We had the opportunity to visit Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks in July 2022 and immediately fell in love. It’s hard to describe just how massive and breathtaking the Canadian Rockies are. Add in the most incredible turquoise lakes, powerful waterfalls, and milky blue rivers, and you’ve got the trip of a lifetime. We spent 10 days hiking and exploring the three parks and already can’t wait to go back! 

Read on to learn how we spent 10 days in Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks, including our favorite hikes, where we stayed, and some tips to help you have the best time ever!

When is the best time to visit Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks?

Depending on what activities and weather you’re after, you could visit Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks any time of year. In the winter there will be a lot of snow and ice, but we have to imagine it’s absolutely gorgeous draped in white. If you like skiing or snowboarding, this could be a really fun time to visit! 

This post is all about visiting Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks in peak summer, when most snow has melted out, hikes are much more accessible, and risk of avalanche danger has passed. Our visit fell between July 22-31, and it was a really great time to visit. 

There are a few downfalls of visiting in peak summer: it was pretty hot, things were quite busy, and there were a TON of mosquitoes. Seriously, you’re going to want A LOT of strong bug spray. But all things considered, we were happy with our timing for the trip and it allowed us to enjoy all the awesome Banff area hikes on our list with very minimal snow encounters.

Fall would also be an absolutely gorgeous time to visit Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks and is less busy than peak summer. While you do have to worry about dipping temperatures and snow starting to fall, it’s worth it to see such incredible fall colors as long as you’re prepared for the potential conditions. We’re hoping to plan another visit for fall 2023!  

Looking for more information about the best time to visit Banff National Park and the surrounding areas? Check out this blog post that breaks it down in great detail.

Traveling from Seattle to Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks

The drive from Seattle to Banff National Park is just over 10 hours, and Seattle to Jasper is actually a little less than that. If you choose to fly, the flight from Seattle to Calgary is about 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

We opted to fly this time since we were traveling for Shane to attend a work conference and many of our expenses were covered by that. While it was a short, easy flight – by the time you travel to the airport, go through security, etc., we feel it would have been worth it to just drive. It also would have cut back on some expenses, such as paying to park at the airport and renting a car (more on our trip expenses below), although of course you have to account for the mileage you’ll put on the car and additional gas money. 

One other thing to consider is that it’s a bit more limited what you can pack if you fly. For example, we had to buy new bear spray and propane when we arrived in Canada instead of bringing what we already had. It was also a little tricky packing all of our camping equipment, and we actually got our Jet Boil confiscated on the way back home (despite making it into Canada with it just fine). 

Tip: If you fly to Banff National Park, note that you can donate your (hopefully unused) bear spray and left over propane at the Banff Visitor Center when your trip ends, and they’ll provide it to their park staff to use!

Where to stay in Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks and when to book accommodations

We opted to do a mix of campgrounds and hotels for this trip to break it up and ensure we never had to go more than a few days without a shower. While there are a ton of campgrounds in the parks, things book up early for the peak summer season. For reference, we booked our campgrounds and hotels at the end of January for a July trip.

Although it can be a bit of a pain packing up and moving around, we were really glad that we opted to stay inside each of the parks – Banff, Yoho, and Jasper. It was nice to minimize driving and be able to make the most of our time in each area instead of having long drives back to our accommodations each night. 

Here’s what our accommodations looked like for the trip:

• Tunnel Mountain Village 1 Campground (Banff) – 1 night
• Emerald Lake Lodge (Yoho) – 2 nights
• Wapiti Campground (Jasper) – 2 nights
• Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (Banff) – 4 nights*

We decided to splurge more than usual for our non-camping nights and stayed at Emerald Lake Lodge and the Fairmont Banff Springs. Both provided incredible experiences, and we would highly recommend these accommodations if they work with your plans and budget. It’s also worth noting that we stayed at the Fairmont Banff Springs for so long due to Shane attending his work conference hosted there. We normally would not have stayed here so long and would have camped more instead! 

Emerald Lake Lodge

Staying at Emerald Lake Lodge was a bucket list item for us, and I’m so glad we did it! It’s an absolutely gorgeous location and feels like a really special experience that you can’t have in too many places. We wrote this post covering 10 things to know before staying at Emerald Lake Lodge – check it out if you’re interested in possibly staying here yourself! 

Fairmont Banff Springs

As for the Fairmont Banff Springs? You’ll truly feel like you’re walking into a fairytale. The building is an incredible stone castle with the most impressive display of flowers you’ve ever seen. It’s an easy 20’ish minute walk into downtown Banff and has a ton to explore in the hotel itself such as shopping and different bars, restaurants, and cafes. There are also indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, and breathtaking mountain and river views. It’s the perfect place to end your trip if you want to treat yourself and relax before the journey back home.

