 180 miles north of Banff. Jasper is Canada’s largest park in the Rocky Mountains containing more than 2.7 million acres. It welcomes more than 2 million visitors annually.
While both Banff and Jasper are in Alberta, Canada, Yoho National Park is in British Columbia. It’s a short 40-mile drive from Banff and 80 miles from Jasper. The park is smaller with just over 300,000 acres and nearly 700,000 annual visitors. If you’re wondering if Yoho National Park is worth a visit – especially after exploring the ultra-scenic Banff and Jasper – read this: Yoho National Park: Trip it or Skip it?
Prioritizing our time, we didn’t visit Kootenay National Park, located south of Yoho. It covers more than 350,000 acres and is the least visited of the four parks.
*What is the closest airport to Banff National Park?
The closest airport to Banff National Park is Calgary International Airport – roughly 90 miles east of Banff. It’s an easy drive on Trans-Canada Hwy/AB-1 to Banff. Banff is the best park to start your road trip as you make your way in from the east.
*What is the best time of year to visit Banff?
Summer is peak tourist season in the Canadian Rockies. The weather is gorgeous, but prices are at a premium and crowds are numerous. In our opinion September in Banff is ideal. The weather is still desirable and great for hiking, while crowds drop some this time of year. Plus, the colors create an even more stunning backdrop. Take a look.
*What is Banff’s altitude?
The town of Banff is located within Banff National Park and is the highest elevation town in Canada. Banff’s altitude is more than 4,500 ft above sea level with the mountains and some resorts sitting higher. We personally never felt the effects of the altitude – even while climbing and hiking Mt. Norquay at more than 7,000 ft elevation.
*What can we expect to see as far as animals in Banff, Jasper, and Yoho?
There’s a chance to see a lot of wild animals in Banff, Jasper, and Yoho. Black bears, grizzly bears, elk, moose, wolves, bighorn sheep, and more make this area their home.
- We saw bighorn sheep grazing in the grassy lookout slope at Mt. Norquay.
- On the drive up to the lookout we saw a black bear in the road.
- Elk were numerous in Jasper National Park right where we were staying.
- Picnicking near Lake Louise I had a run-in with an aggressive bird. As I was taking my last bite of sandwich, the bird swooped down and took it out of my hands as I was literally putting it into my mouth. It was a little scary, to be honest!
*What are the closest towns near Banff, Jasper, and Yoho National Parks?
The town of Banff is the ideal place to stay while beginning your Canadian Rocky Mountain adventure. It can be a little pricier than towns a little farther out, like Canmore, but well worth the convenience. The town of Jasper is the best base for exploring Jasper National Park. The Lake Louise area lies between Banff and Jasper and is another good option for lodging, especially if you’re visiting Yoho for more than a day.
Click below to browse lodging options:
*How many days in Banff, Jasper, and Yoho?
How many days you spend in Banff, Jasper, and Yoho will depend on how much time you have for your travels and what you all want to see. While you can definitely spend more time exploring these stunning parks, allowing 6-7 days road tripping through the Canadian Rockies is a good plan. It provides enough time to see and experience turquoise-colored lakes, stunning hikes, waterfalls, wildlife, glaciers, mountains, and much more in 3 different national parks. See how we did it below…
BANFF and JASPER ITINERARY (plus Yoho!)
TIME OF YEAR:
We visited the Canadian Rockies in the middle of September. The larch needles were bright gold and the aspens added pops of color. We had a little more than 12 hours of daylight each day.
WEATHER:
The average high temperature was 64°F and the average low was 31°F. This weather was perfect for hiking, albeit a little cool for the morning sunrise adventures. We strongly suggest dressing in layers, so you can easily take off clothing as you warm up.
GETTING THERE:
We flew into Calgary International Airport and rented a car there. We drove to Banff first and bought our national park pass on the drive into town. **You need a Parks Canada pass to enter any of the national parks. See the Parks Canada website for more information.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
(Be sure to read some key details about planning your trip at the end of the itinerary.)
Day One:
Fly into Calgary. Pick up rental car. Drive to town of Banff. Arrive in afternoon.
Settle into Moose Hotel and Suites. (Great hotel with amenities – including a heated pool overlooking the mountains, and an excellent location! A less-expensive option is next door at The Ptarmigan Inn.)
Walk into town for dinner and drinks.
Drive to Mt. Norquay “Green Spot” for sunset.
Day Two:
Up for the sunrise at Two Jack Lake.
Explore Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka.
Drive to Mt. Norquay for a 4-hour via ferrata climb. (alternate option: Explore Johnston Canyon and bring a picnic lunch.)
Walk into town for a late light lunch/appetizers in Banff.
Take the Banff gondola to summit of Sulphur Mountain.
Have dinner on the mountaintop.
View sunset.
Day Three:
Get an early start, check out of hotel and drive to Lake Louise for sunrise.
Hike Lake Agnes and Big Beehive Trails.
