Climate is one of the most important factors when considering when to come to the Canadian Rockies, and what to bring. Below you’ll find the average high and low temperatures for Banff and Jasper, Alberta. Keep in mind that the weather varies quite a bit, despite what the averages say, and, per Murphy’s Law, it tends toward colder and and wetter than you had expected. The best advice is to be prepared.

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It seems lots of people have dogs out there, and are always sending questions about various issues with dogs on Canadian Rockies vacations. We’re doing our best to round up all the answers for you here. Below you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about bringing your dog(s) to the Canadian Rockies.

Are dogs allowed in the Jasper and Banff National Parks?

Dog love the Canadian Rockies.

Yes. According to Parks Canada, you are allowed to bring your dog into the park, but for the must part, the must be kept on leash. There are trails in Banff and Jasper National Park where dogs are not allowed though. If you plan on hiking with your dog, the best thing to do is check in with a Parks Canada information center and make sure your dog is welcome.

Are there pet friendly accommodations in the Canadian Rockies?

Yes! The Canadian Rockies are a pretty pet-friendly place. Check here for pet friendly accommodations in Canmore, here for Banff, here for Jasper and here for Calgary.

Are there any dog parks?

Yes. The town of Jasper has an off-leash dog park on the corner of Elm St. and Pyramid Lake Road. Canmore has an off-leash dog park just outside of town adjacent to Quarry Lake Park.

Stay tuned for more info!

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Planning an RV camping vacation? It’s hard to beat the Canadian Rockies, a must-visit for anyone who enjoys getting out in their RV. In places like Banff, Jasper and Canmore, we’ve got great scenery, wildlife, rivers and activities.

The sights of the Rockies make every road trip a pleasure.

We’ve also got plenty of great scenic drives, including the famous Icefields Parkway between Jasper National Park and Banff National Park, where you can see the Columbia Icefield. Add that to some awesome campgrounds, and you can see for yourself that this is a top RV vacation destination.

One of these great RV campgrounds is Rampart Creek in Banff National Park. Although you should know it only accommodates small RVs.The good news is campsites are all back-in and have lots of shade from the surrounding trees. There are no hookups, but they have well water (hand-pumped), pit toilets, fire rings, recycling bins and food storage containers. For a more full service campground in Banff, check out Tunnel Mountain.

About Rampart Creek Campground

Rampart Creek is a basic Banff National Park campground, with 50 sites. You’ll find it close to the Columbia Icefields (28 km away) along the Icefields Highway, making it a great stopping point for exploring this amazing part of the Canadian Rockies. It is 147 km from the town of Banff and 88 km from the town of Lake Louise.

Reservations cannot be made for this campsite. Like the majority of campsites in Banff National Park it is first-come, first served. Check out time is at 11 a.m., and is the best time to arrive to secure your site. Check here for reservable campsites.

Some of the sites have the privilege to overlook the North Saskatchewan River and the valley. The site is open from June 25-September 6, 2010 (weather dependent).

The campground consists of 4 loops including a walk-in tent section with dry toilets, water stations, sheltered camp kitchens with wood burning cook stoves, garbage containers and recycling bins. Remember: this is bear country, so all food items must be stored properly. Read all advisories when you arrive, as they may have information about dangerous wildlife and/or inform you if you need to boil the water.

Campground Services

• Recycling bins
• Food storage
• Disabled access
• Fees
• $15.70 for the site and an additional $8.80 for use of the fire pit. Note: Parks Canada reserves the right to change the fees without notice.

• Dry toilets
• Well water (hand pump)
• Kitchen shelters with wood cook stove
• Fire pits and firewood (available when you get the fire permit)
• Smoke-free loop

Banff Activities

Visit the Columbia Icefields, go hiking and try ice climbing in nearby famous spots in the winter.

Rampart Creek Campground

• Icefields Highway
• Banff National Park
• Banff, AB T1L 1K2
• (403) 762-1550

For general information contact:

• Banff National Park
• Box 900
• Banff, AB
• Canada, T1L 1K2
• Phone: (403) 762-1550

To see all other national park campsites in Canada, visit Parks Canada.

