Banff National Park & Whistler '23

A geography fail, a screenshot of impossible driving directions, and four years later—our Banff road trip finally happened (with a much more reasonable starting point).

Day 1: Delays, Delightful Hosts & Mullen Ranch

Following numerous flight delays, we eventually arrived in Vancouver! Simon secured an awesome Honda Pilot for us, complete with a rooftop tent and a camping-ready trunk filled with cooking gear, a cooler powered by a car battery, a camp stove, camp chairs, an axe for chopping wood, bear spray (essential, since it’s legally required in the backcountry and costs over $50), and a variety of other cool gadgets. We hit a grocery store to stock up on essentials before officially hitting the road.

We drove from Vancouver deep into the mountains through the sunset and found ourselves on top of a mountain in Kamloops at Mullen Ranch. It was pitch black, so we couldn’t see much, but we heard the horses and turned on our headlamps to set up the rooftop tent.

Day 2: Yoho National Park

We woke up to the sun rising over the mountains, with horses greeting us as we climbed out of the tent and sipped our morning coffee. We continued our scenic drive deeper into the mountains and stumbled upon the cutest campsite in Yoho National Park.

We went running along the river and eventually settled into a campsite at Kicking Horse. We roamed around and discovered a little cabin B&B next door, where we drank cocktails in red Adirondack chairs with our toes dipped into glacial streams. We made dinner over a fire — a dreamy evening filled with card games and journaling.

Day 3: Canmore, Two Jack Lake & Lake Louise

As I wrote in my journal, this was our first day with more adventuring than driving — though the scenery was so incredible, we didn’t mind the hours in the car.

We rented paddle boards at Two Jack Lake to paddle and swim in the freezing water, which felt like a sucker punch. The second I jumped in, my legs went nearly numb. The bright turquoise color is remarkable — like glacier-frozen Gatorade blue.

After paddling, we headed to Lake Louise to walk around the lake and enjoy a cocktail at the Fairmont. It’s definitely more touristy than Two Jack, but the infamous Lake Louise is worth the crowds. The red canoes dotting the water are a crowd favorite, though after paddling earlier, we felt content skipping that experience (though my mom went in the fall and absolutely loved it!).

Day 4: Biking into Banff

We spent the morning at a cute café in Canmore, enjoying coffee and croissants. We picked out a beautiful baguette — well deserved after the bike ride ahead.

We picked up mountain bikes in town and were dropped off at Goat Creek Trailhead, the mountain biking version of the Legacy Trail. It starts in Canmore and ends in Banff. The trail includes some steep inclines and declines, but overall I’d rank it as easy-intermediate, depending on skill level. I have zero mountain biking experience, so I found it thrilling. For Simon — who’s ridden slick rock in Moab and trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire — it was a piece of cake.

We were glad to have bear whistles, as the forest is dense with black bears. After 13 miles of mountains, pine trees, and a beautiful lake, the trail delivered us straight into the heart of Banff, where we treated ourselves to celebratory beers (cider for me) at the Banff Brewery.

We explored town before biking back to Canmore on the Legacy Trail for 15 scenic road miles. That night, we picked up a six-pack of local ciders and made hot dogs over the fire while camping in Johnston Canyon.

Day 5: Two Jack Campground

We enjoyed a lazy morning at the campsite, savoring extra pastries from the French bakery, then headed to the Ink Pots for a short hike. It was a “lazy” day — meaning no running or biking — filled with walking along the stream, reading by the campsite, and playing countless rounds of Kings in the Corner.

I was deep into The Happiness Project, which later inspired my idea to write a book.

Day 6: Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack & Banff

We hit snooze in the tent and snuggled before slowly crawling down to start the day. Simon built a fire while I made breakfast tacos on the stove.

We explored Lake Minnewanka and planned the next phase of the trip. I’d intentionally built in extra flexibility — the luxury of a road trip — allowing us to follow recommendations from locals we met along the way.

We returned to camp for another plunge into the freezing lake, then headed into Banff for burgers at Eddie’s and a longer stroll through town.

Day 7: Helena Peak & Pizza Delivery

This hike was intense — 14 miles with nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain. The trail alternated between brutal uphill climbs and dreamy meadows meant for frolicking (though bear awareness limited my enthusiasm).