Drive to Moraine Lake. *See important note about Moraine Lake road closure and lodging below!
Hike up the Rockpile Trail for the best view and pictures.
Have dinner and watch sunset atop Rockpile.
Day Four:
Hike Moraine Lake Rockpile for sunrise.
Hike Larch Valley Trail.
Canoe Moraine Lake.
Grab lunch.
Begin drive to Jasper on Icefields Parkway.
Stop at Peyto Lake.
Short stop at Athabasca Glacier.
Check in to Jasper Pine Bungalows. (Cute, spacious cottages in beautiful surroundings.)
Drive into town for dinner.
Day Five:
Hike Edith Cavell Trail.
Have a picnic lunch.
Explore Maligne Canyon.
Walk around town of Jasper. Grab dinner and a drink.
View sunset by river in back of our rented Pine Bungalow cottage.
Day Six:
Check out of cabin. Head south on Icefields Parkway.
Explore Athabasca Falls.
Make short stops along Icefields Parkway: Athabasca Glacier (again), Waterfowl Lakes.
Drive to Yoho National Park.
Hike Emerald Lake loop.
Drive to Takakkaw Falls and explore.
Drive back to Banff. Check in to The Ptarmigan Inn.
Grab dinner and drinks in town.
Day Seven:
Drive to Calgary International Airport. Return rental car. Fly home.
To make things easier for you, we created an in-depth FREE and downloadable itinerary + packing list that you can print out. Fill in the information below to subscribe and we’ll send you a link to the download.
8 Important Tips and Takeaways
1. Overnight in Banff.
Some people choose to save a little bit of money and stay in a town farther out from Banff when beginning their trip. However, if you can swing it, we highly recommend staying in Banff. We were so impressed with the town of Banff that we changed our final night’s reservation from a Calgary hotel near the airport to another night in Banff.
Banff is cozy, welcoming, and a lot of fun. Surrounded by a beautiful backdrop of mountains, its rustic charm is evident in the mountain lodge style hotels, restaurants, and quaint cafes lining the picturesque and pedestrian-friendly main street, Banff Ave.
2. Johnston Canyon is a good alternative for Mt. Norquay via ferrata.
On day 2 we chose to experience a via ferrata climb up Mt. Norquay. If a steep mountain climb isn’t your thing, we suggest hiking Johnston Canyon – a 30-minute drive from Banff. The beautiful landscape is accented by rushing waterfalls which you can view from elevated catwalks built into the canyon.
3. Reserve Banff Gondola dinners in advance (as quickly as you can).
If you’re planning to have a meal at the top of Sulphur Mountain after riding the Banff Gondola (highly recommended!) you’ll want to make reservations in advance. Reservations open up 30 days in advance and I suggest you call right away that first day if you’re interested in the fine dining option, Sky Bistro. Tables fill up fast especially in peak season. A second dining option at the top of the mountain is the more casual Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen, which you should also book in advance. See the Banff Gondola website for details.
4. IMPORTANT: The road to Moraine Lake is closed to personal vehicles!
As of early 2023, Parks Canada closed the road to personal vehicles leading to Moraine Lake. To access the lake, you must take either a shuttle, tour, or stay overnight in Moraine Lake Lodge. We decided to splurge and spend one night at the lodge to have convenient access to the lake at times when day trippers had left for the day. Read our detailed review of Moraine Lake Lodge including a cost breakdown to see if the value of a stay outweighs the hefty price: Is Moraine Lake Lodge Worth the Splurge?
If you are coming to Moraine Lake just for the day, the Lake Louise area is an option for lodging. In that case, you’ll need to rearrange the events we have listed on days 3 and 4, since you’ll probably only make the trek to Moraine Lake once.
5. It’s still possible to get to Moraine Lake for sunrise.
Witnessing a Moraine Lake sunrise is on many people’s bucket lists. It’s wildly famous for the snow-capped mountain reflection glowing in the turquoise water amid the early morning pastel sky. We wrote a guide to help people navigate their options for seeing Moraine Lake at sunrise now that the road is closed to cars. You can read it here: Moraine Lake at Sunrise.
6. The town of Jasper is smaller and more remote than Banff.
The town of Jasper is a good base for exploring Jasper National Park, but it’s smaller and more remote than Banff. Jasper isn’t as charming as Banff, but still has a mix of restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops.
7. Get up early to maximize your time and encounter fewer crowds.
We can’t stress this enough. The early morning hours are the best times to view the parks in peace before you’re surrounded with other tourists. Plus, with a limited-time itinerary, you’ll want to fill every moment seeing and experiencing the area’s natural beauty.
8. Backtracking on the Icefields Parkway is a good thing.
Our itinerary includes driving from Banff to Jasper and then back again on the same highway. This isn’t just some random highway. It’s the Icefields Parkway – named one of the top 10 most scenic drives in the world by Condé Nast Traveler. The fact that you get to backtrack on this route means you have more time to experience the beauty and spread out your scenic stops over two separate days.
Leave a Reply