Other RV sites in Banff National Park

Contact:(403) 762-1550

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What could beat the Canadian Rockies as a place to go RV camping? Nothing, I’m betting. It’s got some of the world’s most famous scenic drives, including the Lake Louise to Jasper drive that takes you through the Columbia Icefields along the way.

Come visit one of the world's greatest RV camping spots here in Banff.

It’s also got terrific camping in some of the world’s most beautiful national parks, including Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, and great towns, such as Canmore, Banff and Jasper. Here you’ll be able to enjoy great Rockies vacation activities such as rafting, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and horseback riding.

One great place to set up camp in Banff is the Tunnel Mountain campground.

The Tunnel Mountain campground is in Banff National Park, just outside of Banff townsite.

This is Banff’s largest RV camping area, with 320 sites. Staying here, you’ll get great views of the valley, the Hoodoos and the Banff Springs Golf Course. It is located on Tunnel Mountain, just 2.4 km from the town of Banff. Which means you’re in easy walking distance from town. This can be nice if you don’t feel like pulling up stakes with the RV and coming in, or could use some time on your feet after some long drives.

The Tunnel Mountain campground has good services itself, including food, laundry and even a waterslide are nearby! It is also the only campground in the national park that has full RV hookups available (15 and 30-amp electrical hookups, water and sewer). So it’s sort of the RV’ers mecca for camping. The sites can accommodate large RVs, up to 50-feet long, and are pull-through (not just back-in).

Some of the sites are reservable, while others remain open for visitors on a first-come, first served basis. The campground is open from early May to early October (reservable May 14- October 3).

Visit Parks Canada Campground Reservation Service or call toll-free to 1.877.737.3783 (1.877.RESERVE) to reserve your spot at the Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court in Banff National Park. Please note that reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

You may also want to visit Parks Canada for descriptions of all campsites (reservable and non-reservable) on national park grounds.

Additional Services

• flush toilets
• each site has a picnic table
• disabled accessible
• interpretive programs
• fee: $38.20 (subject to change)
• hot showers
• pets allowed

Other RV Campgrounds in Banff National Park:

• fire pits and picnic tables at each site
• kitchen shelters located on grounds
• pets allowed
• fee: $32.30 (subject to change)

• Tunnel Mountain Village II
• 188 sites
• open year-round (reservable May 14- October 3)
• some sites available by reservation, others first-come, first served
• 15 and 30-amp electric hookups at each site, (no water or sewer hookups)
• can accommodate vehicles up to 50 feet long
• flush toilets
• hot showers

For more information about camping in Banff National Park:

• Banff National Park
• Box 900
• Banff, AB
• Canada, T1L 1K2
• Phone: (403) 762-1550

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Road Cycling Highwood Pass, Canadian Rockies

by Kathy & Craig Copeland
from Done in a Day Calgary cycling guide

Location: Kananaskis Country

Get more cycling vacation ideas from Done in a Day Calgary Road Rides.

Round trip: 34 km (21 mi) to Highwood Pass, 108 km (67 mi) to Highwood Junction

Cycling time: two to five hours

Elevation gain: 536 m (1760 ft) to 1267 m (4157 ft)

Difficulty: moderate to challenging

Racers wearing peacockish, logo-crazy cycling jerseys were there, checking their heart-rate monitors while hammering sculpted, carbon-fibre road machines.

Parents towing tots on trailer cycles were there, climbing the hills like yaks, straining under the burden yet smiling beatifically.

A 70-year-old couple was there, pedaling warhorse touring bikes, training for their ride across Croatia later this summer.

Kids on squeaking, screw-loose, derelict mountain bikes were there, unzipped hoodies ballooning in the breeze, helmets bouncing on their heads like dashboard doggies.

It was a typical spring weekend on Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country.