Other accommodations in Banff, Yoho, and Jasper

Looking to go another route? There are plenty of great places to stay in all three areas. You can explore more options at the links below:

• Accommodations in Banff
• Accommodations in Yoho National Park
• Accommodations in Jasper

Tip: Even if you don’t stay at Emerald Lake Lodge or the Fairmont Banff Springs, we highly recommend dining at Cilantro Cafe and the Rundle Bar at these two places for incredible views!

Cost to visit Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks for Two People

I’ll mention again that this trip was spurred by Shane’s work conference, and so our plans and expenses looked a bit different than they otherwise might have. Had we camped more and drove our own vehicle, we could have had some substantial cost savings and still had an absolutely incredible trip!

• Flights: $312.38 + 30,000 Alaska Airline Miles
• Airport Parking (in Seattle): $124.94
• Camping – Tunnel Mountain Village1 (1 night): $50 (includes fire permit)
• Camping – Wapiti (2 nights): $88.50 (includes fire permit)
• Hotel – First night: $121
• Hotel – Emerald Lake Lodge (2 nights): $1,028
• Hotel – Fairmont Banff Springs (4 nights): $1,876
• Rental Car: $839.60
• Food & Drinks (Out): $833.50
• Groceries: $245 (includes bear spray and propane)
• Gas: $163.50
• Canadian National Parks Pass & Parking: $141.20
• Taxi & Uber Rides: $107

TOTAL = $5,930.62 USD



10-Day Itinerary for Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks

Day 0  |  Travel

• Late flight from Seattle to Calgary
• Stayed at a cheap hotel just for a few hours of sleep

Day 1  |  Kananaskis Country and Canmore

• Picked up rental car
• Stopped by Walmart for groceries and essentials, and Canadian Tire for bear spray, propane, and some camping meals
• Drove from Calgary to Kananaskis Country and hiked Rawson Lake and Sarrail Ridge (7 miles RT, 3,497′ elevation gain)
  • You’ll enjoy beautiful views along the drive and right from the parking area for this hike. The way to Rawson Lake is a very manageable hike, with the real challenge coming in the final push to Sarrail Ridge. It’s quite steep with loose scree and dirt — hiking poles highly recommended!
• Dinner in Canmore at Tank310 (food was just okay, but worth a visit for the incredible views!)
• Stayed at Tunnel Mountain 1 Campground in Banff
  • Very clean with large, nice bathrooms and showers. If you pay for the fire permit, you get unlimited fire wood which is convenient.





Day 2  |  Yoho National Park

• Hiked Iceline, Little Yoho Valley, and Yoho Valley Trail Loop (13.5 miles RT, 3,454′ elevation gain)
  • This is a long hike, but boasts incredible views the entire way. We did the loop clockwise and got the steepest part out of the way first, and were happy with our choice.
• We had lunch along the trail, and stopped at the picnic tables by Takkakaw Falls to cook dinner at the very end of the hike.
• Stayed at Emerald Lake Lodge











Day 3  |  Yoho National Park

• Hiked the very easy Emerald Lake Loop (3.2 miles RT, 400′ elevation gain)
  • We recommend doing this early in the morning for pretty mountain reflections in the water and to enjoy the peace and quiet before day-visitors start to pour in
• Lunch at Cilantro Café at Emerald Lake Lodge
• Wapta Falls (3 miles RT, 410′ elevation gain)
  • We saw a beautiful rainbow over the falls and enjoyed walking down to the water to get a little wet (water shoes would have been nice!)
• Dinner at Cilantro Café (We loved it so much we went back! Casual, good food, and incredibnle views)
• Stayed at Emerald Lake Lodge







Day 4  |  Icefields Parkway

This entire drive is absolutely gorgeous with huge mountains in every direction. Allow a full day and make as many stops as you feel up for. Here’s what we fit in:

• Herbert and Bow Lakes (both quick stops)
• Peyto Lake Viewpoints and hiked to Bow Summit Viewpoint (4.1 miles RT, 918′ elevation gain)
  • We went to the main viewpoint and then continued on to the second Panorama Viewpoint, which we highly recommend to get away from the crowds. From there, we went up to the summit which offered totally different views out over Bow Lake, so it was worth it if you have the energy.
• Mistaya Canyon (1.1 miles RT, 259′ elevation gain)
  • Neat stop to view a raging river carving through a deep canyon. We did the loop, but you really don’t gain anything by doing the upper portion. We wouldn’t say this stop is 100% must-do, but it’s cool if you have the time.
• Saskatchewan River Crossing (Huge store with gas and food)
• Parker Ridge hike (4 miles RT, 1,108′ elevation gain)
  • We LOVED this hike! Huge payoff for minimal effort. 360-degree mountain views and views of several glaciers. We packed some food and hung out for a bit at the top.
• Dinner at Jasper Brewing Company
• Camped at Wapiti Campground







