Campground/route suggestions? Colorado to Banff to Cascades

[Faswambo]

Colorado -> Yellowstone -> Glacier -> Banff -> North Cascades -> back to Colorado

My family loves epic camping trips, one of our favorites so far was a Colorado-Utah-Arizona-California-Oregon-Idaho-Utah loop that took us 4,000 miles in a giant circle that never actually entered Nevada. So the next year we hit up Nevada to cross it off our bucket list!

This year in July we're hoping to go north from where we're at in Northern Colorado. The big places we'd like to hit are Glacier National Park, Banff in Canada, and North Cascades National Park in Washington.

The first night we'll probably stay near the Tetons, then into Yellowstone, either for the day or a couple of days (we've been there before so we probably wouldn't stay long). Then north to Glacier NP, then into Canada for Banff, and then west via Kamloops, probably hit up Vancouver, and then back south into Washington to North Cascades NP. After that . . . I'm not sure. Maybe Wenatchee Valley, Northern Idaho, and back down to Colorado.

Our timeline is flexible, at this point we're thinking of this taking most of July. I'm sure many of you have favorite spots in each of these parks, and maybe route and camping suggestions between them. We're totally comfortable with dispersed/boondocking, as well as established campgrounds.

Any route suggestions? Campground suggestions in each destination, as well as along the way? Other tips? Thanks for your input!

 

[Faswambo]

Attached is a quick brainstorm of a route possibility. Anyone have thoughts on Jasper NP since it's so close to Banff? Think it'd be worth a few extra days?

 

[Faswambo]

Any special considerations on traveling across the border into Canada with a popup?

 

[p]

If you can, take the ferry across from Vancouver to Vancouver island and stay at the living Forrest campground in the Nanaimo. Then drive up to Qualicum and cruise around.

 

[gladecreekwy]

I’m in Jackson. Lots of boondocking possibilities near GT and Yellowstone.

 

[Jim Whitehouse]

Attached is a quick brainstorm of a route possibility. Anyone have thoughts on Jasper NP since it's so close to Banff? Think it'd be worth a few extra days?

We travel the Icefields Parkway regularly to visit daughter in central BC. We won't stop in Baniff as it is too busy. By far the most popular of the 2 parks. however the surounding mountains and trails are spectacular. Several smaller CG on the parkway with access to high mountain trails and lakes. Need to get site early as they are first come. Jasper is not as comercial as Baniff, bit more laid back. If you are looking for the main CG, near the 2 towns, make reservations. If in Jasper make the trip to Mount Robson to see the highest mountain in the canadian Rockies. It is quite moving if he has his head out of the clouda. there 2 good BC provincial CG right there. Onr year we drove to Grand Canyon, Sedona, Red Rocks NV, Lone Pine CA, then over the mountains to take US 97 to BC. we had done the northern part of 97 previoustly. Now that could be another iconic highway trip!

 

[Jimbow]

We've crossed into Canada with both a pup and a TT. We crossed at tiny, one person, facilities without any issues. We made a simple oral declaration that we weren't bringing in any prohibited items and kept driving.

Anecdotally I've heard of someone who was asked to "open it up" from a US Border Patrol inspector who wasn't familiar with a pup. This was at the inland check about 25 miles from the border. The more the persin tried explaining the work involved the more determined they were to have it opened.

By the time they finished setting up in the very hot south Texas sun several agents were big fans and talking about buying a pup.

 

[Jimbow]

Don't forget Grand Teton NP. We've been happy with the Gros Ventre campground. Plus, at the visitor center the spring water is the best we've ever drank. We fill our tanks every time through.

 

[gladecreekwy]

I

Don't forget Grand Teton NP. We've been happy with the Gros Ventre campground. Plus, at the visitor center the spring water is the best we've ever drank. We fill our tanks every time through.

I second the Gros Ventre recommendation. Unfortunately it fills so fast these days i doubt they will get a July reservation

 

[Hilldweller]

I'd stick to established campgrounds around Jasper and Glacier. I've never seen so many grizzlies in my life as I did there.

I got searched coming back into the US. Thoroughly. Because we used a backwater border crossing and they figgered we were smugglers.

Do you have a 4WD? There's a cool dirt road just south of Yellowstone that goes all the way to Idaho. Very pretty drive.

Stay near West Yellowstone if you need to provision-up. Cody, on the other side, is a long drive unless you camp in Wapiti.

 

[CheyenneCanada]

I live in Alberta so can speak to Banff and Jasper and areas. First things first - campground reservations for both opened up already so your choices may be limited, especially if you need power and water. If you don't there are more campgrounds you can book, a lot more. Where you want to go and how long you want to spend there might depend on where you can get camping reservations. Look up the Canada national Parks website for all the info you need about making reservations, the campgrounds etc. parks.canada.ca

If you go to the Canadian campground reviews section for Alberta in this forum you will find my reviews of both Tunnel Mtn campground in Banff and Whistlers in Jasper.

If you have the time I highly recommend travelling up the icefields parkway and staying in Jasper, it tends to be less crowded and commercialized. We LOVE Jasper and go there as much as we can.

As for the grizzlies comment someone else made, I have lived in Alberta all my life (58 years) and camped in the mountains mutple times every summer and had never seen a grizzly until last summer. That said you need to follow 'bare' campsite rules wherever you camp in both parks and I HIGHLY recommend you carry bear spray everywhere. I have seen numerous black bears over the years and cougars can also be an issue. Google Bare Campsite Program Canada for all the info about that.

 

[Hilldweller]

.... Google Bare Campsite Program Canada for all the info about that.

Bare camping in Canada?
...I'd rather be doing that in Florida...

 

[Dingit]

If on your route, or close to your route, Craters of the Moon in ID is worth a day.

And it's gonna be a shame to go almost all the way west...Go all the way and hit Cape Flattery! (You can camp at Neah Bay. Hobuck Beach "Resort" is acceptable for an overnighter.)

 

[veloandy]

Granite Creek Campground (turn off the highway about 30 mins South of Jackson, WY) is amazing and a great stop on the first day north from Northern CO. https://thedyrt.com/camping/wyoming/wyoming-granite-creek-campground.

It has a humungous waterfall, impossibly tall and steep castle-like peaks next to the campground, fun little walks, the campsites are well spaced and private with great views of the river canyon. My family and I saw moose both times we stayed there -- once a big bull, and another time a cow and her calf frolicking in the river. The super-chilled out WPA hot springs pool a half mile walk away are the bomb too.

Downsides: It's like 10 miles (25 minutes) off the highway up a not-super-great/but not-super-sketchy dirt road; no cell reception; no hookups; FCFS; $10.