VANCOUVER TO BANFF ​ROAD TRIP

Vancouver to Banff is the ultimate summer road trip. We did this trip in July 2023 and fell in love with it. A few ​people ask us recently about our route and recommendations. So, we figured, why not share our adventure in a ​blog? We spent a lot of our time hiking and exploring, including Lake Louise, Yoho National Park and The Icefields ​Parkway! Have a read, take a few tips and let us know if you would like to know anymore 😊


We have noted a few things to remember and booking tips at the bottom of this blog post.


Destinations:

Revelstoke

Yoho National Park

Banff National Park

Calgary

Duration: 8-10 day trip

DAY 1 - REVELSTOKE

Drive from Vancouver to Revelstoke

Drive Time: ~ 6 hours | 560 km

Set off early morning

Check-in to accommodation

Visit one of Revelstoke’s lakes & restaurants for dinner

We drove from Vancouver to Revelstoke and we were not expecting as beautiful of scenery in Revelstoke. We ​stayed here 1 night to break up the drive and explore some lakes and trails. Check out Lake Revelstoke and ​Williamson Lake.

Revelstoke is a quiet little town, with nice bars and restaurants.


Accommodation

We stayed in an Airbnb here.





DAY 2 & 3: YOHO NATIONAL PARK

Drive from Revelstoke to Yoho National Park

Drive Time: ~ 2 hours 45 mins | 210 km

Explore Emerald Lake, visit Canada’s second-highest waterfall and hike ​the Little Yoho & Iceline Trail

Set up camp / check-in to accommodation

These areas are quite remote, so bring packed lunches, snacks and plenty ​of water (it may be worth investing in a water filter)

The drive from Revelstoke to Yoho is incredible as you enter the Rocky Mountains. Yoho National Park was one ​of our favourite parts of the trip; we recommend checking it out. Note, don’t forget your national park pass. You ​can pick one up at the tourist centre leaving Revelstoke or online here.


Activities:

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake, known for its green/blue colour, is a must-see. Get here early, especially in the summer. There are ​some nice trails around Emerald Lake if you fancy a short or long walk.

Hiking scale: easiest. Family friendly.


Takakkaw Falls

A short drive from Emerald Lake is Takakkaw Falls, the second tallest waterfall in Canada. There are also great ​trail options from here. All Trails details.

Hiking scale: easiest. Family friendly.



Little Yoho & Iceline Trail

This was probably one of our favourite hikes from the trip. We backpacked overnight and stayed in a ​backcountry cabin. There are also backcountry campsites available (you need a backcountry reservation).


If backpacking is not for you, this is doable in a day. The loop is approximately 22km with about 1000m ​elevation gain. I would recommend starting on the Little Yoho trail and coming down the Iceline trail. ​Alternatively, you can do the Iceline trail out and back. The scenery is incredible. Check out All Trails here.

Hiking scale: moderate-difficult. It is long and exposed.

Lake Ohara: If you are lucky enough to score a permit for this lake, absolutely make the most of it. We are ​hoping to do this someday.


Accommodation

We backpacked here, booking on the Parks Canada website. There are great campsite options in Yoho ​National Park. Alternatively, you can make the drive into Banff to stay.

DAY 3 & 4: BANFF & ICEFIELDS PARKWAY

Drive from Yoho National Park to Banff

Drive Time: ~ 1 hour | 90 km

Check-in to accommodation / set up camp

Day 4, drive from Banff to the Icefields Parkway

Icefields Parkway is 230 km long

Drive Time: depends on how many stops you make.

Take a pack lunch, snacks and water

Drive back to Banff


The Icefields Parkway is the road between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. Set aside a full day for ​this drive, as it is a ‘this is Canada’ moment. There are plenty of stop-offs along this 230km road. Here are a few we ​recommend, but keep your eyes peeled for amazing viewpoints and wildlife 🐻


Note: Check road conditions if you intend to drive here between October and May. Make sure to fill up on gas as ​there is only one station on this road. You will also need your National Park Pass to drive the Parkway.

Geotag in SVG.

Stop-off recommendations:

Bow Lake

40km from Lake Louise

This is the first main viewpoint on the Parkway. You can park at the lake and enjoy the viewpoint or ​explore the trails surrounding the lake.

Geotag in SVG.

Peyto Lake

45km from Lake Louise

Peyto Lake is top tourist attraction, a short walk up (it is steep) to the viewpoint offers incredible views ​over one of Canada’s famous blue lakes.

Geotag in SVG.

Saskatchewan River Crossing

75km from Lake Louise

This is a viewpoint where the North Saskatchewan, the Howse and the Mistaya rivers meet. This is also the ​only stop where you will find a gas station.


Geotag in SVG.

Big Hill & Big Bend

110km from Lake Louise

Another roadside viewpoint, you will know you are here as you incline the hairpin turn and then see the ​view below you.


Geotag in SVG.