The pavement was free of snow. The winter gates were closed, keeping a 54-km (33.6-mi) section free of motorists. And dozens of Calgarians were enjoying what has become an annual street fair for cyclists—unofficial but wildly popular.

Any road closure granting dominion to cyclists is cause for celebration, but this one is special.

It’s long: 54 km (33.6-mi) form the north gate at King Creek to the south gate at Highwood Junction.

It’s lofty: Topping out nearly in the alpine zone at 2206-m (7238-ft) Highwood Pass, this is the highest public road in Canada.

It’s spectacular, traversing a mountain vastness enshrined within provincial parklands.

The price of admission, however, is steep. The gentle ascent from King Creek slowly builds to a granny-gear chore.

If this were the Tour de France route, the length and grade of the final skyward climb to the pass would earn it a Category 1 rating. The scale ranges from 4 (least challenging) to 1 (most challenging). Only a few pivotal, excruciating climbs earn a rating of “beyond category.”

Moderately strong riders will crest the pass within 1.25 hours. If you’re slower, you’ll simply get to enjoy the scenery longer—a good thing, because on the way back you’ll coast far enough and fast enough to make your eyes water.

Feeling sapped, eager to claim their downhill reward, most people turn around at the pass. Lay off the brakes and you’ll arrive at King Creek in about 45 minutes.

But if you have more time and can endure another ascent similar to the one you just completed, pedal through the pass and swoop into the Highwood River Valley.

Here’s where the atmosphere changes from street fair to backcountry adventure, because you’ll see few other cyclists. It’s like trail riding, only speedier, smoother, easier.

The gate near Highwood Junction is about an hour beyond the pass for moderately strong riders. But near where the highway levels and your coasting velocity slows, several picnic areas will tempt you to abort the journey and rest before climbing back to the pass.

The scenery remains engaging the entire way, and of course your sense of accomplishment increases the farther you go. But the best reason to tag the south gate is simply to take full advantage of the highway closure.

The gates reopen and vehicle traffic resumes Friday, June 16. Before they close again, December 1, you’ll need snowshoes to reach the pass. So don’t merely plan to bicycle Highway 40. Do it now.

What to bring

Wear a helmet, sunglasses, short-sleeve jersey, and cycling-specific shorts, shoes and gloves. That plus a little sunscreen might be all you need to wear on a fine spring day. But if it gets breezy or cloudy, you’ll want extra layers: tights, warm gloves, an insulating long-sleeve jersey, and a wind shell. Always carry a small repair kit, so you can make adjustments and fix a flat. Your gear, plus lunch and some high-energy snacks, should fit in your seat wedge, daypack, or rack trunk. Be sure to fill your water bottles or hydration pack.

Getting there

From Calgary, drive Highway 1 west. Take the Highway 40 exit and continue south 50 km (31 mi) into Kananaskis Country. Slow down at King Creek Day Use Area (left). Shortly beyond, Kananaskis Lakes Trail (right) departs Highway 40. Just past that intersection is the winter gate halting motorists December 1 through June 15. The elevation here is 1670 m (5480 ft). Park at King Creek, or beside the highway if the gate is closed.

The ride

From the winter gate near King Creek, begin a gentle ascent south on Highway 40 beneath Mt. Wintour (left).

After a short descent, a moderate climb leads to where Valley View Trail (a dirt road) forks left. Proceed south on the highway.

Over your right shoulder (northwest) the Spray Mountains and Kananaskis Range are impressive. Right (west) are the enormous peaks ringing Upper Kananaskis Lake.

Within 45 minutes, you’ll be next to Pocaterra Creek. Pass a gated dirt road forking right. Attention mountain bikers: it leads to Elk Lakes Provincial Park. The highway curves left (east) here.

Ignore Little Highwood Pass Day Use Area. It’s just a tiny parking lot without picnic tables. The ascent soon begins in earnest. You have five relentlessly uphill kilometers to go.

