Two Jack Lake. The most perfect place for a picnic…read more 5 stars - Early May conditions. The conditions were just right. In early May when all of the other lakes in Banff are still frozen, Two Jack was free flowing with that glacier blue water. Wow! The sun is perfectly placed when you go around noon. Bring a picnic lunch and soak it in. 5 stars - Peaceful setting. I hesitate to share this review with you because this place is not too overcrowded. After a stop at Lake Louise where we felt overwhelmed with the amount of people, we made a stop here and were so happy we did. With less people it felt so peaceful. And everyone here wasn't busy snapping pictures, but just there to enjoy the surrounding beauty of nature. That's what you should come here to do!! I'll be back to enjoy Two Jack Lake again soon!!

We adored this campground!…read more Location: In the heart of Banff National Park. An easy coupla right turns off the TransCanada. Up a beautiful mountain road going 50km/h it's a super nice drive. The campground is a few loops that are easy to access but the higher numbers are literally right next to the road with few trees as a barrier (i.e. roads are visible and cars are audible). Campsites: We stayed at site 46...it was a pretty good option but not the best. We were surrounded by a yurt on one side, a campsite on the other and 3 campsites in front of us all perfectly visible because the trees are tall and thin and sparse between the sites. But we had a beautiful view through the trees of this opening where the mountains and Two Jack Lake are visible. Sites 1-13 and 55-74 should be entirely avoided in my opinion....they are visible from the road and from them you can see and hear the road perfectly (almost no obstruction). Sites 14-35 are walk-ins and hit or miss with the choices...some are good choices because of the view of the mountains and lake...others suk cuz they're practically glued to one another with little buffer space. Sites 36-54 are a mixture of sites and yurts (that are so nice we actually ended up regretting not getting one of those despite being avid tent campers) the even numbers are mostly along the trail, mostly with view of mountains and lake, mostly beautiful sites. They are hit and miss because of the privacy (or rather lack thereof) between the sites...but the beautiful view and tranquility for the most part makes it worth it. I really loved site 42 but despite booking the very first possible day in January 2017 for June 2017 we still didn't get even one of the 4 sites we tried to get. Scenery: So pristine. So picturesque. So breathtakingly seriously awesome. And the smell of the mountain air and the pines in the forest oh wow! The brisk mountain air and the turquoise and marine blue lake surrounded by the snow capped moutains that bask in the sun in the almost neverending sun set (10pm still totally bright out!!)...oh wow! Weather: mountain weather... It rained a LOT. It was cold a LOT. It was a bit windy especially when it rained. The clouds swirled and whirled and for the most part you have no idea if it will rainy or be sunny from one minute to the next. And likely will end up being both. BUILD A WIND AND RAIN SHELTER ASAP! Commodities/Accommodations: - DOGS ALLOWED!! - Bathrooms: easily accessible and close at all times, clean, flushable toilets, hot water, those 15-second high pressured hot showers (loved those!), high pressure warm air hand dryer, never waited. - All-You-Can-Burn-Firewood : AYCBF!! There's a pile that they replenish several times through the day, it does get wet when it rains but the wood burned super well despite that (plus we gathered a bunch to keep dry under a tarp so that helped), help yourself to all you can carry there's always plenty!! - Fire pits are short iron rings with attached grills and two side plates...super efficient and perfect. - Picnic tables are gigantic, thick and immovable but usually close enough to the fire anyways so makes for nice dinners but u could still put a kitchen tent up if u wanted - Yurt sites seemed to have electricity access they also apparently came with propane and these kool stove things - Ice NOT AVAILABLE at the campground for purchase?!? No camp store on site. Had to drive to Banff (12 minute drive no biggy) and buy ice at a gas station (4$ per bag yo!!!) - Sites are usually big enough for any type of trailer/RV and / or tents n shelters combinations - there are large kitchen shelter structures u can bring ur firewood and use the wood stove n make a meal in the shelter in the rain, they're big enough for 4-5 familes to use at once but were usually empty. Prices: ~41$ per night June 2017 (National Park entrance fee waived with Parks Canada free entry for Canada's 150th anniversary so I have no idea how much more it woulda been)...seems pretty pricey but firewood included so not so much actually. Activities: Go see Banff and Lake Minnewanka while ur in the area! Each about 10 minutes either direction and both totally worth it!! Can purchase fishing licenses or rent boats from Lake Minnewanka. Plenty of hiking trails ...that make or may not be open due to wildlife... Wildlife: Bears, wolves: we didn't see any but there were sightings in the area prior to our arrival. Plenty of geese. Plenty of ginormous ravens. Herons. A few large mystery birds of prey. Long horn rams at Lake Minnewanka (guaranteed photo ops they're all chillin on the road). Elk (which kept their distance). Saw plenty of lil minnows in the lake but didn't end up buying licenses so didn't fish. A few mini squirrels or long tailed chipmunks...hard to say for sure. Plenty of deer. Very very few insects flying or otherwise...even the bees were awesome but huge (not aggressive or invasive, just hey how are u and fly away)

