(2023 Alaska Revisited Ep 26)

Canada’s Banff and Jasper National Parks are a common stopover for those driving to or from Alaska.  After nearly two months in Alaska and several weeks in Yukon and Northwest Territories, we decided to check out these parks as we headed home.

The parks encompass the Canadian Rockies, with Jasper NP (and the town of Jasper) to the north and Banff NP (and town of Banff) to the south.   The 143-mile Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic highways, connects the two parks.

Getting There

From Dawson Creek and the end of the Alaska Highway, we drove southeast past large wheat and hay fields at first, then across rolling hills with dense forests, and finally through low mountains.  We expected to see rugged and tall mountains along the route, but thick forest fire smoke kept them mostly hidden.

Jasper National Park

It was drizzling when we arrived at Jasper NP and set up camp.  Near freezing nighttime temps with snow flurries were forecast, so we splurged on a campsite with electricity and water.  That night, we were thankful for the tiny electric heater that kept us warm.

We were awakened by the eerie bugle calls of nearby elk the next morning.  We couldn’t see them but knew they were there!  We opened Pap’s window shades and were elated to see sunshine and the tall mountains surrounding the campground.

An Elk Encounter of the Jasper Kind

After breakfast, we hiked a short trail around Annette Lake. We stopped to watch an elk rubbing its huge antlers against a small tree.  The tree shook back and forth, no match for the big animal.  The elk eyed us warily, so we made plans to take cover in a thick stand of trees nearby should the elk came toward us.  Fortunately, he walked away from us toward the lake and emitted a shrill bugle call, as if to warn us not to follow! 

Later that day we took a longer and muddier hike along the Maligne Canyon, where a small creek flows through a deep fissure in the rocks.  We crossed several bridges as the trail followed the creek downstream. Other creeks joined the flow and we were soon following a swiftly flowing river.

We had dinner in Jasper, a town similar to Gatlinburg, TN and Estes Park, CO.  The streets and businesses weren’t busy. We were told the busy summer tourist season had ended a few days earlier.

Icefields Parkway     

The next day we started south on the Icefields Parkway.  

Our first stop was at Athabasca Falls, a beautiful and powerful waterfall that cascades 75 feet through narrow rock outcroppings on the Athabasca River.  The river starts at the toe of the Athabasca Glacier and eventually to the Arctic Ocean via the Mackenzie River.

A few miles south we stopped at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre.  To the west we could see the Athabasca Glacier extending downward from the Columbia Icefield.   The icefield is the largest in North America’s Rocky Mountains.  Big-wheeled snow coaches were taking visitors up a steep road for a short walk on the glacier (a neat experience we enjoyed in September 2014).  

Banff National Park

The next day, we continued along the parkway and stopped mid-morning to hike up a steep 1.5-mile trail to Peyto Lake Viewpoint.  At the end of the trail, we stepped onto a crowded platform for a magnificent view of turquoise Peyto Lake far below framed by the rugged mountains.

Our drive ended in the town of Banff, where we enjoyed touring the town during our two-night stay in the area.  Parking in the area is very crowded and expensive, so we purchased day passes for public buses that go to most of the local points of interest.  It was nice not to drive for a couple of days!    

^{Suspended walkway in Johnston Canyon and Lower Johnston Falls}

We hiked along narrow suspended walkways to Johnston Lower Falls and later visited a nice waterfall on the Bow River very close to the town of Banff.  The Bow River flows from the Columbia Icefield/Athabasca Glacier as it makes its way to the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean.

(You may find it interesting that rivers originating from the Columbia Icefield flow into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans! Besides the two rivers mentioned above, a third, the Saskatchewan River, eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Winnipeg and Hudson Bay)

Banff is Canada’s first national park.  Combined with Jasper and other national parks in the Canadian Rockies, they offer amazing opportunities to see beautiful mountains and rivers, and abundant wildlife.

Like Yellowstone NP in the US, many persons visit the parks and roads/parking lots/trails/viewpoints are often crowded, even during the mid-September ‘shoulder’ season when we visited.   We recommend advance planning and making reservations for the best experience!

Our four-day visit was not sufficient to see all Banff and Jasper parks have to offer.  We hope to visit the area again in the future.

Critter Count

Deer – 5
Elk – 23
Canadian Geese – lots, especially in Jasper Campground
Grouse – 1
Bighorn Sheep – 6

^{Big horn sheep near entrance to Jasper NP; Canadian geese left unsavory calling cards in the campground}

Cinnamon Bun Review

We stopped at Bow Lake to view the towering mountains beyond the lake. Our walk took us past Hanging Glacier Cafe where a sign indicated they had fresh baked sticky buns.

We had to give one a try.

Although not technically a ‘cinnamon bun,’ the sticky bun had nice flavor with a very slight cinnamon taste. The pastry was topped with salt crystals that gave each bite a salty, sweet crunch. Outside, we shared the bun and enjoyed the magnificent view.

Bun score – 4+ out of 5

Next week:

From Banff NP, it was still nearly 2800 miles home. We came up with a plan to make the long trip a little more interesting.