Details for Organizing the HikeAccommodation in CalgaryCalgary, Alberta (population about 1 million) is the home town of i-NEEDtoKnow.com & is a wonderful jumping off point for outdoor mountain sport. Check a general travel guidebook for up-to-date accommodation recommendation & prices. E-mail or call a few days ahead to reserve a bed, especially during the summer. If you are on a budget, the main hostel is HI Calgary City Centre <website> but is small & situated in a questionable part of town. In fact, we formerly recommended you avoid this hostel — but it has been renovated. Might be worth taking a chance. Dorm beds start at C$24. Discounts if you stay 3 or more nights. If short on time, skip Calgary. Bus directly to Canmore or Banff. Accommodation in BanffBanff is wonderful, but is one of the most tourist-infested towns in the world. A nice place to visit, we recommend you get to the wilderness campsites as quickly as you can. If you arrive in town without a reservation, go straight to the excellent Banff Information Cente on Banff Avenue which keeps a list of available hotels and B&Bs. The Parks Canada office is there too. Unfortunately, accommodation is often booked-out during the summer, especially the few low cost options: HI Banff Alpine Centre, dorm beds start at C$30. Very modern. Often listed one of the best HI hostels anywhere. SameSun Backpackers (formerly Global Village) is centrally located but not nearly as impressive as HI Banff. Dorm beds start at C$30. If you have your own transport, we recommend the Alpine Club of Canada outside Canmore, our favourite hostel in the Canadian Rockies. Dorm beds start about C$25. Of the many mid-range options, we have long chosen Hidden Ridge Resort. Great outdoor hot tub! Other options? You could try the National Park Hotel Guide website. Last tip — our favourite Banff restaurant is Coyote Deli (762-3963). Make a reservation as it is often packed. Many hikers are happy to tent in Banff. But campgrounds in Banff National Park do not take reservations. Sites are first-come, first served — and often booked out during weekends. Your best strategy is to arrive at any campground before 10AM (check-out is 11AM) and be ready to take any site that opens up. If there is a line-up of cars, try walking on foot to the front of the line. It has worked for us. : ) Tunnel Mountain campground (1-877-737-3783) is the best tenting option, a huge site on the outskirts of Banff. Accommodation in CanmoreCanmore is outside the National Park & has a much different vibe than Banff. Some hikers prefer Canmore to the crush of Banff. The best place for a hiker to stay is the Alpine Club of Canada but it’s a long way out of town. You really need a vehicle to get there conveniently. Other options:
Accommodation at AssiniboineIn summer we normally tent in the excellent Magog campground, but you have 2 other options: |
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