Day 5  |  Jasper

• Sunrise at Maligne Lake (we didn’t get the best sunrise, but it was still pretty)
• Waffle Hut (cute little spot with outdoor seating by the lake, but we didn’t realize it doesn’t open until 10 so had to kill some time on the Skyline Trail to Lorraine and Mona Lakes, which was meh)
• Tried to go to Maligne Canyon but it was packed so we decided to skip it and instead went into Jasper and got mimosas at Sunhouse Cafe
• Then we found a nice spot by the Athabasca River to have lunch and hang out in our hammock for a few hours
• Hiked Valley of the Five Lakes (3 miles RT, 534′ elevation gain)
  • We started with Fifth Lake and went counterclockwise, ending at First Lake, which was awesome for swimming! We walked all the way to the end of the lake where it was really shallow — the water was warm and we had great views with absolutely no one else around.
• On the way back to camp, we stopped to have a drink at Beckers Gourmet Bistro. It seemed to be a somewhat fancy restaurant, but we were able to just grab a glass of wine and take it anywhere on the property, so we went out and sat overlooking the river.
• Dinner at camp
• Camped at Wapiti Campground





Day 6  |  Jasper and Banff

• Hiked Edith Cavell Meadows (5.1 miles RT, 1,879′ elevation gain)
  • This hike is mostly exposed, so good to start before it gets too hot. Great views of Mount Edith Cavell and the glacier, with a milky turquoise blue lake at its base. Shane pushed on to the ridge at the end, which added 1.5 miles RT and 1,000′ gain — he said it was tough but he’d do it again for the views (I was also happy with my views staying back!)
• Athabasca Falls – easy paved trail, definitely worth the quick stop
• Tangle Creek Falls – quick stop along the road
• Columbia Icefields Discovery Center and hike out to Athabasca Glacier – unique experience but not worth booking a tour in our opinion .. easy walk to view the glacier from a distance
• Dinner on the rooftop at El Patio in Banff (great food and atmosphere)
• Stayed at Fairmont Banff Springs







Day 7  |  Banff

This was the start of the conference for Shane, so we slowed down quite a bit!

• Hiked Chephren Lake (5 miles RT, 797′ elevation gain)
  • Low key hike entirely through the woods to a pretty lake, but there wasn’t a great spot to hang out near the water
• Dinner at Rundle Bar at the hotel (time it up for dinner on the patio … absolutely gorgeous!)
• Stayed at Fairmont Banff Springs





Day 8  |  Banff

• Relaxed at hotel and pool
• Dinner at Waldhaus Restaurant (cool spot on the property at the Fairmont but wouldn’t necessarily go back … we opted to sit inside because the mosquitoes were so bad!)
• Stayed at Fairmont Banff Springs

Day 9  |  Banff

• Cave and Basin (quick stop to view some hot springs – neat, but if you’ve been to Yellowstone, you’ll be very underwhelmed)
• Cascade of Time Garden (gorgeous and free – located just outside of town)
• Surprise Corner Viewpoint (good view overlooking the beautiful Fairmont Banff Springs hotel)
• Cascade Ponds (SUPER crowded, so we didn’t stay)
• Dinner at Three Bears Brewery
• Stayed at Fairmont Banff Springs



Day 10  |  Lake Louise and Travel

• Sunrise hike to the Big Beehive at Lake Louise (6.8 miles RT, 2,545′ elevation gain)
  • We tried to go to Moraine Lake, but the road/parking was already full/closed off at 3:45 a.m.! Although it wasn’t what we originally planned, this hike was beautiful and we only saw one other person on the hike up (but tons of people as we hiked down)
• Travel home



Other things to do in Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks

As with most trips, there just wasn’t enough time to do everything we wanted. Here are some of the other spots that were on our list that we didn’t get to:

Things to do in Banff National Park

• Moraine Lake
• Sunset at Vermillion Lakes
• Johnston Canyon and Ink Pots
• Lake Annette
• Two Jack lake
• Lake Minnewanka 
• Plain of Six Glaciers
• Helen Lake Trail
• C Level Cirque
• Elk and Oarsmen (rooftop patio)
• Bow River Pathway
• Banff Gondola
• Fenland Trail
• Cory Pass – Mt. Edith Circuit
• Piper Pass
• Grassi Lakes

Things to do in Kananaskis Country

• Mount Smutwood
• Blackshale Suspension Bridge
• Read’s Tower
• Tent Ridge



Things to do in Yoho National Park

• Truffle Pigs Bistro
• Paget Peak
• Lake O’hara and Opabin Plateau

Things to do in Jasper National Park

• Go rafting on the Athabasca River
• Columbia Icefield Skywalk
• Athabasca Glacier tour
• Sunwapta Falls
• Bald Hills Loop
• Maligne Canyon
• Bear’s Paw Bakery
• Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge for a drink outdoors
• Sunset at Pyramid or Patricia Lake
• Coco’s Cafe
• Harvest
• Wilcox Pass
• Sulphur Skyline Trail

Thanks for reading our post all about the best things to do in Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks! Please don’t hesitate to reach out on Instagram if you have any additional questions. We’re always happy to help!