The pristine air in the Canadian Rockies will change you. Breathe deeply as you ascend. Breathe slowly when you reach a viewpoint. Snowcapped mountains, virgin forests, crystalline lakes—the raw beauty here can take your breath away. Discover this magnificent mountain range. And don't forget to breathe.
Days
1-2 Admire majestic views of the Bow Valley and Mount Cascade as you ride to the postcard-perfect town of Banff 
Make time for some luxuriating at the world-renowned Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Pedal amid towering peaks, gem-colored lakes and endless alpine forests—one of the world's most pristine and dramatic landscapes In Banff National Park, bike to Lake Minnewanka for a picnic beneath soaring spires.
Day
3 Watch for black bears, elk and bighorn sheep along your route Pedal Bow Valley's rolling hills alongside blooming meadows, towering summits and the striking Bow River The spray flies and water pounds at the roaring Johnston Canyon waterfall Up for a longer ride? Add some scenic mileage with a spin up to Storm Mountain.
Days
4-5 Challenge yourself on the ascent to Moraine Lake and enjoy views of the stunning turquoise waters framed by the 10 famous Wenkchemna peaks Behold one of the most iconic views in the Canadian Rockies on the exhilarating ride to and from Bow Summit—the highest point on the Icefields Parkway You won't soon forget the vista of milky-blue Peyto Lake beneath a wall of towering mountains Take advantage of an early morning photo op at Lake Louise, a beloved World Heritage site flanked by imposing glaciated spires At the venerable Post Hotel, savor what Travel + Leisure proclaims one of the best hotel dining experiences in North America.
We had a wonderful time. We could easily choose our distance and degree of difficulty each day. The inns were superb! The support was spectacular and totally adjusted to the varied needs of every guest. The people who were on the trip were wonderful, without changing the trip my wife had envisioned. A superior vacation with spectacular inns and scenery!- Londonderry Vt
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Built in the style of a Scottish baronial castle, this exquisite hotel is set in the heart of Banff National Park and offers magnificent panoramic views, luxurious guest rooms and an award-winning 35,000-square-foot spa. Travel + Leisure World's Best. (pool, spa)
This European-style mountain chalet, set on the Pipestone and Bow Rivers, is the epitome of old-world elegance. Travel + Leisure World's Best. A Relais & Châteaux member. (pool, spa)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
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Comments about Canadian Rockies Bike Tour:
We had a wonderful time. We could easily choose our distance and degree of difficulty each day. The inns were superb! The support was spectacular and totally adjusted to the varied needs of every guest. The people who were on the trip were wonderful, without changing the trip my wife had envisioned. A superior vacation with spectacular inns and scenery!
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The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
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AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
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.
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| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 16 | 650 | ||||||||
| 20 | 1000 | |||||||||
| 2 | 24* | 1100 | 33 | 2100 | ||||||
| 26 | 1150 | |||||||||
| 3 | 16* | 850 | 30 | 1500 | 40 | 2000 | ||||
| Johnston Canyon Hike (2 Miles, 100' elevation gain) | ||||||||||
| 4 | 16* | 1300 | 27* | 2300 | 58 | 2800 | ||||
| 5 | 12 | 500 | 20 | 1800 | ||||||
Note:
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
We've not only been exploring these mountains for more than three decades – many of us have settled here. Backroads Regional Manager Alison Iles raised her kids in Banff and has been part of the Rockies community for 25 years. Serving on several park development committees, as well as chairing the Interpretive Guides Association and the Heritage Tourism Association, Alison has helped to set the standards for how all travel companies operate in the region.
We design and support our Canadian Rockies trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
On our Canadian Rockies trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Canadian Rockies—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Canadian Rockies, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
Backroads first headed up to Canada in 1980, when an older Trudeau was prime minister, and we've been exploring its spectacular landscapes ever since. Our leaders are Canadian and many are proud to make their homes in Canadian Rockies—where we offer more trips than any other active travel company and have spent many more years finding the best ones.
It may seem obvious to say the great hotels we tell you about are the ones you'll actually stay in. But the fact is many companies haven't even booked the places they promise and are later forced to settle for inferior alternatives. We book our hotels and exact rooms long in advance—often over two years—so you stay where you expect to stay.
Since 1979, Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale has shown that staying #1 means constantly evaluating our performance using the best possible source of information: our guests. As we systematically analyze your feedback on our trip consultants, leaders, hotels, meals and on-trip activities, we never stop working to make a great company even better.
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Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group; some dates are only available for 16 or more guests while other dates are available for 8 or more guests. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