This was my first choice in the campgrounds in the area and I got lucky that there was a site,…read morefirst come first serve only. Tent or trailer sites next to bow river and pigeon creek. Both swim-able but very cold. Enclosed pit toilets and hand crank running water available. Ten minutes to the town of Canmore that has everything. $31 a night 4pm check in 2pm check out. A down side is highway noise but not a deal breaker. I stayed a week.

Paddy's Flat is a piece of privacy that's close to Calgary. At only about a 45 minute drive from…read moreCalgary and 20 minutes from Bragg creek, Paddy's Flat offers an opportunity for the entire family to feel at home in nature without too much "are we there yet are we there yet?!" along the drive. The campsites are decently spacious, well for us tent folk anyway. I'm not sure what pulling you 50 foot bus up is like. What I love about this campground is the short walk to the river and the paths that you can access from here. Following the main path to the river, you can access some prime rocks for hanging out, soaking up the sun and on a hot day, jumping into that glacier water, screaming a blood curdling scream, and clawing your way back to the shore. It's the worst, but you can't help but feel so alive!

This place reminds me of Saskatchewan camping. Few amenities, fairly flat, low key and wide open…read morespaces. I won't lie, I had some anxiety knowing bears were lurking in the bushes (there had been sitings the day I set up) and I was woken up at night once by noise that had my heart in my throat. Otherwise, it was all good. :-)

What a hike and what a view! I was told this was easy to moderate, and if you are an avid hiker, I…read morebelieve that. If you are not, take your time, this is very much an uphill climb and a thigh/knee pain coming down! But, it is well worth it to see the view at the top.

We did this for our last hike of our trip to Banff. Another couple we had met told us it was pretty…read moretough so I was a little worried, but it really wasn't bad...or perhaps I was just used to it after a week of hiking. It was steep, but not nearly as steep or long as the lake agnes tea house hike. Like everything else in Banff this hike was pretty crowded, but at least i knew we were in good company if a bear decided to join us. I forgot to bring bear spray so assumed one of the other 800 people on the trail had to have it. The view from the top was gorgeous - so we sat for awhile and enjoyed it. My legs were definitely tired when I made it down, but had enough energy to walk back to the Fairmont. For those staying at the Fairmont it's an easy walk to and from tunnel mountain.

Heard many great things about this place so we booked in for 5 nights during the summer. I read…read moresome reviews online about it before we went, I tend to do this to see if anything unusual stands out (ghosts, bug infestations, bears gnawing on people, etc) which would help us prepare. We arrived and were in awe of the beauty of the campground. Growing up in small towns we are not glampers, nor do we like to camp on top of our neighbors with little or no tree coverage/privacy. The loop we were in was treed, luscious and campsites were large. There are all kinds of adventurous things to do here. Hiking, biking, volleyball nets, tennis court, small kiddie swimming pool (for the kiddies of course) and an amphitheater with nightly shows. They further had craft hour and/or scavenger hunts for the kids and a gift shop in the main building. If you get bored you can drive 30 minutes to Canmore and wander around. This campground is huge, truly fabulous and only an hour out of Calgary. Be sure to be on your game when it comes to booking 3 months in advance as the campsites fill up quickly.

We stayed here for two nights. We were in the lodge right next to the pool so it was very…read moreconvenient. I liked the pool and the small flower garden near by. The front desk staff was very helpful. We borrowed the bear spray - so that saved us $30. They also had a kindling kit which was necessary. They also had a smores kit but we didn't avail ourself of that offer. I liked also that you could get freshly made coffee in the front office as well as actual creamer. Our room was on the bottom. I liked that there was some privacy - you just look out the window and see trees. However, because of the direction it is facing, it's a very dark room. I think the room can benefit from more lighting, like some overhead lighting. The window in the bedroom looks out to the car tires. There was also some weeds growing there. However, the hanging baskets were some of the best I saw - even better than some of the Fairmonts we visited. Other members in our party had the room above the front office with a hot tub that we used. It was pretty nice - very good view. There are some trails nearby that we drove to. We mostly drove into town, but there is a shuttle that you can use although it can get very crowded. We often would drive in late and have to park further away, but we always found parking. There is also a parkade somewhere below, but we never needed it.

