Banff and Jasper ride suggestions?

I'm planning on riding to the Testy Festy in Missoula, MT at the beginning of August and then picking the wife up in Calgary. We're going to ride to Banff and maybe Jasper from there. Anybody have route and/or hotel recommendations? I also may consider picking her up in Calgary and riding to Vancouver and dropping her off to fly back. All info is appreciated. I have ridden all over the US but not Canada. Thanks

If you head over from Calgary to Vancouver, many great options. Kaslo to New Denver is always highly recommended little stretch. Make sure to work in a free ferry ride or two...(Shelter Bay-Galena Bay, Balfour-Kootenay Bay). Nakusp to Revelstoke... Revelstoke's a cool town to see (IMO). I'm sure many locals up there can give more suggestions. It's all pretty great up there.

Icefields Parkway (the main highway between Banff and Jasper) is, by itself, epic. North from Jasper to the park's entrance and a little beyond is gorgeous. Must see Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Stop to see Sunwapta Falls. We stayed one night at Sunwapta Falls Lodge and ate there - superb Elk Wellington. Comfortable lodging but maybe a bit expensive. I know there are side routes off the main route, hot springs, rivers and lakes to see. But IMHO, if you only rode Icefields Parkway, you'd still have ridden one of the most beautiful routes anywhere. One of my very favorites and though I've ridden it 3 times, I'll probably be back to do it again - the kind of scale, grandeur and color that you really have to share with someone special while you can.

Thanks a lot guys. I know it's going to be awesome and the suggestions are appreciated. I'm coming up from Colorado so The whole trip should be great. Did you guys camp or stay in hotels/lodges? I may do some of both but I wondered how booked up places get up there.

Riding up there myself in. Couple of weeks time this is the route

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If you decide to come to Vancouver, you should come in from the north on Hwy 99 from Lillooet to Whistler to Vancouver. Spectacular ride all the way over the Duffy Lake Road and the Sea-to -Sky Hwy., both are local riders' favourites.

Also, what Skibum said about the Icefields Parkway is bang on. It's breathtaking all the way.

If you can only do ones detour, it must be to Lake O'hara, about 10 miles west of Lake Louise on Hwy 1. You have to walk in or take a parks bus but it is the most beautiful place on earth. Gorgeous lake, surrounded by hanging glaciers and waterfalls. Google it for some pics.

One town I like to stay in is Radium Hot Springs. Lots of nice little motels, and the pool is about $6 and is just amazing. Really large naturally heated, open late at night, great for a soak after a long day riding (pic your heat by moving around). Got up early one morning to leave that town and there were bighorn sheep all over eating out of the trees up on their back legs--it was awesome! Highway 93 between Lake Louise and Radium is great scenic road, as is HWY 1 from Lake Louise to Golden. I also hear Ainsworth hot springs is great too...

Spud said:

One town I like to stay in is Radium Hot Springs. Lots of nice little motels, and the pool is about $6 and is just amazing. Really large naturally heated, open late at night, great for a soak after a long day riding (pic your heat by moving around). Got up early one morning to leave that town and there were bighorn sheep all over eating out of the trees up on their back legs--it was awesome! Highway 93 between Lake Louise and Radium is great scenic road, as is HWY 1 from Lake Louise to Golden. I also hear Ainsworth hot springs is great too...

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I was lucky enough to spend about 10 years on the Ski Patrol in Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. And most of the those summers hiking and climbing and riding motorcycles in the area.

I miss it.

thanks for all the feedback. It's shaping up like Colorado start, then hit up a friend in Salt Lake, Crater Lake, Oregon Coast to Port Angeles,WA. From there ferry to Vancouver Island then ferry to Vancouver and pick up the wife. We'll ride North thru Whistler to Jasper then down to Banff. I might drop her in Calgary to fly back or she'll fly out of Missoula. I'm going to hit the Testicle Festival in Missoula then go to Sturgis to meet some friends for a couple days then back home. I'm going to try to bungee jump in Twin Falls, ID and Whistler as well. Hope I can get it all done. Thanks for the suggestions and please keep em comin'

I just returned 1/2 hour ago from a 5 day trip to Jasper. First, never heard anything good about the Testical festival.

This was our 6th and 7th Jasper ride. Route we took: Helena - St Marys - Cross at Chief Mountain - Twin Butte (at at General Store if open) - Pincher Creek - Long View - Hwy 40 (great ride) to Canmore - Hwy 1 to Hwy 1A (Bow Valley Parkway) - Hwy 93 (Icefield Parkway) to Jasper - Return via Icefield Parkway to 93 thru Kootenay park to Radium Hot Springs - Hwy 93 to MT.

If you have time the ride to Hinton is worth the time.

"I'm planning on riding to the Testy Festy in Missoula, MT"

I've been there twice. One of things it's fun to see but once really was enough.

If you are going from Vancouver up this way do hwy 99 north out of vancouver like mentioned. I spend a lot of time in the mountains and that hwy is one of the nicest I have been on with a bike. You could also take a few days and ride the island to tofino. Also an excellent road on the bike.

Getting a little more settled on the trip. I'm going to pick up the wife in Seattle then ferry to Vancouver Island and spend a couple days then we'll ferry back over and take 99 N. thru Whistler and jump off a 160 bridge (with the proper cords attached I hope). After that we have 5 more days to explore Jasper and Banff before the wife leaves from Calgary and I ride down thru Missoula (stop at Testy Fest maybe) and thru Sturgis for a couple days before returning to Colorado. I appreciate all the info and I'm going to use it to finalize my plans. Thanks, guys

Ill will have to look at the map to find which entrance it is but when you enter the US go the more western entrance into Montana. You can go through Waterton park is is nice and the border stop is less busy the coutts. Coutts is the main crossing and you can be there for a bit if they are busy. You can also go through the rod to the sun which is ok. Not the best highway ever like some claim but is nice. If you want a long curvy highway you can go into Idaho on hwy 11 I believe. They are more courses on that road then any other I have been on.