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04-26-2015, 11:34 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Jasper Banff August
We have booked some days in August at Banff and Jasper, mostly weekend days. Are we going to be able to find some sites at those parks during the week or do we need all of our days booked? Were expecting to be able to just extend or find something while there for the other days, figuring we have to book our weekends.
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Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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04-26-2015, 11:38 PM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Comox, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 17B "Tamago", 2019 GMC Canyon Denali Duramax Diesel
Posts: 61
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Find a spot earlier in the day, best by 1 PM, or you may be out of luck. Some of the campgrounds have "overflow" areas, which is a glorified way to say "gravel parking lot". Do your traveling first, set up camp, then go explore the area. That way you know you have a site AND the opportunity to check things out.
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04-27-2015, 12:38 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17B
Posts: 226
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You should be able to book ahead on line through the National Parks reservation system. The first weekend in August is a long weekend and will be very, very busy. Week days generally are less busy.
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04-27-2015, 12:58 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Thank you, Peter and Buddy. We will be missing the first weekend there. We have the next weekends booked and also Labor Day which is apparently the same here and there.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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04-27-2015, 08:20 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: ESCAPE #3 COMING - 19 FT
Posts: 277
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Floating Cloud
We have booked some days in August at Banff and Jasper, mostly weekend days. Are we going to be able to find some sites at those parks during the week or do we need all of our days booked? Were expecting to be able to just extend or find something while there for the other days, figuring we have to book our weekends.
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Book now, or risk not getting a site. This area is a high volume destination area.
ken
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ESCAPE #3, 19FT ON ORDER
TV - NOT YET, THINKING RIDGELINE OR F150
KEN AND DIANA, CALGARY
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04-27-2015, 08:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: ESCAPE #3 COMING - 19 FT
Posts: 277
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kvermeulen
Book now, or risk not getting a site. This area is a high volume destination area.
ken
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July and august r very buisy months in banff and jasper. Make sure u drive the icefiels parkway between banff and jasper, and keep ur camera at the ready.
ken
__________________
ESCAPE #3, 19FT ON ORDER
TV - NOT YET, THINKING RIDGELINE OR F150
KEN AND DIANA, CALGARY
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04-27-2015, 09:58 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
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Parks Canada - Parks Canada - List of Fees
Be prepared to pay, on top of camping fees. Depending on how long you are planning on staying in the National Parks, you may want to look into a seasons pass.
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04-27-2015, 11:08 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: St.Albert, Alberta
Trailer: 21 ft November 17th
Posts: 847
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It is frustrating that even if on the same reservation you want to move to another site or campground they add the reservation fee to each booked site but these areas will be busy and even if you get a site it may not be a great one, we try to reserve during the peek months, at least they let you pick the site you want if available and there ushually are pictures to get a look @ what you are booking.
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MacRae, 21ft
2016 GMC Yukon SLT
St.Albert Alberta
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04-27-2015, 11:37 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Jamestown, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 232
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This is a bit discouraging. We'd planned on making the same trip during the first week in August. If we wanted to make reservations and be locked into an itinerary, we'd stay in a hotel, rather than go camping.
It's been a couple of decades since we visited Banff & Jasper. Are there out of the way, primitive campsites or are we just out of luck if suburban camping is unappealing to us?
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04-27-2015, 12:40 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sturski
This is a bit discouraging. We'd planned on making the same trip during the first week in August. If we wanted to make reservations and be locked into an itinerary, we'd stay in a hotel, rather than go camping.
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Get used to it sturski because that/this seems to be the way it is. With the ever increasing popularity of camping this method, although frustrating and stressful, seems to be the only fair way to ration out camp sites in the prime season. You can always take a chance, like we did a couple years ago, and get a nice site. Mid week and before 1:00pm seems to be the best bet for a 'first come' camp site in Alberta's National Park but you'll still have to pay the parking rate if you stop.
By the way....It's worth the frustration!!!
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04-27-2015, 04:50 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Jamestown, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J Mac
Get used to it sturski
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It's more a matter of put up with it or go elsewhere.
I'm aware that Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite had gone this way. I wasn't aware that it had crossed the border.
The good news is that it is very easy to change our plans, I'll just have to see how my wife feels about it.
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04-27-2015, 10:05 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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You can look at the Parks Canada Reservation Service to see what is available in campgrounds. An annual pass would not likely be worth it for you. Because that first weekend in August is a Canadian holiday, you may find a lot of Washington campground spots booked for then in not too long also, as Canadians go south.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sturski
It's more a matter of put up with it or go elsewhere.
I'm aware that Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite had gone this way. I wasn't aware that it had crossed the border.
The good news is that it is very easy to change our plans, I'll just have to see how my wife feels about it.
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__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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04-28-2015, 12:43 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 90
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Get the facts here:
Jasper NP camping
Banff NP camping
General rule-of-thumb is that the larger, serviced campgrounds have reservations and during the summer reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends (note that July 1st and first Monday in August are holidays here in Alberta and most other provinces). Midweek, I've had luck getting a campsite without a reservation.
The smaller, unserviced campgrounds don't have reservations and usually work on a first come, first served, self-registration method. Another advantage (for Escape owners) is they tend to limit RV length to 27' or less (see webpage for details). I tend to prefer these campsites and roll in on Thursday evening and manage to grab a campsite, (not on a long weekend though) and there are usually few campsites left. I wouldn't count on grabbing one of these on a weekend. Rather I'd grab a campsite Thursday evening, stay for the weekend, then relocate if desired midweek. Also, as they're unserviced, make sure your batteries and water supplies are topped up.
Best bet if you really want to be sure of getting a campsite though is still to reserve online. Do try to make it, it's a wonderful place!
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04-28-2015, 04:47 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Beautiful pictures of a beautiful place...
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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