Banff or Jasper free camping spots?

[IdahoDoug]

My wife and I are heading up there this weekend. We prefer stealth camping off the grid down a forest road, or down by a river, etc to a campground. Anybody know any spots between these two cities or along the Icefield Parkway?

Thanks. Feel free to PM me if its private.'

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[dhaavers]

No answers, but I'll be listening closely for chatter...
(This is on our very short list for next summer...)



- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[Love My Westy]

If you are traveling from the west, check out Dog Leg Lake just outside of Radium Hot Springs. Nice canoeing and usually a couple of loons. You will need to ask locally about directions.

[syncroserge]

My favorite area is east of the Saskatchewan River Crossing, on Hwy 11. As soon as you are out of the park
all the way to Nordegg, plenty of nice places..gorgeous views.

Jasper is a BIG park..lots of driving to get out to free camp.

And have you checked the weather? shitty fall so far up here..snow every day for the next week in Jasper..

[Mike Robinson]

Phone the park offices and speak to a park staff member.

They were super helpful this year for us in Yoho.

Mike
'82 Westy Diesel

[Xerox]

You can pretty much count on snow, there has been snow all along the parkway and it is sticking, at least at higher elevations. It was snowing in Calgary this morning! Also, it is not unheard of for the icefield parkway to be closed for periods in winter. While it is not winter yet, it has been a very unusual fall so far...

[VicVan]

[IdahoDoug]

Cool - hoping for some snow as the first adventure of the winter season. Weather is supposed to be nice in Jasper and we're optimistically carrying kayaks for Lake Maligne while we're up there. No snow is forecast until Tuesday at this point - just Banff and the area. Thanks for the heads up on the park. I find if you call these types of folks and reassure them you are a zero impact type (have porta potti aboard for instance) they'll often steer you a bit to certain roads. Carrying tire chains, shovel, aux heater and with fresh brakes and new tires, ready for it. For snow, we've got massive forward lighting and a super bright red rear fog lamp for blowing snow safety I've been anxious to try out.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Microbusdeluxe]

In general we found Banff and Jasper to have few if any stealth camping spots. I suppose you could camp at the trailhead below Mt Edith Cavell in Jasper, but really there are few roads that even run off the Ice Fields Parkway.

I would think that this time of the year the campgrounds are pretty empty making them more attractive. Don't miss Miette Hot Springs just before the Northern exit from Jasper. As cold as it's going to be, you'll appreciate them!
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'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig!

[Blacksmith73]

[IdahoDoug]

Good points. We opted to stay in the Wapiti campground last night which lived up to its name. A herd of 40 or so were streaming into the park as we checked in. On our way up the Icefield Parkway yesterday, we saw a wolf, a black bear (very close), mountain sheep, deer and Elk. Pics of all and cool interaction tht left us properly awed. Van covered over 470 miles including toughes climbing I have ever asked if it. Freezingtemps overnight both nights. Heaters on at moment and we are headed to a breakfast place we heard about at dinner last night. Paddling today and veryexcited!!!
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[dobryan]

Sounds awesome. Pics please!!!

(BTW AFAIK Everett will allow trip report pics without a VW in them. Just label the pic as a trip report pic and it should be OK. He made this decision a while back when photobucket blocked access without ransom and many of us lost access to out trip report pics that were not hosted on the samba. )
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[IdahoDoug]

Wow. Paddled today on Lake Maligne. Crazy optics - kayaking with fresh snow on peaks as backdrop on sunny day. Saw bighorn sheep on road from 20 feet. Having so much fun we r staying here tonight again rather than Banff for the night. How can we do that? Why we are driving a Vanagon, so we have our sleeping arrangements with us!!! If there is one aspect of the van I am in love with, it is the ability to be spontaneous. Priceless in a world of 9 months in advance reservations.....yeehaaa!!
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[atomatom]

jasper is lovely. another treat out that way, while the road is still clear, is hiking sulphur ridge and then sitting in the hot springs at miette. the hike is very short and stunning and the hotsprings reward is great. the cabins there are pretty reasonable too if you feel like a van break.

as for free camping, i camped in the banff industrial park after a breakdown. i had just blown the temp sender, so i had some justification to camp, and had no hassle.

kananaskis is worth checking out - south of banff. many nice places along that road. i remember camping and seeing wolves at the lake just south of canmore.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[IdahoDoug]

Rolling to columbia glacier ish.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[campism]

Another vote for Miette Hot Springs. We encountered elk on the lawn of the Jasper town hall; they make themselves right at home there.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[jimf909]

Sounds like a wonderful Fall trip! I recall Lake Maligne was ice cold in June. That's chilly water to paddle.
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- Jim

[snwbrdr435]

[joetiger]

[IdahoDoug]

Wow. Got back at 1am local. 9 hours of driving, the last 5 after dark on country roads full of animals. Half a dozen Elk, 3 deer, 2 coyotes, a raccoon and more than a few eyes we couldn't be sure. So nice having the big Hellas, and the high end bulbs in our lights. The new brakes felt super solid on the many mountain passes and a few hard braking events for animals. I'll get some pictures up when I have time later.

We covered well over 1000 miles in 3 days. I would leave and do that again this next weekend, except that everything changed over night for them. We got chased down the valley by storm clouds snagging the peaks, and all day the ceiling got lower until we were driving in flurries.Aware of the forecast, our timing was perfect and we essentially spent their last "summery" weekend up there. Trails were beautiful. Today the whole town of Jasper is covered in snow, the roads will be wet, the trails muddy, and we left it behind by hours.

So happy we decided to go for it - what a total treat for they eyes as you will see from the pictures.

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader