7 Nights: Banff National Park And The Kootenays (Approximate Distance: 1,750 km)

DAY 1: Calgary To Banff

Pick up the RV in Airdrie in the morning and head west on Highway 1 towards the mountains. Upon your arrival in Banff, you can park in the designated RV parking lot near the train station and explore the village on foot.

Arrive at your campsite in Banff National Park in the late afternoon.

• Tunnel Mountain Campground
• Two Jack Campground

DAY 2: Banff

The entire day will be spent exploring the many highlights in and around Banff. Start the day with a visit to Bow Falls just outside of town, followed by a gondola ride up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Here you will have a breathtaking 360 degree panorama of the surrounding mountains and the valley below. After lunch drive to Surprise Corner for a spectacular view of the Banff Springs Hotel, also known as Banff’s castle in the mountains. From here continue to the Hoodoos just up the road.

End the day by driving the Minnewanka Loop, with stops at Two Jack Lake and Minnewanka lake.

• Tunnel Mountain Campground
• Two Jack Campground

DAY 3: Banff To Revelstoke

Depart Banff in the morning via the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) towards Lake Louise but leave the highway to merge onto the Bow Valley Parkway just west of Banff. The 48 km Bow Valley Parkway runs parallel to Highway 1 but provides visitors a more scenic and leisurely route between Banff and Lake Louise. Along the way, you can stop for a hike at the Johnston Canyon and take a photo at the Castle Mountain viewpoint. Visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.

Shortly after departing Lake Louise in a westbound direction, you will arrive in Yoho National Park, where you will visit Emerald Lake and Natural Bridge. On your way to Revelstoke, you do not want to miss the stop at Information Centre at Rogers Pass. Upon arrival in Revelstoke, you can visit the Revelstoke Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric dams in Canada.

• Revelstoke Campground
• Lamplighter Campground
• Snowforest Campground

DAY 4: Revelstoke To Nelson

Travel south from Revelstoke and board a small ferry for the 20 minute crossing of Upper Arrow Lake. Nestled deep within the natural beauty of the Kuskanax Valley you will find the Nakusp Hot Springs. There are two pools fed by water from natural mineral springs originating from the forest a short distance away.

After a relaxing soak in the hot spring pools, you will drive along the shoreline of Slocan Lake to arrive in Nelson in the afternoon.

• Davis Creek
• Lost Ledge campgrounds

DAY 5: Nelson To Fernie

Cross the Kootenay Pass, one of the highest highway accessible points in Canada to make your way to the Creston Valley. Explore the town of Creston or enjoy one of the many outdoor activities like canoeing or hiking, or a visit to one of the local wineries.

You will arrive in Fernie later in the afternoon, where small-town charm meets adventure in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

• Fernie RV Resort
• Mount Fernie Provincial Park

DAY 6: Fernie To Invermere

Travel to Invermere, with stops at the Fort Steele Heritage Town, Columbia Lake Provincial Park and Dutch Creek Hoodoos. The past lives and breathes at Fort Steele Heritage Town. This well-preserved town is perched on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains since its gold rush beginnings in 1864.

According to K’tunaxa legend, the Hoodoos represent the rib cage of a huge sea monster known as Yawuʔnik̓.

• The Raven’s Nest Resort
• Fairmont Hot Springs Resort 

DAY 7: Invermere To Canmore

Travel the Banff-Invermere Highway, which will take you through the Sinclair Canyon and to the impressive Kootenay Valley viewpoint, where you will have breathtaking views of the Mitchell and Vermilion mountain ranges.

The highway continues through Kootenay National Park, the least visited National Park in the Canadian Rockies, opting to go for a 1.6 km walk at Marble Canyon.

• Bow Valley Campground
• Three Sisters Campground

DAY 8: Canmore To Airdrie

Depart Canmore in the morning. When you enter Calgary, on the west side you can stop at the Calgary Olympic Park, one of the venues of the 1988 Winter Olympics that took place in Calgary. Return your RV to Fraserway RV in Airdrie before 11:30 am.

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