Kandi R.
Yelp
We adored this campground!
Location:
In the heart of Banff National Park. An easy coupla right turns off the TransCanada. Up a beautiful mountain road going 50km/h it's a super nice drive. The campground is a few loops that are easy to access but the higher numbers are literally right next to the road with few trees as a barrier (i.e. roads are visible and cars are audible).
Campsites:
We stayed at site 46...it was a pretty good option but not the best. We were surrounded by a yurt on one side, a campsite on the other and 3 campsites in front of us all perfectly visible because the trees are tall and thin and sparse between the sites. But we had a beautiful view through the trees of this opening where the mountains and Two Jack Lake are visible.
Sites 1-13 and 55-74 should be entirely avoided in my opinion....they are visible from the road and from them you can see and hear the road perfectly (almost no obstruction).
Sites 14-35 are walk-ins and hit or miss with the choices...some are good choices because of the view of the mountains and lake...others suk cuz they're practically glued to one another with little buffer space.
Sites 36-54 are a mixture of sites and yurts (that are so nice we actually ended up regretting not getting one of those despite being avid tent campers) the even numbers are mostly along the trail, mostly with view of mountains and lake, mostly beautiful sites. They are hit and miss because of the privacy (or rather lack thereof) between the sites...but the beautiful view and tranquility for the most part makes it worth it. I really loved site 42 but despite booking the very first possible day in January 2017 for June 2017 we still didn't get even one of the 4 sites we tried to get.
Scenery:
So pristine. So picturesque. So breathtakingly seriously awesome. And the smell of the mountain air and the pines in the forest oh wow! The brisk mountain air and the turquoise and marine blue lake surrounded by the snow capped moutains that bask in the sun in the almost neverending sun set (10pm still totally bright out!!)...oh wow!
Weather: mountain weather... It rained a LOT. It was cold a LOT. It was a bit windy especially when it rained. The clouds swirled and whirled and for the most part you have no idea if it will rainy or be sunny from one minute to the next. And likely will end up being both. BUILD A WIND AND RAIN SHELTER ASAP!
Commodities/Accommodations:
- DOGS ALLOWED!!
- Bathrooms: easily accessible and close at all times, clean, flushable toilets, hot water, those 15-second high pressured hot showers (loved those!), high pressure warm air hand dryer, never waited.
- All-You-Can-Burn-Firewood : AYCBF!! There's a pile that they replenish several times through the day, it does get wet when it rains but the wood burned super well despite that (plus we gathered a bunch to keep dry under a tarp so that helped), help yourself to all you can carry there's always plenty!!
- Fire pits are short iron rings with attached grills and two side plates...super efficient and perfect.
- Picnic tables are gigantic, thick and immovable but usually close enough to the fire anyways so makes for nice dinners but u could still put a kitchen tent up if u wanted
- Yurt sites seemed to have electricity access they also apparently came with propane and these kool stove things
- Ice NOT AVAILABLE at the campground for purchase?!? No camp store on site. Had to drive to Banff (12 minute drive no biggy) and buy ice at a gas station (4$ per bag yo!!!)
- Sites are usually big enough for any type of trailer/RV and / or tents n shelters combinations
- there are large kitchen shelter structures u can bring ur firewood and use the wood stove n make a meal in the shelter in the rain, they're big enough for 4-5 familes to use at once but were usually empty.
Prices: ~41$ per night June 2017 (National Park entrance fee waived with Parks Canada free entry for Canada's 150th anniversary so I have no idea how much more it woulda been)...seems pretty pricey but firewood included so not so much actually.
Activities: Go see Banff and Lake Minnewanka while ur in the area! Each about 10 minutes either direction and both totally worth it!! Can purchase fishing licenses or rent boats from Lake Minnewanka. Plenty of hiking trails ...that make or may not be open due to wildlife...
Wildlife: Bears, wolves: we didn't see any but there were sightings in the area prior to our arrival. Plenty of geese. Plenty of ginormous ravens. Herons. A few large mystery birds of prey. Long horn rams at Lake Minnewanka (guaranteed photo ops they're all chillin on the road). Elk (which kept their distance). Saw plenty of lil minnows in the lake but didn't end up buying licenses so didn't fish. A few mini squirrels or long tailed chipmunks...hard to say for sure. Plenty of deer. Very very few insects flying or otherwise...even the bees were awesome but huge (not aggressive or invasive, just hey how are u and fly away)