Have you ever wanted to roadtrip in the Canadian Rockies? I sure did, and finally got the chance in June – bucket list stuff – camping in the van with my guy, hiking in magnificent mountain scenery by beautiful lakes and through awesome canyons, and the views, oh the views!
Road Trip! 8 weeks and 9,492 miles in Silver Streak in May and June, with 3 weeks in Canada.
Normally people from the West Coast would shoot up I-5 north to get to the Canadian Rockies, but I needed a few things done at the Coachmen factory and my generator fixed at the Cummins factory in Indiana so the Canada part of the trip started at the border crossing south of Winnepeg. I picked up Mike at Chicago O’Hare for the Canada leg of the roadtrip and had a weird hassle at the border – I had to log on to my bank and prove how much money I had available – Imagine! – my Instagram Canadian friends said they must have been bored.
After a couple of overnights crossing the prairie (Miller’s Camping Resort, Portage la Prairie, and River Park Camp Grounds, Moose Jaw), spent 2 nights at Dinosaur Provincial Park campground – highly recommend! Fascinating place, did 3 tours here. Badlands like South Dakota, lots of fossils (and intact ones!) found here. You need 2 nights here.
The Canadian Rockies – RV Camping
Banff Tunnel Mountain Village II campground, site C38 – Yes, it’s camping on a wide road but if you choose wisely, it’s great! I booked in advance site C38 for 2 nights, and then B76 later for a 3rd night. We really liked the tourist town of Banff, and there is a free shuttle from the campground to the town. $1.50 CAD, $1 senior for the ride back.
Jasper area camping – I’d booked a bunch of sites (electric) for our 6 nights in Jasper, and because of availability for electric, a different site each night. Not a problem for a van! Most of my sites were in the Whistler Campground, it’s huge but it’s also the closest to Jasper Town and has the most modern facilities. I booked 2 nights in Wabasso campground which would have been awesome but for the freak snowstorm that downed power and trees and trapped us in the campground for many hours. Best site I had in Whistler Campground was 46F.
Mt. Robson
Leaving Jasper and heading west you go past Mt Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies! There’s a great campsite near there – Robson River Campground. You can reserve online or First Come First Serve and get lucky. We got lucky with a FCFC at site 24. FCFS sites have to pay cash when the ranger comes around, Canadian currency only of course so make sure you have some.
Mount Robson and the Robson River
Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.
Gustave Flaubert
