Banff · Lake Louise · Yoho · Jasper

Canadian Rockies trip planner: choose your route

Ready-made routes through Banff, Lake Louise, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper, from three days without a car to ten days at an easier pace. Pick by the days you have, where you want to sleep and whether you will drive, see what has to be booked first, then start from the route that fits and change what you like.

Checked October 2026

Choose a plan

Compare the routes

Days, where you sleep, whether you need a car, when it works and what to book first. Every route opens as a full day-by-day plan you can start from.

Canadian Rockies routes compared by days, base, car, season and what to book
Route	Days	Base	Car	Best season	Book ahead	Open
Banff in 3 days A first visit with a car: the town and the gondola, Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, then Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake.	3	Banff	Car needed Moraine Lake is by shuttle either way	June to mid-October	Moraine Lake shuttle seats	Start from this trip: Banff in 3 days
Banff without a car in 3 days Fly into Calgary and never rent a car: the airport coach in, Roam buses around town, and the Super Pass to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.	3	Banff	No car Airport coach and Roam buses	June 1 to October 4 in 2026; after that, the plan gives an alternative for each day that changes	The airport coach both ways and the Roam Super Pass	Start from this trip: Banff without a car in 3 days
Banff and Lake Louise in winter, 4 days Snow, hot springs and frozen lakes, an afternoon on the slopes, and Emerald Lake in Yoho on the last day, before the drive back to Calgary.	4	Banff	Car needed Winter driving; the last day crosses into BC	Winter	A room in Banff, and lift tickets if you ski	Start from this trip: Banff and Lake Louise in winter, 4 days
Yoho and Kootenay in 3 days The quieter BC side: Takakkaw Falls and Emerald Lake, Lake O’Hara if you hold a reservation, then Kootenay south to Radium Hot Springs.	3	Lake Louise or Field	Car needed Every stop is a drive from the last; day 3 ends at Radium Hot Springs	Summer	A Lake O’Hara reservation, or take the Wapta Falls day	Start from this trip: Yoho and Kootenay in 3 days
Jasper and the Icefields Parkway, 5 days Lake Louise to Jasper by the Parkway, a night near the Columbia Icefield, then the Maligne Valley and the lakes around town.	5	Near the Columbia Icefield, then Jasper	Car needed Fuel on the Parkway only at Saskatchewan River Crossing, in summer	Late May to mid-October	A room near the Icefield and one in Jasper, the Columbia Icefield Adventure and the Maligne Lake cruise	Start from this trip: Jasper and the Icefields Parkway, 5 days
Calgary to Jasper and back, 7 days Everything in a week: Banff, Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, Yoho, the Icefields Parkway and Jasper, then back down the Parkway.	7	Banff, then Lake Louise, then Jasper	Car needed Long driving days on the Parkway	June to mid-October	Moraine Lake shuttle seats and both lake cruises	Start from this trip: Calgary to Jasper and back, 7 days
Calgary, Banff and Jasper in 10 days The same ground at an easier pace: an arrival day with nothing booked before dinner, two nights at Lake Louise for Moraine Lake and Yoho, and a slack day in Jasper. Free plans copy the first 7 days of this trip. Pro keeps all 10.	10	Banff, then Lake Louise, then Jasper	Car needed Shorter drives than the 7-day route	June to mid-October	Moraine Lake shuttle seats and rooms at three bases	Start from this trip: Calgary, Banff and Jasper in 10 days

When to go

What runs when in the Rockies

The 2027 seasons are not published yet. Parks Canada, Roam and the operators usually post them in spring.

What runs when in the Rockies, checked 2 October 2026
What	2026 season	Outside it
Moraine Lake shuttle	June 1 to October 12	No shuttle. The road is closed to all vehicles from mid-October to late May
Lake Louise Lakeshore shuttle	May 15 to October 12	No shuttle. Roam 8X runs to Lake Louise all year
Roam 8X reservations, Banff to Lake Louise	One-way and return seats, June 1 to October 12	From October 13, day passes and one-way reservations
Lake Minnewanka cruise	May 8 to October 12	Not running
Columbia Icefield Adventure and Skywalk	May 1 to October 12, weather permitting	Closed
Maligne Lake cruise	May 29 to October 11	Not running
Jasper SkyTram	April 15 to October 25	Closed
Miette Hot Springs	Until October 12	Closed from October 13; reopens May 2027
Icefields Parkway services	Early May to mid-October; fuel only at Saskatchewan River Crossing	No fuel and no services for the 230 km from Lake Louise to Jasper
Brewster Express, Calgary to Jasper	May 1 to October 17	No Jasper service

Book in order

What to book, and when it opens

Each row links the official page. Dates and fees were checked on 2 October 2026; where next year’s date is not out, it says so.

