Day 4-6: Start of the road trip, Jasper National Park and Icefields Parkway
After 3 days in Vancouver it was time for our road trip through the Canadian Rockies. We decided to rent a car for a week with pick up in Vancouver and drop off in Calgary. So after we spent our last morning in Vancouver by going for a run in Stanley Park and having breakfast croissants, we packed our bags, checked out from our hotel and took a train back to airport. Just because the car rental was cheaper from the airport than from downtown Vancouver. Renting a car could not have been easier and literally 10 minutes later we received the keys and were on our way. Good to know: we did not need an international driving license with our Dutch driving license.
Our original plan was to make our way to Jasper through Squamish (the Sea to Sky Gondola is located there), see Brandywine Falls, hike around The Black Tusk and/or take a Joffre Lakes Trail and stop halfway to Jasper which is Kamloops. However, we picked up our car quite late in the day (around 12) and realised that even if we drove straight to Kamloops we would be there by sunset. So we decided to skip hiking on day 4 and drove this long stretch to Kamloops. Once we arrived we had dinner there and went to sleep. It was Thanksgiving, so there weren't many places open but we found a quick and easy burrito stop for dinner and it hit the spot.
The next day we woke up early to start driving at sunrise to Helmcken Falls (which was a recommendation from our friends) and the view did not disappoint! We were completely alone for a good 15 minutes before the next tourists arrived. After that, we made our way to Mt. Robson National Park and did a small hike on the Overlander Falls Lookout Trail. This was the first trail where we decided to turn back because we were not fully equipped. Yes, you may have guessed it we didn't have bear spray on us at this point. They highly recommend carrying bear spray on you just in case. We decided not to risk it and make our way first to Jasper to get it. We weren't able to find bear spray in Kamloops the night before after visiting multiple stores.
On our way to Jasper we read few articles on where to buy your national park entrance ticket which has to be visibly displayed on your car. Reading only made it more confusing, as apparently there is an East Gate, which is not clearly marked on Google Maps and only makes sense to pass if you're driving from the Calgary/Banff side towards Jasper. There is also a West Gate which was open at the time we passed it (coordinates: 52.8828545, -118.3930211) and we managed to get our ticket there.
After arriving to Jasper and checking in to our hotel, we decided to make the most of the remaining sunlight and explore the famous Pyramid Lake which is only 10 min away from Jasper. On the way we spotted some elks and they were huge! They didn't seem bothered by us stopping by the side of the road to admire them. At the end of the day we spent some time exploring the city to find bear spray. In Jasper this was an easy task, as it is sold in every outdoor / hiking shop. After getting a small instruction how to use it in case a bear charges at us, we signed a waiver. Summary: the spray is not sold under warranty, should only be used as a last resort and may not be able to protect the user from injury. Armed with bear spray, we felt ready to take on the first trail!
The next day we had our first full trail in the Canadian Rockies called Pyramid Lake Loop. We recommend parking at the parking lot that looks a bit like a roundabout. The trail starts in the forest and after moving to a higher elevation you are rewarded with an amazing view on surrounding mountains and lakes. The trail was quite empty (our guess is because it was mid-October) and we did not come across any other people, which made us a bit more alert in the foresty part of the trail as you're less likely to see a bear from far away. Not this time though:)
To finish the day, we explored the famous (=expect more people) Maligne Canyon Loop, which was an easy going 3.7km loop to see the bridges that are built to cross the deepest canyon in the Canadian rockies. You can admire the waterfalls and river flowing through it which over many years has carved its way through the rock formations.
Have you ever heard of the Icefields Parkway? No, neither did we, but it is seriously one of the most stunning roads we've been on and it connects Jasper National Park to Lake Louise (Banff National Park). Icefields Parkway is rated one of the top drives in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, and is a 232 km stretch of double-lane highway in the Canadian Rockies. It was certainly one of the highlights of our journey. Leave just before sunrise and you'll be in awe of the views just as the sun breaks through. A big tip from us, take your time on this road as there are numerous stops where you can take in all of its beauty. To name a few: Athabasca Falls (make sure you start early in the morning from Jasper to see it without people), Sunwapta Falls (at that point you can start comparing which waterfalls you liked more), Athabasca Glacier, Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint and Peyto Lake. Also, keep your eyes peeled because this is where Oleg shouted: BEAR! We saw a black bear crossing the road and were too excited and busy watching it that we only had one blurry phone photo from the encounter. The memory will stay with us forever though!
Let's talk a bit more about Athabasca Glacier. The view of the glacier is certainly worth the hike. We've seen glaciers in the Alps, Iceland and New Zealand and this one is just as impressive. You will have an option either to have a short 1.4km hike to see the glacier like we did or you can also book a tour where you get to walk on the glacier. Along the way to the glacier, you will see signs of where it was in beginning of 20th century and where it is now (sadly it is shrinking). Access to the glacier is fenced off so you will not be able to get close to it without a tour, but nevertheless the view is stunning!
Next stop: Peyto Lake. We arrived around lunch time, so there were some crowds around the main viewpoints. It's a great lunch (or snack) spot where you can admire the turquoise blue colour of the lake. We wanted to see more and decided to make our way to Bow Summit (which is a 6.6km loop). As soon as we left the main viewpoints, there were no crowds anymore. It was a well marked trail but we did meet some people on the way that were a bit underprepared for the hike. We recommend bringing plenty of water (half a litre each minimum) and some snacks. At the end of the trail you have a beautiful view on Bow Lake. Upon completion of the trail we returned to a car and made our way straight to a cute little village called Lake Louise. If you search Lake Louise on the internet, you will see some of those National Geographic style postcard views. What if we told you that in the space of two days we had to change our plans to make sure we could still visit one of the most iconic places in Banff National Park?
Top sites to visit:
Helmcken Falls
Pyramid Lake
Athabasca Falls
Sunwapta Falls
Athabasca Glacier
Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint
Peyto Lake
Where to stay:
Wingate by Wyndham Kamloops, it was a good hotel for an overnight stop and it was one of the largest king size beds we've ever slept in. This was the only place we stayed at that offered complimentary breakfast.
The Crimson Jasper was a great stay, they upgraded us to a room with a balcony which is wonderful when you're surrounded by mountains. It is walking distance from shops, cute cafes and restaurants.
For the foodies:
Breakfast/coffee
Tim Hortons (aka Timmies. It's fast food but they're open from 6:00 which is great if you want an early start and we loved their breakfast bagels. Their coffee was ok)
Coco's Cafe (probably the best coffee you can get in Jasper Town but coming from Europe, we have been spoilt by much better coffee options)
Lunch/snack
The Other Paw Bakery Cafe (good sandwich options for lunch)
Wishing Tea (a great place for bubble tea!)
Dinner
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria (this was perfect after a long day and you just want a delicious and heartwarming meal)
Alba (we had the arancini, duck confit pasta and mushroom ravioli which were all amazing! This place was a bit more pricey)
Drinks
Jasper Brewing Company (this place was buzzing with locals and tourists. We really enjoyed trying the local beers here)
コメント