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Route Rating Level 1 to Level 4

PDF iconDetailed Itinerary

RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Casual Inns
  • From $2,798
    To $2,898 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+From $840 To $860
    for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 1 dinner.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Banff, Alberta

Special Interest

Geological Wonders, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Raft

Recommended Reads

Essential trip reading

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Canadian Rockies Family Vacations

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Bike, Hike and Raft in Banff and Jasper National Parks

If you and your family can't decide between biking or hiking in the Rockies, now you don't have to. We've taken our best-loved activities and one of our most popular destinations and combined them into a terrific trip that's bound to be your family's new favorite. Come bike and hike in Banff and Jasper with our Trip Leaders, who are certified Mountain Parks Heritage Interpreters and know these national parks intimately. Pedal past glaciers inching their way down the faces of mighty peaks, hike to lakes in crayon-box hues of deepest blue and vibrant green, take to the water on an easygoing raft trip and explore miles and miles of Canada's breathtaking Rockies.

You are viewing the Family Casual Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Premiere Inns , Family Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns , Classic Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

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Days 1-2 Jasper National Park

Meet in Banff Picnic at Waterfowl lakes with towering Mount Cephren above Get a new perspective on the landscape on a guided raft trip down the Athabasca River Visit Maligne Lake to see its magnificent color before a downhill and rolling ride Hike through spectacular Maligne Canyon or up to Old Fort Point Kids are introduced to rock climbing by accredited climbing guides Enjoy the festive atmosphere of the Jasper Brewing Company and the Tekarra Lodge

Day 3 Bow lake and the Icefields Parkway

Stride through pristine mountain wilderness in the Valley of Five Lakes, winding past its jade-green namesakes and through the habitats of mule deer, beavers and coyotes Strap on crampons and take a guided walk with accredited mountain guides on the massive Athabasca Glacier Revel in the views of surrounding glaciers and the tip of the enormous Columbia Icefield Keep an eye out for resident wildlife.

Days 4-6 Lake Louise and Banff National Park

Spin from the highest point on the Icefields Parkway down toward Lake Louise; enjoying sweeping vistas of glaciers, mountains, lakes and forests You may have the opportunity to spot wildlife, including moose, elk, bighorn sheep and black bears Stroll alongside the Lake Louise's shimmering shore and follow the path of the Victoria Glacier up to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse A local kids' naturalist brings the landscape to life. Pedal a route lined with virgin forest and wildflowers toward Banff. Enjoy farewell picnic. short shuttle back into Banff.

Trip praise

We had perhaps the best family trip ever on our Canadian Rockies Family adventure and carry with us memories that will last a lifetime. We cannot wait to go on our next Backroads trip. What an outstanding experience! Thank you.
Phoebe Lang - San Francisco, CA

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For more than 29 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Canadian Rockies tour experts. For multisport tours in Canada, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Canada multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Canada biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Canada walking and hiking tours click here.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

MOUNTAIN RETREATS : Casual Inns

Baker Creek Chalets

Lake Louise (2 nights): This hidden gem, nestled in a wooded setting beneath the Canadian Rockies, features a great location and spacious homey cabins.

Tekarra Lodge

Jasper (2 nights): A cluster of simple cabins with fireplaces and porches, nestled in pines above the confluence of the Athabasca and Miette Rivers.

Columbia Icefields

Athabasca Glacier (1 night): Modest accommodations located at the top of Sunwapta Pass, overlooking the Athabasca Glacier.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Tekarra Lodge

You are viewing the Family Casual Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Premiere Inns , Family Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns , Classic Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Levels 1 to 2 4 Route Options Available
  • Hiking 2.2 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 7, 16, 29 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Level 2 1 Route Option Available
  • Hiking 6.2 miles
  • 500 - 1200 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • Biking 11, 26, 35 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Level 1  1 Route Option Available
  • Glacier Ice Walk 2 hours
  • Rafting  2 hours
Day 5
  • Level 3 2 Route Options Available
  • Biking 31, 33 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Kid's Rock Climbing
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Hiking 3.3 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain

On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with little significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours
10-20
miles
2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours
21-30
miles
5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours
31-40
miles
7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours
41-55
miles
9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours
56-75+
miles
11-13+
miles