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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 Banff National Park and Lake Louise

Meet in Banff Ride through town, then follow the blue-green Bow River past towering peaks and virgin forests  Enjoy a bountiful picnic in Johnston Canyon before heading out on a scenic hike that leads to a series of gorgeous waterfalls  Shuttle to the Lake Louise, a World Heritage site   Families stroll alongside the Lake Louise's shimmering shore and follow the path of the Victoria Glacier up to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse After lunch at the teahouse, adults continue hiking on their own while kids enjoy an afternoon of fun activities designed just for them.

Day 3 Bow lake and the Icefields Parkway

A family-friendly ride from the hotel along scenic 93A ("the old highway"), leads past Athabasca Falls and to our picnic spot Take in views of stunning Peyto Lake from the highest point on the Icefields Parkway Keep an eye out for resident wildlife.

Days 4-6 Jasper National Park

Be adventurous: Strap on crampons and take a guided walk with accredited mountain guides on the massive Athabasca Glacier Revel in views of the surrounding glaciers that form the enormous Columbia Icefield Get a new perspective on the landscape on a guided raft trip down the Athabasca River Kids are introduced to the exciting sport of rock climbing by accredited climbing guides  Meanwhile adults shuttle to Maligne Lake to see its magnificent color before continuing on a rolling downhill ride, stopping along the way for an optional hike through spectacular Maligne Canyon 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  Explore the town of Jasper and enjoy dinner on your own.

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MOUNTAIN RETREATS: Casual Inns

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

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

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

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

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

Our 50th anniversary family trip was absolutely wonderful. I never looked at anyone at any time that they didn't have a big smile on their face. We (some of us) were often tired, but it was a good feeling and one of accomplishment. Our group consisted of folks from Ironman to couch potato abilities and we were all satisfied!
Linda Goodwin - Frisco, CO

It was a great trip....I wish that I could start over and do it again this week!
Joan Luppino - Cincinnati, OH