[Tom_Doak]

So...I'm planning a trip to Banff this summer.  I was looking through old threads and found this one.  Any thread that is more than 20 years old, has posts from Ran, Ben Cowan-Dewar and Tom MacWood is worthy of a bump.  Please provide any suggestions for visiting this area.  Of course, my plan is to play the Stanley Thompson golf course, but I would be interested in guidance on any and all things Banff.

Ted:


First and foremost:  go to Jasper, too.  The drive is off the charts gorgeous, the lodge is entirely a different vibe, and the golf course is arguably better than Banff.  Jenny and I flew into Edmonton and out of Calgary so we wouldn't re-trace our route, but you wouldn't mind re-tracing the Jasper to Banff route.


I recently saw a video somewhere of people hiking in the dark to get a sunrise view in Banff.  I don't know exactly what that was about, but worth looking into.


It's quite possible Jasper and Banff are the two most under-rated golf courses in the world.  Like Ran twenty years ago, I struggle to understand how anyone could NOT rate them highly.  But of course they don't have the CABOT name in front of them.

[Andrew Harvie]

So...I'm planning a trip to Banff this summer.  I was looking through old threads and found this one.  Any thread that is more than 20 years old, has posts from Ran, Ben Cowan-Dewar and Tom MacWood is worthy of a bump.  Please provide any suggestions for visiting this area.  Of course, my plan is to play the Stanley Thompson golf course, but I would be interested in guidance on any and all things Banff.


TS

Agree with TD (about all), going all the way to Banff without Jasper is a miss. I prefer Jasper Park, and Alister Mackenzie and George Thomas loved the golf course too. To me, it's Thompson's finest golf course and my #1 in Canada, but it's a coin flip between Cabot Links and JPL.


For golf wise, Greywolf is close for Western Canadian standards, but you're really only going for Banff and Jasper to play. Hiking, exploring the town, and enjoying the Rocky Mountains is probably your best bet, unless you want to play Calgary Golf & Country Club (Willie Park) or Greywolf.

[Ted Sturges]

How long is the drive between Jasper and Banff?

[Mike Nuzzo]

How long is the drive between Jasper and Banff?

Not long enough!
It is a 10 out of 10 for scenic drives.

[Andrew Harvie]

How long is the drive between Jasper and Banff?

It really depends on the time of day and traffic. If you get stuck behind a tour bus, it can be long. It's 173 miles and I've done it in 2:15 before with no traffic, but plan for 3 hours, 30 minutes or so.


Like Nuzzo said, it's an amazing drive where the Rockies feel like they're collapsing on you as if you're in one of the Interstellar dreams, and Jasper's vibe is so different as a town that they don't even feel related

[Tom_Doak]

If you get sick of driving you can pull off literally anywhere and just admire the jaw-dropping scenery for a while . . . Lake Louise is one such stop.

[Daryl David]

I don’t want to throw shade on your trip, but if I was in your shoes, I would skip golfing at Banff if I could play all my rounds at Jasper. Go to Banff for relaxing and good food. Go to Jasper for the golf. It would be a great miss to travel all the way to that part of Alberta and not play Jasper.

[Will Lozier]

So...I'm planning a trip to Banff this summer.  I was looking through old threads and found this one.  Any thread that is more than 20 years old, has posts from Ran, Ben Cowan-Dewar and Tom MacWood is worthy of a bump.  Please provide any suggestions for visiting this area.  Of course, my plan is to play the Stanley Thompson golf course, but I would be interested in guidance on any and all things Banff.
TS

I highly recommend spending most of a day at Lake Louise to hike up to the Plain of Six Glaciers with a stop at the PoSG Tea House. Bring cash (maybe unnecessary now) and your most comfy boots. One of the greatest day hikes I've ever taken.

https://www.banfflakelouise.com/blog/tea-house-hikes-banff-national-park

And maybe if you spend the entire day in the Lake Louise area, take a short 15 min. detour down Rt. 1 and maybe you'll catch a train passing thru the Spiral Tunnels, and amazing feat of engineering.

https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/culture/kickinghorse/visit/spirale-spiral

Cheers

[Wayne_Kozun]

If you're adventurous there is a place called Skoki Lodge that is in the backcountry near Lake Louise.  The only way in is hiking or cross country skiing.  It is about a 3-5 hour hike.  But the lodge is quite beautiful - it is where Will & Kate, aka the Prince and Princess of Wales, spent part of their honeymoon.
https://www.skoki.com/index.php

[Ian Andrew]

So...I'm planning a trip to Banff this summer.  I was looking through old threads and found this one.  Any thread that is more than 20 years old, has posts from Ran, Ben Cowan-Dewar and Tom MacWood is worthy of a bump.  Please provide any suggestions for visiting this area.  Of course, my plan is to play the Stanley Thompson golf course, but I would be interested in guidance on any and all things Banff.

