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Old 03-16-2016, 09:09 PM   #1
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Banff Area Campgrounds?

Ok, so I thought we were going to go up from Chilliwack and see the Banff area before heading down to Glacier, NP. However, after looking online, all the Provincial Parks are completely booked and there are only a scant few private campgrounds, most of which get poor reviews.

What we were TRYING to do was not have to backtrack too far one way or the other. We were also trying to stay Saturday night and Sunday night in the area.

Are there any good campgrounds that we can't seem to find?

Thank you!!
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Old 03-16-2016, 10:42 PM   #2
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Banff is not a provincial park it's federal. If you are driving up through the park highways there many other campgrounds which are very nice some equipped with amenities like water at site and power, but you just bought your trailer if you,ve got solar panels try getting along without plug ins. Lake Louise is just up the road from Banff and has full services. Good luck!
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Old 03-16-2016, 10:54 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by nathanj04011 View Post
Ok, so I thought we were going to go up from Chilliwack and see the Banff area before heading down to Glacier, NP. However, after looking online, all the Provincial Parks are completely booked and there are only a scant few private campgrounds, most of which get poor reviews.

What we were TRYING to do was not have to backtrack too far one way or the other. We were also trying to stay Saturday night and Sunday night in the area.

Are there any good campgrounds that we can't seem to find?

Thank you!!
Hi , Banff , Tunnel Mountain rv park has over 300 sites and are rarely full . When one reserves on line for the National parks and encounters " not reservable/does not meet the criteria " it is most often because those sites are first come first serve . There are always some sites held back for the many tourists that come through on an unspecific schedule .
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Old 03-16-2016, 11:20 PM   #4
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Banff is a national park, so all of the campgrounds in it belong to the park - no private options. However, there are private parks just outside of Banff National Park, and other nearby parks, both federal and provincial. A day in Banff before or after a reserved night nearby seems like a reasonable alternative, if you want certainty.
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Old 03-17-2016, 08:24 AM   #5
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If you're not wedded to Banff, I can't push Yoho National Park enough. It's first come first served -- we arrived on a Sunday morning and had no trouble getting two primo sites -- and I'm not sure that it ever got filled up at all. It's closer to Lake Louise than Banff is and it's spectacular
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Old 03-17-2016, 09:18 AM   #6
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Banff Area Campgrounds?

About 45 minutes from Banff is Peter Lougheed Park in Alberta's Kananaskis area. The scenery isn't quite as spectacular as Banff, but still awesome and not as crowded. It's close enough to Banff that you could explore it as well. The campgrounds are huge, big and well run. Just 30 minutes off the Trans Canada highway.
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Old 03-17-2016, 11:28 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by nathanj04011 View Post
Ok, so I thought we were going to go up from Chilliwack and see the Banff area before heading down to Glacier, NP. However, after looking online, all the Provincial Parks are completely booked and there are only a scant few private campgrounds, most of which get poor reviews.

What we were TRYING to do was not have to backtrack too far one way or the other. We were also trying to stay Saturday night and Sunday night in the area.

Are there any good campgrounds that we can't seem to find?

Thank you!!
Nathan, based on your trailer pickup date, it looks like you may be travelling through Banff in late June. I looked at the Parks Canada Campground Reservations Site and there seems to be quite a few campsites available depending on duration of stay and specific dates. My experience is that unless you are trying to get a spot at the very last minute, or on a holiday weekend, it is often possible to get a spot in the parks. Keep in mind also that there are many national parks campgrounds that are not on the website and operate on a first come first serve basis. If you get there early in the day, it is often possible to pull in and get a spot.

Best of luck with your travels.


Edit: Both Banff and Lake Louise have campgrounds with full services if you want them, but there are also campgrounds with no services that are sometimes easier to get into.
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Old 03-17-2016, 04:53 PM   #8
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Thank you everyone!! Sorry for confusing Provincial and National Parks...can't say I knew which was which there. It sounds like we will find SOME place to stay.

We will be driving 350ish miles that day, so we won't get there too early but as long as its not a horrendous place (like the time we feared for our safety at a NY campground) that's all we can ask for. That will also make one more Canadian Province we can say we have been to. What's not to love?

Thanks again!
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