Banff National Park Hotel Tips by Redlats

Most national park camping sites have no reservations. It is usually best to arrive early (11am is good) to find available spots in high season. By evening, most campgrounds are full.

The pricing is a little bizarre. You pay more for services (which makes sense), but the last time we went (2002), we also had to pay a premium if we wanted a fire pit. I think we landed up paying approximately $25 Cdn a night.

We have always camped at Banff. Now that we are older, and the ground got harder and is further away than it used to be while we were young and agile, we considered staying in a hotel. Unfortunately, hotels in Banff are quite expensive ($100 Cdn is almost the bare minimum), so we still bring our tent when we want to stay overnight at Banff.

Unique Qualities: We usually land up staying in one of the Tunnel Mountain campgrounds. I like them because they are close to Banff and they are full service (showers are available, etc.). National parks usually have good sites in all locations. You have more privacy than camping for instance at KOA campgrounds.

As well, the larger parks campgrounds have interpretive programs which are often fun to listen to.

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Campground

Website: http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/visit9_E.asp