Though Elpoca Mountain (left / north) is an extraordinary sight, it’s difficult to appreciate while attempting to defy gravity. Should you need a rest, Elbow Pass Day Use Area is just ahead and does have a couple tables.

Heading southwest now, the highway climbs between Mt. Rae (left) and Pocaterra Ridge (right). The ridgecrest trail is a rewarding hike in summer.

Reach 2206-m (7238-ft) Highwood Pass at 17 km (10.6 mi). Before turning around, pedal far enough to see the highway plunge into the forest beyond.

Keen cyclists will take that plunge, rocketing southeast into the Highwood River Valley, cruising past Mt. Lipsett Recreation Area at 23.2 km (14.4 mi), and curving east beneath Mist Mountain (left).

The downhill thrill is over near Mist Creek Recreation Area at 34.5 km (21.4 mi). You’re not aiming for Highwood Junction? Relax here beside the Highwood River.

Resuming southeast, Picklejar, Trout Ponds, Lantern Creek, and Lineham Creek recreation areas are at 35, 35.7, 37.6, and 43 kilometers (21.7, 22.2, 23.4, 26.7 miles). The others, at Cat and Fitzsimmons creeks, are close enough to Highwood Junction that you might as well fluff your pride by finishing the task.

Reach the south gate at 54 km (33.6 mi), 1475 m (4840 ft). Immediately beyond is Highwood Junction, where Highway 541 proceeds east, and Highway 940 turns south.

The junction’s sole enterprise is the Highwood House store, which opens each year on May 1. So before starting the two-hour ride back to the pass, you can do more than refill water bottles. You can indulge your Homer Simpson-size craving for snacks.

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Spring is arriving slowly but surely in the Canadian Rockies, and that means the time for one of the Rockies most popular activities, whitewater rafting. Here’s a quick guide to Rockies rafting events coming up this spring.

Alberta offers great spring rafting vacation options.

The 3 Rivers White Water Rendezvous from May 21-24 is one great long weekend filled with river runs, races, film nights, pancake breakfasts, camping and even kayak lessons to sharpen your skills on the water.

Local Southern Alberta paddling groups, such as the Pinch’O’Crow Creekers, pair up with the Alberta Whitewater Association (AWA) to host trips down Carbondale, The Old Man, Crowsnest, Castle and Elk rivers, to name a few. The rivers here range from class I-II to III-IV along with a huge waterfall in the area where daredevils put on quite a show for the crowd. This is a great family-friendly event, the weekend festival gives kids the opportunity to receive top quality coaching from great slalom kayakers as well as freestyle paddlers and river runners.

Novice paddlers can take a clinic through the AWA, and learn about everything from flatwater lessons to advanced river skills, slalom kayaking clinics and races from novice to advanced, freestyle clinics, festivals and rodeos for all skill levels, and even downriver and wild water races for the competitive set.

For more opportunities to get out on Alberta’s rivers, get out to the Paddlefest in Sundre (Jul 9-11), Slave River Festival through Fort Smith, NWT, into Alberta (Jul 30-Aug 2), Grande Cache River Rendezvous (Jun 11-13), Brierlies Fest at Rocky Mountain House (Jul 2-5), Kanfest in Seebe (Aug 14-15) and the Provincial White Water Championships in Seebe (Sep 3-6).

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If there’s an epicenter, a place where the history of Banff National Park springs from that would have to be Sulphur Mountain.

Banff from above.

Sulphur Mountain gets its name from two of its most main attractions: the Cave and Basin toward the bottom of the mountain, and the Banff Upper Hot Springs further up. Hot springs, of course, are a welcome sight in the cold Canadian Rockies, and both of these places are well worth visiting.

The Banff Upper Hot Springs, one of nine commercially developed hot springs in the area, are seasonal springs, with water flow peaking in the spring and at their lowest in winter. In fact, since the early 2000s, spring’s flow has stopped completely in the winter, prompting Banff officials to keep the springs alive with municipal water. The water’s natural source comes from either Sulphur Mountain or nearby Mount Rundle, and it flows through the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault, geothermally heated to approximately 38 degrees Celsius.

