Banff Travel Guide

Few places in the world are more dramatically beautiful than the Canadian Rockies. Banff and Jasper national parks are famous for their mountain lakes, flower-spangled meadows, spirelike peaks choked by glaciers, and abundant wildlife. Nearly the entire spine of the Rockies -- from the U.S. border north for 1,127km (700 miles) -- is preserved as parkland or wilderness.

That's the good news. The bad news is that lovers of solitude who come here will find themselves surrounded by increasingly larger numbers of visitors. Advance planning is absolutely necessary if you're going to stay or eat where you want, or if you hope to evade the swarms of visitors that throng the parks during the high season, from mid-June to the end of August.

Orientation

Canada's Rocky Mountain parks include Jasper and Banff, which together comprise 17,519 sq. km (6,764 sq. miles); the provincial parklands of the Kananaskis Country and Mount Robson; and Yoho and Kootenay national parks, to the west in British Columbia.

The parks are traversed by one of the most scenic highway systems in Canada, plus innumerable nature trails leading to more remote valleys and peaks. The two "capitals," Banff and Jasper, lie 287km (178 miles) apart, connected by Highway 93, one of the most scenic routes you'll ever drive. Banff is 128km (79 miles) from Calgary via Highway 1; Jasper, 375km (232 miles) from Edmonton on Route 16, the famous Yellowhead Highway.

Fees -- Admission to Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay parks costs C$8.90 (US$8.90/#4.45) adults, C$7.65 (US$7.65/#3.85) seniors, C$4.45 (US$4.45/#2.25) youths 6 to 16, or C$18 (US$18/#8.90) families per day.

Visitor Information

For information on the entire province of Alberta, contact Travel Alberta (tel. 800/661-8888; www.travelalberta.com). Ask for copies of the accommodations and visitors guides, as well as the excellent Traveler's Guide and a road map. There's a separate guide for campers as well.

Alberta has no provincial sales tax. There's only the 6% national goods and services tax (GST), plus a 5% accommodations tax. On the other side of the Rockies, the province of British Columbia levies another 7% tax on purchases and services.

Tours & Excursions

You'll get used to the name Brewster, associated with many things in these parts. In particular, these folks operate the park system's principal tour-bus operation. Brewster Transportation and Tours, 100 Gopher St., Banff, AB T0L 0C0 (tel. 403/762-6767; www.brewster.ca), covers most of the outstanding scenic spots in both parks. Call for a full brochure, or ask the concierge at your hotel to arrange a trip. A few sample packages:

• Banff to Jasper (or vice versa): Some 9 1/2 hours through unrivaled scenery, this tour takes in Lake Louise and a view of the icefield along the parkway. (The return trip requires an overnight stay, not included in the price.) In summer, the one-way fare is C$140 (US$140/#70) for adults, C$70 (US$70/#35) for children.

• Columbia Icefields: On this 9 1/2-hour tour from Banff, you stop at the Icefields Centre and get time off for lunch and a Snowcoach ride up the glacier. Adults pay C$140 (US$140/#70) in summer; children pay C$70 (US$70/#35).

Seasons

The parks have two peak seasons during which hotels charge top rates and restaurants are jammed. The first is summer, mid-June to late August, when it doesn't get terribly hot, rarely above 77?F (25?C), though the sun's rays are powerful at this altitude. The other peak time is winter, the skiing season from December to February; this is probably the finest skiing terrain in all Canada. March to May is decidedly off season: Hotels offer bargain room rates, and you can choose the best table in any eatery. There's plenty of rain in the warmer months, so don't forget to bring some suitable rainwear.