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Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

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 two favorite activities to one of our most popular destinations and created a terrific trip that's bound to delight the whole family. Come bike and hike in Banff and Jasper with our Trip Leaders - certified Mountain Parks Heritage Interpreters who 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.

Days 1-2 Jasper

Meet in Banff  Take a scenic shuttle ride along the spectacular 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. Get a new perspective on the landscape during a fun-filled guided raft trip down the Athabasca River Adults pedal from stunning Maligne Lake, stopping for a hike in Maligne Canyon while kids are introduced to the exciting sport of rock climbing with accredited instructors Explore the town of Jasper and enjoy dinner on your own as as a family   Myriad optional activities await: indulge in a massage at our hotel's full-service spa, play a round of golf or survey your surroundings on horseback or from a paddle boat.

Day 3 Bow Lake

Pedal along a quietly winding road past trees and lakes to Athabasca Falls, one of the Rocky Mountains' most powerful and breathtaking cascades Revel in the view of the Athabasca Glacier and the massive Columbia Icefield Stay on the shores of brilliantly blue Bow Lake in a historic hunting lodge built by Jimmy Simpson, a pioneering mountain guide  Tumbling glaciers and soaring peaks flank a long gradual ascent along the stunning Icefields Parkway to Bow Lake Keep an eye out for resident wildlife, including moose, elk, bighorn sheep and black bears.

Days 4-6 Lake Louise

Walk to a beautiful view of Bow Falls Ride over the Continental Divide en route to the hamlet of Lake Louise, a world-renowned turquoise beauty ringed by magificent glaciated peaks Families stroll alongside the lake's shimmering shore and follow the path of the Victoria Glacier up to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse After a hearty lunch at the Teahouse, adults continue hiking while kids return to the hotel for some fun activities with the Kid Coordinator Spend time at the Post Hotel's Temple Mountain Spa Dine at the hotel's acclaimed restaurant, which showcases the cuisine of chef Hans Sauter  Pedal a route lined with virgin forest and wildflowers toward Banff Enjoy a delicious farewell picnic.

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SECLUDED LODGES: Premiere Inns

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (2 nights): Situated on the shore of beautiful Lake Beauvert and offering abundant amenities and activities, from a full-service spa to tennis, golfing, boating and horseback riding. 

Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (1 night): Full of authentic pioneer character, this rustic and welcoming retreat on the shores of Bow Lake was founded over a century ago by colorful outfitter Jimmy Simpson.

Post Hotel & Spa (2 nights): A prestigious Relais & Châteaux member with a spot on Conde Nast Traveler's Gold List, where regional crafts accent natural pine beams and river stone fireplaces. Kids and adults will enjoy the indoor saline swimming pool.

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

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.


Routes 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 Biking Average Walking Average
Level 1 2-3 hours 10-20 mile 2-5 miles
Level 2 2-4 hours 21-30 miles 5-7 miles
Level 3 3-5 hours 31-40 miles 7-9 miles
Level 4 4-6 hours 41-55 miles 9-11 miles
Level 5 5-7+ hours 56-75+ miles 11-13+ miles
2010 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
Recommended Kids Ages

Minimum Ages:

Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years

Minimum age restrictions:

General Info on Minimum Ages:

We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:

Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.

Guest Trip Reviews

The occasion for our Backroads trip was a family reunion/golden anniversary celebration. The Canadian Rockies was a magnificent venue, and the multisport activities were fun and challenging. Our leaders were expert, friendly, knowledgeable, and very anticipatory of our needs. They helped make the entire trip memorable. Indeed, our Backroads trip will be a certain touchstone for everyone in my family. Thank you so much.
Gene Kwong - Redlands, CA

By far, the best trip we have ever taken. The logistics, organization, quality of guides, presentation, activity selection were all done beyond perfection. You clearly have some intelligent folks masterminding this organization.
Brad Hinrichs - Menlo Park, CA

This is a great trip! The setting is absolutely beautiful. A highlight of the week was the glacier walk. The biking was just the right amount and the hills are not too hard. The kids loved the rock-climbing day and it was a good idea to have them do that instead of biking.
Maria Bloom - Glastonbury, CT

We had a great time - all was perfect! I really can't say enough - we had a great time. Beautiful scenery, great rides, and constant pampering by the leaders. They pulled it all off without a hitch - I know it was a lot of work, but they made it all very invisible to us.
Chuck Fanning - Berkeley, CA

From start to finish, Backroads made this trip truly memorable. The activity, the adventure, the atmosphere and the accommodations were all first-rate. The blending of so many elements into a seamless experience was simply outstanding. All the hard work in putting something like this together is exceptional. You are all to be commended for the top-notch job you do.
Robert Kwong - Dos Vientos Ranch, CA

My family had a fabulous time. This was the greatest family vacation we have ever had. My children loved the Rockies and it was great to share this experience with all the wonderful people we met on the trip. My fourteen year old who was a bit hesitant about the trip hit it off immediately with another fourteen-year old girl and can't wait to do another Backroads trip.
Susan Motluk - Toronto, ON