The Cave and Basin Hot Springs was first explored in the mid-1800s, but they became a primary tourist destination toward the turn of the century when a pair of railroad workers climbed down a felled tree into the cave and realized what an opportunity they were looking at. Today, interpetive hikes and replicas of that time remain … along with the springs themselves, of course.

Sulphur Mountain is about more than just its hot springs, though, no matter how refreshing they might be. One of its attractions, of course, is the fact that it is a mountain, which means it’s there to be climbed.

Today, the Banff Gondola running along the eastern slope can carry you up to the summit. At the ridge, you’ll find two fine restaurants, a gift shop, and numerous lookout points from which you can see the Bow Valley to the west and east. Follow a boardwalk that begins on the north side and you can walk up to Sanson’s Peak, which has an elevation of 2,256 meters (7,402 feet).

For hikers and purists, the true summit of Sulphur Mountain can be reached on a scrambler’s trail on the south side of the mountain. It’s not a hugely difficult climb, and you can get a bit higher than you’ll see at Sanson’s Peak. Sulphur Mountain tops out at 2,451 meters (8,041 feet).

By the way, the meteorological research station remains intact. You can visit the site. It has been preserved as completely as possible.

In 1957, a new laboratory was built on the peak to study cosmic rays. That observatory was operational until 1978, but the building was removed in 1981. Now, a plaque marks the site where it stood.

So the next time you’re in the Canadian Rockies, come warm yourself at the hot springs of Sulphur Mountain, either before or after you climb to a rather spectacular view. Even in a place as special as the Rockies, this is one summit that stands out from the rest.

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Out of the many historical sites you’ll want to visit on a tour of Banff National Park, one of the best to see is the hot springs at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site.

Come see Banff's beauty and discover its history.

The Cave and Basin sits below of nine  hot springs, bunched in three groups on Sulphur Mountain’s northeastern side. Humans have visited these hot springs as far back as 10,000 years ago. European explorers discovered it for their first time in the mid-1800s.

The Cave and Basin itself, a huge underground cavern large enough that whole groups of people can stand in it comfortably, was found later than the rest of the springs by explorer and amateur comedian Joe Healey in 1875.

Eight years afterward, Canadian Pacific Railway workers, William McCardell and Frank McCabe, brought more attention to the cavern one late evening after they descended through the skylight entrance using a felled tree. A strange thing to do, but it paid off. The next year, they made a small cabin nearby with the idea of commercial applications, and brought tourism to the Cave and Basin.

Or maybe not such a good idea, as their plan dissolved as claims and counterclaims of ownership arose. It arose into a huge debacle over ownership of not just the springs, but of Banff, that eventually prompted the Canadian government to step in and rule on ownership and compensation.

Legal trainwrecks aside, The Cave and Basin has already established itself as a vacation area. Workers in 1886 drilled an artificial tunnel into the Cave and Basin to make visiting the cavern easier. Bottled water from the cavern was sold in 1912 with the assertion that it carried curative powers. The popularity of the site grew so quickly that in 1914 a naturally heated swimming pool was opened in the cavern and remained open until 1994.

Today, the Cave and Basin is a treasure trove of the developmental history of Banff National Park. On the site you will find a replical of an 1887 bathhouse, the structure around the restored swimming pool (though you still can’t swim in it today), and many interpretive displays and hiking and snowshoe trails.

And if you’re looking for more hot springs (which, given the temperatures the Canadian Rockies can reach, we wouldn’t blame you for one bit!), the Banff Upper Hot Springs is a separate facility just 5 kilometers southeast of the Cave and Basin.

Hey, on a cold day in the high country, hot springs can be a very welcome sight. When you add to it the Cave and Basin’s historical significance, it is certainly a fine way to spend a fun, informative and refreshing afternoon.

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Planning on taking the whole family out for a Rockies vacation? One of the top places on your list should be Jasper National Park.