Columbia Icefield

128km from Lake Louise

Unfortunately, this glacier is retreating annually and will disappear soon. If you get the chance, sit across ​from the glacier at the Starbucks and enjoy the view. There are also tours onto the glacier and the skywalk, ​which are great if you have the time.



Geotag in SVG.

Sunwapta Falls

177km from Lake Louise

a short walk from the parking lot, you will find the falls. There are a few trails here worth exploring. We ​turned around here and started the journey back down the Icefields Parkway. If you have the time, Jasper ​town is another 55km away,




Geotag in SVG.

Waterfowl Lakes

60km from Lake Louise

We stopped here on the way back to break up the drive. There are a few trails and a campsite here too. We ​then made our back to Banff.




Accommodation

We camped for the next few nights of the trip. It is a lot more affordable than hotels in Banff. Check out Lake ​Louise Campground and Tunnel Mountain Campground. Campsites are available to book on Parks Canada. If ​you would prefer not to camp, try looking for accommodation in Canmore, it can sometimes be cheaper.

National Park Pass: at a tourist centre or here.

DAY 5: LAKE LOUISE

Early start on Day 4 to visit Lake Louise

Drive Time: 40 mins | 60km from Banff

This is a long day, so take your packed lunch and snacks

Drive back to Banff Town

There is so much to explore around Banff, and everyone’s daily activities will vary depending on what you are ​looking for. Here is how we spent a day at Lake Louise:


Lake Louise gets very busy; either get there by 6 am or book onto a bus trip—you are guaranteed to see Lake ​Louise doing this. The sunrise at the Lake was beautiful, and it is a little quieter at this time of the morning. We ​spent the full day here exploring.


Little Beehive

The infamous lookout of Lake Louise is worth the hike. The trail is well-marked and popular.

Hiking scale: moderate. 500m elevation gain, 9km round trip. All trails here.


Lake Agnes

Lake Agnes Tea House. Yes, a cafe on the mountain. You can walk here from Little Beehive for a well-deserved ​coffee and treat and sit at the lake. You can head down from here or..

Big Beehive

You can then head onto Big Beehive from the Lake Agnes tea house. This is a short trail but with steep ​switchbacks. The view from here is also over Lake Louise, and the sun will hopefully be up by now so you can ​see the iconic blue waters. I would chill out here and eat your packed lunch.

Hiking scale: moderate-harder.

Elevation gain is around 700m, ~11km round trip. All Trails here.

Devil’s Thumb

Once you make it to the Big Beehive, behind you will see ‘Devil’s Thumb’. It is a bit of a scramble with not much ​of a trail, but the 360 views are incredible. Do be prepared and have proper hiking trainers/boots for this; we did ​see a couple of people attempt this with sneakers/poor grip shoes, and they had to turn around.

Hiking scale: hard. All Trails

The total elevation gain is around 950m, 13km round trip.

Paddle Lake Louise

As you can imagine, we were pretty tired after hiking to the 3 viewpoints. We took our paddleboard out onto the ​lake to chill out. 100% recommend.




DAY 6: BANFF TOWN

Spend the day exploring Banff

Banff is picturesque. I would chill out for a day or two exploring the town’s coffee shops and The Fairmont, (I would ​recommend trying a Cows ice cream), and surrounding trails.


Check out:

• Tunnel Mountain Trail

• Two Jacks Lake

• Johnston Canyon

• Banff Gondola at Sulphur Mountain


For visiting Banff town, the tourist center maps and guide are great. Depending on your time here, there are as few ​or as many activities as you like.


DAY 7 - 10: CALGARY

Drive from Banff to Calgary

Drive time: 1 hour 30 min | 130 km

Spend the weekend in Calgary / the Calgary Stampede

Drive or fly back to Vancouver


To top off your trip, if you are heading in July, finish off your journey with a weekend at the Calgary Stampede 🐎. ​It is a great weekend in Calgary and we cannot wait to get back to the Stampede again.

If you rented a car, you may have the option to fly back to Vancouver from here. If not, drive back via Kamloops ​or Kelowna and make an excuse to check out a winery to finish off your trip. We drove home via Kamloops and ​Lillooet, and stopped off at this iconic horseshoe bend viewpoint, Seton Lake Lookout.

Next on our list:

We cannot wait to get back to Banff and Yoho. Here are a few things we are planning:


  • Moraine Lake
  • Sulphur Mountain
  • Lake O’Hara
  • Johnston Canyon
  • Jasper National Park

And a couple more hikes…



Key things to remember:

  • Be prepared. Research and pack right; there are a lot of camping/road trip essential lists you can find ​online. Don’t forget your hiking boots, a map/GPS if needed (the signal isn’t great), and a raincoat.
  • Bear spray! Bear sightings are more common in and around Banff.
  • Check out the checklists for hiking and camping
  • A National Parks pass is required.
  • Book your accommodation and camping reservations well in advance.



Thank you so much for reading and we hope this helps you with planning your road trip to Banff!


Orlaith & Niall :)