See both, play both, I find its a split decision between Jasper and Banff among friends. (Jasper for me)
You must make sure you get the original 18 at Banff, they mix the three nines and the Robinson nine is awful.
Although that is the original 1st green on the 1st of that nine.

I'm a hiker, it you are Johnston Canyon and Plain of the Five Glaciers are great hikes.
Morraine Lake is the most beautiful spot in Banff. You have to book to go there now. BOOK this!!!
Lake Louise is REALLY busy, but the hike up to the glacier is a recommended way to get away from all the people.

The 4 hour drive from Banff up to Jasper is the single most beautiful drive in Canada.
Stop at Peyto Lake overlook, short walk, great view
It will take you about eight hours if you enjoy scenery.
Stop at the two major waterfalls after you go by Columbia Ice Fields.

When in Jasper play a couple of rounds if you can. It's only rival might be Highland Links.
While there, Maligne Canyon and Edith Cavell are two must do hikes (short options for both)
The boat trip out on Maligne Lake is a must do too. It's the far end where you'll be blown away!

Other great spots...

Emerald Lake - if it raining in Banff, it's not far away and it will be sunny! (Trust me)
Takkakaw Falls - out same way - highest falls in Rockies
Yoho Falls is amazing, but a longer (flat) hike in.

It's my favourite place in Canada, been seven times for different reasons.
I love golf, but I've been there just to hike for a week too.


Footnote: Jasper to Edmonton or Calgary is 4 hours.

[Mike_Trenham]

If you are as interested in National Parks as you are golf courses and not adverse to driving, here are a couple of recommendations.


Watertown National Park is not that far away and shares its border with Glacier National Park, there is a golf course there too but think it’s pretty rudimentary.


Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park is the Cypress Point of scenic drives and only open a few months each year.


I played Banff in a corporate retreat outing and was underwhelmed, probably got the other nine mixed in but was not curious enough to seek playing the rest as I was more interested in getting on a trail than another nine holes.


In Canadian National Parks the accommodation options are much less monopolistic than in the United States, a bit of research is likely worthwhile.

[Wayne_Kozun]

There are other golf options near Banff, such as in Canmore, but unless you are into playing as many courses as possible I would play more rounds at Banff and Jasper.

[Jim Tang]

In July of 2023 I spent about a week and a half in and around Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. We spent about three days in each location. That area of Canada is iconic with perhaps the most beautiful scenery I've ever experienced in my life. Pictures simply don't do it justice. To put that in perspective, I was in Maui in June of 2022 and thought that was stunning until I got to Banff. A few things to consider.

• When hiking bring bear spray. Local shops will sell Bear spray in Banff and other towns in the park
• To enter the park you'll need a pass from Parks Canada. We bought a pass ahead of time and the parks service mailed it to us. You can get a pass at the gate but the lines can be long.
• As mentioned, the hike through Johnston Canyon near Banff is a must do. We made it to the second waterfall.
• Go to the Banff Fairmont hotel and have a drink at the Rundel Bar, outside on their patio.
• Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are very special spots. They are near one another and you'll want to spend a day at each. We hiked the Little Beehive at Lake Louise, stopping at the tea house along the way. Just a magical day
• As others have said, the drive to Jasper is one of the world's greatest drives. The scenery is majestic and there are many trails and lakes to check out
• Go to Jasper. It's a little less crowded than Banff and Lake Louise because of it's remote location. The Edith Cavell hike is a must do and very different from some of the other hikes I've mentioned. The boat ride on Maligne Lake is also worth your time.

The golf is great, too. Banff Springs right up against the mountain and can be a bit tougher than Jasper Park Lodge. Jasper has more quirk and I played it with a few locals who were wonderful hosts. Last summer there was a grizzly mama bear and her cubs on the course. We saw her on the back nine and kept a safe distance from her.