What to book for Canadian Rockies, when it opens and where
What	When	Where	Good to know
Parks Canada campsites and backcountry	2027 dates not published yet. In 2026 the Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper launches ran from January 20 to February 12, each at 8 am Mountain time.	Parks Canada reservations Track the 2027 launches	Banff, Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway campgrounds opened last in 2026, on February 12, after an IT outage moved the date. Book online or at 1-877-737-3783.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle	2027 not published yet. In 2026, 40% of the season’s seats went on sale April 15 at 8 am MT; the other 60% go on sale at 8 am MT, 48 hours before each departure.	Parks Canada shuttle	Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles. 2026 fares: $12.75 adult, $6.00 senior, $4.00 youth, plus a $3.50 online reservation fee. One ticket covers both lakes and the Lake Connector.
Roam 8X, Banff to Lake Louise	In 2026, seats were released in monthly blocks at 9 am MT: April 23 for June, May 25 for July, June 22 for August, July 27 for September to October 12.	Roam Transit reservations	Recommended, not required: about 40% of the seats on each departure are kept for walk-ups. The 2026 Super Pass ($30 adult, June 1 to October 12) covers a day of Roam travel and a round trip on the Lake Connector to Moraine Lake.
Columbia Icefield Adventure and Skywalk	Open May 1 to October 12 in 2026, weather permitting. 2027 not published yet.	Banff Jasper Collection	On the Icefields Parkway, so it belongs to the day you drive between Lake Louise and Jasper.
Lake Minnewanka and Maligne Lake cruises	2026 seasons: Lake Minnewanka May 8 to October 12, Maligne Lake May 29 to October 11.	Banff Jasper Collection opening dates	A same-day Lake Minnewanka cruise ticket rides Roam Route 6 free while that route runs, until October 4 in 2026.
Discovery Pass	Valid 12 months from purchase, at every place Parks Canada runs.	Parks Canada passes	2026 prices in CAD, taxes included: $83.50 adult, $71.50 senior, $167.50 family or group (up to 7 in one vehicle). Youth 17 and under enter free. Fees next change January 1, 2028.
Calgary airport to Banff without a car	Book ahead: Banff Airporter says its runs sell out daily.	Banff Airporter	Brewster Express also runs from the airport and Calgary hotels (2026 summer schedule May 1 to October 31). On-It regional transit did not run in 2026.

How to choose

Start with the days you have. Three days is Banff and Lake Louise, five is Jasper and the Icefields Parkway, seven gets you from Calgary to Jasper and back with Yoho on the way, and ten covers the same ground with shorter drives and a free day.

Then the car. Banff itself works without one in summer, by coach from the airport and Roam buses after that. Yoho, Kootenay, the Parkway and Jasper are car trips. Brewster Express runs a scheduled coach to Jasper in season, May 1 to October 17 in 2026.

Last, the season. Moraine Lake, the cruises and the Columbia Icefield run from May or June to mid-October. Outside that, plan around the town, the hot springs and the ski hills, and drive the Parkway with a full tank.

Banff without a car

From Calgary airport, the Banff Airporter and Brewster Express run coaches to Banff, about two hours each way. On-It regional transit, which many older guides still describe, did not run in 2026.

In town, Roam Route 1 runs to the Banff Gondola and the Upper Hot Springs, and Route 8X runs to Lake Louise all year. Roam does not go to Moraine Lake. Without a car, the Roam Super Pass is the way in: it covers the 8X to Lake Louise and back and the Parks Canada Lake Connector on to Moraine Lake, June 1 to October 12 in 2026. The Parks Canada shuttles themselves leave from the Lake Louise Park and Ride at the ski resort.

Schedules thin out in the fall. Route 6 to Lake Minnewanka runs until October 4, 2026, and Route 9 to Johnston Canyon runs weekends and holidays only from October 17.

Open the plan: Banff without a car in 3 days

Jasper after the 2024 wildfire

Maligne Canyon and the Mount Edith Cavell area, Cavell Road included, are closed for the 2026 season. The Valley of the Five Lakes reopened in summer 2026 on a rebuilt trail, Pyramid Lake is open for hiking and day use, and Maligne Lake Road is open.

Check Parks Canada’s open and closed list for Jasper the week you go, and skip any stop it lists as closed.

Open the plan: Jasper and the Icefields Parkway in 5 days

Driving times

Fuel on the Parkway is at Saskatchewan River Crossing only, and only in summer. In winter there is no fuel and no service for the 230 km between Lake Louise and Jasper.

Calgary to Banff: about 130 km, 90 minutes
Banff to Lake Louise: about 62 km, 40 to 45 minutes
Lake Louise to Field, in Yoho: 27 km
Lake Louise to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway: 232 km, 3 to 4 hours of driving and a full day with stops
Jasper to Calgary: 404 km, about 4.5 hours

Short on time, or after somewhere quieter

Kananaskis Country sits just west of Calgary, next door to Banff and quieter, and makes a full day from the city. Waterton Lakes is in the far southwest corner of Alberta, on the Montana border, where the prairie meets the mountains.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for the Canadian Rockies?

Three days covers Banff and Lake Louise. Five gives you the Icefields Parkway and Jasper. A week takes you from Calgary to Jasper and back, with Banff and Yoho on the way, and ten days does the same with shorter drives and a free day for weather.

Can you visit Banff without a car?

Yes, in summer. Coaches run from Calgary airport to Banff, Roam buses run in town and to Lake Louise, and the 2026 Roam Super Pass covers the Lake Connector to Moraine Lake from June 1 to October 12. On-It regional transit did not run in 2026, so skip older guides that send you to it.

Can you drive your own car to Moraine Lake?

No. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles all year. In 2026 the Parks Canada shuttle runs June 1 to October 12, and from mid-October to late May the road is closed to all vehicles.

When do Parks Canada reservations open for 2027?

Not published yet, as of 2 October 2026. In 2026 the mountain park launches ran from January 20 to February 12 at 8 am Mountain time, and Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle reservations opened April 15. Our 2027 guide tracks each launch.

Is there fuel on the Icefields Parkway?

Only at Saskatchewan River Crossing, and only in summer: Parks Canada lists Parkway services from early May to mid-October. In winter there is no fuel and no service for the 230 km between Lake Louise and Jasper, so leave with a full tank.

Which park pass do you need for Banff and Jasper?

A Parks Canada admission pass for each day in the parks, or a Discovery Pass for a year: in 2026 it cost $83.50 adult, $71.50 senior and $167.50 for a family or group of up to 7 in one vehicle, taxes included. Youth 17 and under enter free.