Banff and Jasper National Parks

Sheri had always wanted to see Banff, but now that we were there it was a little bit disappointing. (We realize that we both have already seen so many beautiful places on earth that we run the risk ofbecoming blasé. We try not to be.) Part of our disappointment came from the fact that we were early in the season and the trails to alpine areas were still snow-covered and thus closed. The park was also rather crowded considering the fact that the summer season hadn’t really started yet.

Jasper National Park has wider valleys than Banff, with nicer views and it also felt much less crowded. Jasper is famous for its very large icefields and its glaciers. Together the parks form a thin strip of land that divides the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Right through the heart of it runs a (scenic)highway with lots of viewpoints, campgrounds and hiking trails. During our stay we saw Bighorn sheep (many posing very nicely for us close to the car), moose, elk and mule deer. We did lots of day hikes that brought us to canyons and waterfalls and through forests.