We scrambled up a narrow, rocky ascent and eventually stopped short of the summit due to low water and exhaustion. It was a growth moment — our first mountain we didn’t summit — and a lesson in starting earlier and packing more water.

Afterward, we did our now-routine cold plunge at Two Jack Lake, proudly participating in the cold-plunge trend before it was cool. Despite exhaustion, Simon remembered it was Banff’s Farmers Market — something I really wanted to see — so we rushed over just before closing.

We ordered pizza to bring back to camp, laughed about Canadian pizza sizes, ordered more, and played cards by the water. Sunset came late, but after that hike, we were asleep by 9.

Day 8: Banff to Jasper

On our drive to Jasper, we stopped at Bow Lake and Peyto Lake to admire their unreal colors.

This area is truly meant for road-tripping and camping — pristine campgrounds, chopped firewood everywhere, and endless pull-offs for hikes and lake views. We hiked the Valley of the Five Lakes, where rising temperatures (lesson still unlearned) led us to jump fully clothed into the water.

We found our campsite, made fajitas, and stretched to recover before tomorrow’s big hike.

Day 9: Opal Peak

I’m rewriting this section years later because it’s a story we still tell all the time.

We started cranky — overtired from eight nights in a tent and pushing ourselves too hard. The hike began with switchbacks, then emerged above the treeline into a surreal, Mars-like landscape of slate rock and boulders.

After summiting, exhausted and giddy, we celebrated — until we turned around and saw a massive grizzly bear leap across the ridge behind us.

We ran.

Scrambling downhill in hiking boots, slipping on loose rock, Simon blowing a tiny bear whistle, bear spray buried uselessly in his pack. What took two hours to hike up became a frantic 30-minute descent.

Near the trailhead, we encountered a mother black bear with cubs — another blessing disguised as my poor navigation. We waited, blared the car alarm, and sprinted to safety.

Later, a waitress in Jasper casually informed us that locals avoid that hike due to an aggressive male grizzly in the area.

What a day.

Day 10: Horseback Riding & a Much-Needed Reset

We drove to the Fairmont ranch in Jasper for horseback riding, spotting cow elk and newborn calves along the trail.

Afterward, we enjoyed drinks at the lodge — bottomless nuts, olives, and the cheapest beer and cider on the menu. That night, we splurged on a modest steak to cook over the campfire.

Day 11: Edith Lake, Paddle & a Rainy Afternoon

We had breakfast in town, then wandered along Edith Lake. With bear warnings everywhere, we stayed alert.

We paddleboarded, read in the overcast weather, then escaped the rain at a dive bar for a pitcher of Angry Orchard and a few hours of pool before returning to camp.

Day 12: Glacier White Water Rafting & Tunnel Mountain

White water rafting was a major highlight — floating through icy glacial waters beneath towering peaks.

That night, we watched the Nuggets championship game in Banff — bittersweet, knowing the trip (and our time together) was winding down before a year of long distance.

Day 13: Banff Town

My grandparents gifted us a night in a hotel for graduation — a luxury after 12 days of camping. We napped, showered without flip-flops, and soaked in air conditioning.

We enjoyed yoga, dinner at Farm & Fire, and a night out — including an underground bar serving drinks from tea kettles and pickle juice shots.

Day 14: Rock Climbing, Movies & Back to Yoho

A rainy rest day was exactly what we needed. We wandered the farmers market, ducked into an art shop, and bought a moose photo from Helen Peak — the first piece of art we later hung in our first home together.

We rock-climbed, caught a matinee movie, and headed back toward Vancouver, camping again in Yoho. That night, we watched movies in the tent as rain pattered outside — cozy perfection.

Day 15: Back to Kamloops Ranch

We returned to where the trip began — Kamloops Ranch — this time enjoying it in daylight. We stayed up for sunset, stargazed, and listened to wolves howl in the distance.

Simon chopped wood while I journaled by the fire — our routine by then.

Day 16: Vancouver

We returned the car, stored our luggage, and spent the day exploring Vancouver. By chance, we stumbled into a Canadian football game — complete with an LL Cool J halftime show.

Booking a red-eye gave us one last full day to explore, the perfect ending to an unforgettable adventure.

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