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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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:
And a couple more hikes…
Key things to remember:
Thank you so much for reading and we hope this helps you with planning your road trip to Banff!
Orlaith & Niall :)