[Mike Hendren]

Likely our next trip.  Any don’t miss lodging options? 

[Wayne_Kozun]

Likely our next trip.  Any don’t miss lodging options?

Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise and Jasper Park Lodge.  They are all Fairmont Hotels and were originally railway hotels.
Greywolf in Panorama, BC is about 2 hours from Lake Louise and is supposed to be very good. 

In a year or two Cabot Revelstoke will be open as well.

[Jim Tang]

Likely our next trip.  Any don’t miss lodging options?

We stayed two nights at the Chateau Lake Louise. The advantage of staying at the Chateau is it's the only hotel on the lake. You can get access to the lake in the early morning and later evenings with far fewer people on or around the lake. You also don't have to worry about parking, which is extremely limited in the public lot. The Chateau has a parking garage.


We spent three days in Jasper at the Jasper Park Lodge. It's an entirely different feel from the Chateau. The grounds are beautiful and the setting is very serene. Both properties are well worth the visit even though they are pricey.

[Jim Ramey]

I first played Banff Springs in 1973!
Seeing this beautiful place prompted my, eventual, move to the mountains.
No disrespect to the great Jasper Park, imho Banff is the greatest mountain course ever built, especially the original routing.
The original first tee was right behind the grand hotel - pro shop (now a restaurant, I believe), starter shack, warm up driving range and first tee! What a magnificent first tee! You play your first tee shot across the river towards Mt Rundle. The ball hanging in the air forever! This was a classic out and back course - out along side the mountains and back, along the Bow River with the majestic hotel in the background, drawing you home!
I was really sorry to see the changes that were made, sucking out the soul of the course.
It's still a magnificent place - still the greatest mountain course !

[Ben Malach]

Jim:

Not to burst your bubble but there are two hotels at Lake Lousie.


The Post which is just behind the main hotel and of course the Chateau. While I love the restaurants in the Chateau, I am not as much of a fan of staying there as I am at staying at the Post. The Post has a better view from the hot tub, more inviting common spaces and better rooms. This all has led me to stay there more often than the big hotel as the Chateau is nice but the hotel feels very dated.  The post has more JPL vibes which fits my energy better than the big hotels.


(I normally stay during the winter as I prefer the Lake in the winter. As it's less crowded and there are more activities to do.)


Wayne:


If I am doing the Alberta golf trip as a local I recommend flying into Calgary. Driving north to Wolf Creek playing 36. Crash in Red Deer. Then driving the number 11 west to Saskatchewan Crossing and up to Jasper for a couple of nights. Then back down the parkway to Banff for a night or two. Before taking the Spray Lakes road to the 22x down to Waterton for 2 nights.  This sets you up to see the best parts of the province and keeps you on good roads.


TBH unless you're a Canadian golf sicko there is no reason IMO to see Grey Wolf and the rest of the stuff in the Columbia River Valley.  They are all like 3's and 4's that charge a ridiculous amount due to the traffic received from Alberta. Grey Wolf is probably the best in the valley but even there I felt the course was lacking. I have never been a fan of placing the hole that people come to see in the front 9 of your golf course as with a lot of these properties the anticipation of hitting that shot is what keeps the energy and momentum going in the round. It's one of the key reasons why modern Banff feels like trash as the original 8th becomes the 4th there is no time to build tension or excitement before the golfer reaches the hole. This is very much the feeling I got at Grey Wolf except that Grey Wolf has none of the strategy and interest that Banff has that makes me want to come back and play even in its faded form.


The more and more I think about Revy the more I think it fits better with a Kelowna trip than a Alberta trip. The drive is almost 5 hours out of Calgary and there isn't much to do in the drive between Revy and Calgary except mountain biking and some aggressive hiking. All of this to get to a railroad siding of a town that's still 2 hours away from somewhere.






If people are desperate to add another round to the Banff, Canmore, Jasper triangle. My recommendation is to add a round at Canmore G&C over the more famous stuff at Stewart Creek, Silver Tip, Kananaskis as the golf is less frustrating than the other 3 mentioned and if you want the views that each of those courses offers. I have about 15 to 20 hikes that offer better views with less irritation to the golfing mind. 




Anyway, If anyone needs any more locals takes. i am still here.

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