Canada 150 in the Rockies

This Summer I’ll travel to Canada on a family trip and join Canadians in their celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Honestly the anniversary is just an excuse to go back in a country I really like and have already explored on several occasions from the east coasts of Nova Scotia to Vancouver island and the Pacific coast. But I’m still missing some of the most iconic places and this year it is time to take another one off the TODO list: the Canadian Rockies.

Starting from Calgary, I’ll visit all the 7 National Parks along the British Columbia – Alberta border, trying not to rush too much, enjoy the views, hike, relax…and avoid the hoards of tourists when possible. I’ve added two maps at the end of the post if you don’t know this region.

This is the plan:

  • Waterton Lakes NP: the small and less known Canadian part of the famous Glacier National Park in Montana U.S. which I visited 3 years ago. That time I decided not to cross the border so I missed the northern part, but I made a promise…
  • Kootenay NP: coming from the South, the natural way to reach Banff NP, while enjoying the hot springs in Radium and a beautiful scenery on the way
  • Banff NP: probably the most famous and visited national park in Canada around the towns of Banff and Lake Louise. Hopefully one week will be enough for a taste
  • Yoho NP: close to Lake Louise but in BC territory, this relatively less visited park could be the hidden gem of the trip
  • Glacier Canada NP: a must do on the Trans-Canada Highway while going to Revelstoke NP and worth more than a short stop for sure
  • Mount Revelstoke NP: “just” a mountain with an incredible scenic drive to reach the top and then enjoy some of the best hikes in the region
  • Jasper NP: together with Banff NP one of the most visited places in the country for very good reasons. And the road connecting Lake Louise and Jasper (the Icefields Parkway) is worth the trip by itself

 

The idea is to add more detailed posts once back home with pictures taken on the road (landscapes and maybe animals, no selfies!) and a report of the trip. Until then, enjoy the Summer!


Similar Posts