This part of the Canadian Rockies offer children many exciting activities. You’ll find all kinds of vacation activities here to keep yourselves entertained, and you kids from getting bored.

Recommended Kids’ Activities in Jasper National Park

Go Guided: The many talented guides in Jasper can take you and your out and show you the best places in the park, help you safely look for area wildlife, and learn about the park’s history, ecology and more.

Get out: Take a hike, with the kids. There are plenty of great trails all around Jasper that are perfect for younger kids, including The Discovery Trail, located on the edge of Jasper townsite, and Lake Annette Loop. These trails are short, fun and easy, perfect for burning off a some kid energy.

Snowtubing: Another great way to have fun with the whole family, and let the kids get out and burn off some extra energy.

Museums: Need a more relaxed day? Hang out in the local museums. You can learn about Jasper history at the Yellowhead Museum or see the many wildlife displays at the Wildlife Den in Whistler’s Inn.

Just Jasper: The town of Jasper offers plenty of interesting shops, ice cream parlors and restaurants  that can be fun for the whole family. The surrounding mountains of Jasper National Park are almost always visible, so you can still enjoy the scenery. Scenic Appreciation

Take a Float: Rafting can be an awesome bonding experience for you and your family, and the Athabasca river in Jasper National Park is perfect for all levels.  You can float this river in a 20-person raft, suitable for even younger children.

Maligne Canyon and Lake: You can walk over six bridges for views of the Canadian limestone gorges and waterfalls. Learn more about Maligne Lake.

An Icy Vacation: The Columbia Icefields are a stunning Jasper must-see. You can go out onto the glacier in an ice buggy. Older kids will enjoy a river float trip, which is a fun way to spend the day.

Jasper Tramway: Open during the warmer months, Canada’s highest aerial tram is the Jasper Tramway just outside of Jasper. In just seven-minutes you’ll reach an altitude of 8,000 feet. A guide shares the history of Jasper as you look out over the spectacular Canadian Rockies scenery of Jasper and the entire Athabasca Valley.

Fishing: Rent fishing rods and buy bait at the boathouse.

Horseback Riding: In warmer months, take a morning or afternoon trail ride that heads out from the Maligne Lake Lodge to the top of the Bald Hills. The rides are from three to four hours long, so this is best for older kids. They will appreciate the wildflower-covered meadows and views of ice-capped mountains that Jasper offers along the way.

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Jasper Recommendations

Jasper National Park is one of the top sightseeing vacation spots in all of the Rockies, and is perfect for mountain vacations year round, but the summer can be especially magical, and has better road conditions to boot.

The Jasper summer activities season typically runs from the beginning of May until the middle of October. Of course, this is all dependent on the weather in the Canadian Rockies, which can be a little unpredictable.

Take a good look at Jasper

Want to see Jasper right now, as you sit at your computer? Visit the Jasper webcam. This webcam actually allows you to control it yourself, moving the camera 360 degrees, zooming in and out, and even snapping photos to share with friends. It’s free and you don’t even need to register to use it.

Getting to Jasper

The train is one fun way to get to Jasper any time of year. The half-day train rides run year-round, three times a week. Railway journeys to the British Colombia interior is with VIA Rail Skeena.

Daily buses (in summer) to Jasper from Calgary, Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise.

Greyhound also has regular bus service to Jasper from both Vancouver and Edmonton.

Sundog Tours runs daily shuttle service to Jasper from Edmonton and Edmonton airport.

Getting Around Town

Mr. Taxi is a good local option if you have not rented a car.

Where to Eat

Jasper has a wide variety of restaurants, offering everything from ethnic foods to fine dining, burger joints to great places to pick up a big breakfast before heading out for a hike. Check out this Jasper restaurant guide to get the info you need.

Jasper Tramway

This is one of the best ways to take in all the scenery of Jasper National Park for all visitors, and to get good photographs, see wildlife, and just generally take in Jasper. Check out this hand Jasper tramway guide for more info.

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