We planned our Banff trip a bit late for July and didn't realize it would coincide with the Canada…read moreDay holiday, so accommodations were limited. Hidden Ridge Resort was one of the only options left within our budget. After arriving in town by bus from Calgary, we took the Roam bus to the resort. Luckily, a Roam bus pass is included with your stay, and the stop is conveniently just steps away. Although on the return trip, you'll need to get off at the nearby Douglas Fir Resort. Hidden Ridge is located a bit farther from town, so if you don't have a rental car like us, you'll be relying on the bus system. The resort doesn't have an on-site restaurant but does offer a full kitchen, which was useful for storing leftovers and quick snacks thanks to the fridge and microwave. Our room was on the lower level, which made it feel a bit dark, it could definitely use more lighting. Also, Wi-Fi was nearly nonexistent due to the remote mountain location, so make sure to download your movies or shows in advance if you plan to unwind offline. The outdoor pool and hot tub boast a beautiful mountain view, but they were often filled with loud children, making it less relaxing than we'd hoped. Housekeeping came daily to tidy up, replace towels, and empty the trash, which we appreciated. Overall, it's an older resort, and the photos online look a bit nicer than what you get in person. Still, it served its purpose well enough for our 4-night stay in Banff.

The Basics: Firepits, firewood, hitching rails (For horses, yo.), outhouses, food storage lockers…read more Tombstone campground just might take my new beginners backcountry cake. Here's why: It's easy to get to, but the walk is wonderful. At just over 7kms from the road, Tombstone campground gets you significantly away from society. You're far enough away to experience a mountain range with a scenic valley and not another human in sight. Once you're up the first hill, the walk is very flat. It's rugged and off road enough to be interesting, but it spends it's time meandering through the valley, offering you lush fields with ample views and spectacular mountainscapes. There's a few short day hikes from the campground. At only 7.5-ish kms, you could start in the morning and arrive at the campsite for lunch. From here, you could set up camp, have lunch and easily embark on one of the 8km-ish day hikes within the area to return to your already set up camp in the evening, looking forward to the food and campfire that awaits. This is an excellent idea. Just be cause you hauled all your food and accommodations way out into the wilderness, doesn't mean your daylight and energy is best spent lugging that stuff around. After ditching out stuff, we decided to make the easy trek up to the tombstone lakes, which involved some relaxing, a bit of skree scrambling and some Pika viewing. Bring your rod and reel if you're heading to Tombstone. Just sitting by the waters edge we saw many trout swim by. Some fresh fish for dinner would really up the camping experience. As far as backcountry campgrounds go, this one is full featured with each site having its own firepit and picnic table. There are no tent pads, but leave it up to you to choose the best location for your tent, from sheltered and tree'd in, to out in the open. We put our faith in our shelter and despite the thunderstorm warnings chose a spot overlooking the ridge. Thankfully the weather let up so being exposed to the sunshine was a good thing. Tombstone makes for a wonderful overnight adventure in the backcountry without having to haul your gear the whole way. The mostly flat and downhill 7km exit for for an easy exit too.

We were looking to do something fun at night while on vacation. Snow tubing popped up, so we…read morefigured we would give it a try since we hadn't gone since we were kids. It ended up being such a good time, and probably laughed the hardest we had our entire vacation put together! The walk up the hill in the winter was more than I was expecting, but definitely doable. Pricing wasn't too bad, and they give you a tag to pin to your jacket that they scan each time you go up the conveyer belt to the top. The workers at the top made the experience even more fun by spinning the tubes if you chose to. They really get you going, and you feel like you're moving 100mph lol We we're tired by about the 7th go around, but it's an experience we will remember forever.

I am a snowboarder so I appreciate a locally owned skiing snowboard resort however I was visiting…read morein the summer. I wasn't sure which mountain/ski resort to see while visiting Banff, I thought I'd go with the recommended local resort. I might have given them a five star if I did the via ferrata (spell?)but we did not.. if there was maybe some little trails up there that also would've helped...you take the chair lift up, there's the valley city view & some chair. then you go down the chairlift and that's kind of it. the views are exactly what you would expect. I wasn't blown away because I've been doing so much hiking on this trip that I feel like I've seen it all already, however, if you're not someone who hikes this is a great way to see the views with little to no effort.