Canada: Banff National Park & the Canadian Rockies

Bike Vacation Only

If you’re looking for a Canadian Rockies cycling adventure that takes you deep into unspoiled landscapes,

this is the one you’ve been looking for! Pedal the legendary Bow Valley Parkway—a stunning wilderness

corridor near the mountain enclave of Banff. Along the way, your local Canadian trip leaders introduce

Cultural Highlights

Learn about Banff National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and Canada’s first

national park.

Spin downhill along the magnificent Bow Valley Parkway, a stunning wilderness corridor.

Observe wildlife from the saddle—including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and even black

and grizzly bears.

Pass panorama after panorama of jaw-dropping alpine splendor as you cycle in Kananaskis

Country.

Hike the trails of the Canadian high country, rewarding you with epic views.

What to Expect

Average Cycling Time: 2-6 hours

Group size: 14-20 max

Climate Information

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Average High/Low Temperature (°F)

June 66º/42º, July 71º/45º, August 71º/44º, September 62º/37º

Average Rainfall (in.)

June 2.7, July 2.7, August 2.4, September 1.5

DAY 1: Travel to Banff / Warm-up ride

At 12:30 p.m., meet your VBT representative in the lobby of our Calgary hotel.

welcome reception, followed by dinner.

Today's Ride Choices

Afternoon: Warm-up Banff — 19 km (11 miles)

What to Expect:

Your warm-up spin gives you the opportunity to get used to the fit and gearing of your bike. During a

scenic ride through town and to the quiet golf course, you’ll feel refreshed and renewed as the cool alpine

breezes brush your cheeks in the shadow of the snow-capped mountains. You may even encounter

wapiti grazing on the plush grass.

Cumulative Distance Range: 19 km (11 miles)

Included Meals: Dinner

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magnificent Bow Valley Parkway. This stunning wilderness corridor is celebrated for its preservation of

Banff’s scenic heritage. This route is popular with local wildlife, and you may see elk, deer, bald eagles,

bear, and fox along the way. Before you depart, your trip leaders will provide you with a training on bear

awareness and safety (bear spray is on hand, just in case). As you descend, you may want to pause at

the various interpretive displays to learn more about sites like Morant’s Curve (a must for railroad buffs)

or Castle Cliffs. Pause for a hearty picnic lunch prepared by your trip leaders. You may also go for a short

hike at the popular Johnson Canyon. Later in the day, you’ll visit the “Flames of Life,” an area where

controlled wildfires have been used to stimulate plant growth and support the area’s natural habitats.

After a rewarding day, arrive back in Banff, the highest town in Canada. This afternoon offers you free

time to visit one of the many attractions in town or you may prefer to relax back at your hotel. You may

the shore, shuttle down to the village. Begin riding on the Bow Valley Parkway, one of the very best road

bike routes in Canada and an important wildlife corridor. Pause for a picnic lunch near Castle Junction.

This afternoon, ride mostly downhill along the Bow Valley Parkway, passing the beautiful Vermillion Lakes

just before arriving in Banff. There will be a few hills but there is generally a tailwind in this direction. The

parkway speed limit of 60 kph (37 mph) makes for safe and comfortable cycling, with several one-way

sections. Watch out for bear jams!

Cumulative Distance Range: 23 — 57 km (14 — 35 miles)

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DAY 3: Cycle Lake Minnewanka and Tunnel Mountain / Optional

afternoon activities

This morning head out on a ride to Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake. Be sure to stop and read about

rides are another great way to experience the Canadian Rockies. Enjoy another meal on your own tonight.

Today's Ride Choices

Morning: Lake Minnewanka & Tunnel Mountain — 33 km (21 miles) | Lake Minnewanka & Tunnel

Mountain PLUS — 38 km (24 miles)

What to Expect:

Start the morning ride by cruising through Banff to the outskirts of town towards the loop ride at Lake

Minnewanka. Along the way you’ll pass Cascade Ponds, the ghost town of Bankhead and Two-Jack Lake.

Those who would like to add a few miles can extend with an out-and-back to Johnson Lake. On your

return cycle on the scenic Tunnel Mountain Drive. Once back in Banff the rest of the day is at your leisure.

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mountain views, wild roses, and castilleja will stimulate your senses. En route, stop to meet a local guide

for an exploration of plant medicine from an Indigenous lens. Banff has been an important area for

Canada’s native people for thousands of years, with the Stoney Nakoda calling the region Mînî hrpa or

“Mountain Where The Water Falls” after the nearby Cascade Mountain. As you walk below this towering

peak, you’ll learn about the native plants and their many uses — to both people and wildlife in the region.

Mount your bike and continue the Legacy Trail to Canmore. A former coal mining center, Canmore is now

an enchanting mountain town. Lunch on your own at one of the many eateries including Crazyweed

Kitchen or the Grizzly Paw Pub before perusing Rocky Mountain Soap Company’s flagship store,

Stonewater’s for gifts and home goods or Art Country Canada Rocky Mountain Gallery. Or, stop by

Canmore Brewing’s tasting room for a flight of the local artisanal beer.

Morning: Banff to Canmore — 26 km (16 miles)

Afternoon: Troll Falls Trail (optional) — 5 km (3 miles)

What to Expect:

Depart downtown Banff towards the Legacy Trail, a paved bike path that stretches from Banff to

Canmore. The ride is mainly downhill with a few short, gentle hills. There is a picnic area with outhouses

midway through the route. Stay to the right as the trail is open to pedestrians and horseback riders. Stop

at Cascade Ponds for a short, guided walk. This tour is easy with a slow pace and plenty of stops over flat

terrain. After lunch on your own in Canmore, rejoin your group to shuttle 40 minutes to your hotel in

Kananaskis village.

The self-guided Rim Trail walk is 1.5 km (1 mile) on a flat paved trail that circles around the property and

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Included Meals: Breakfast

prepared by your trip leaders at Upper Kananaskis Lake. Afterward, admire the natural beauty of

Kananaskis Valley as you pedal back to your hotel.

This evening, gather for your farewell dinner at the hotel, toasting to your adventures in the Canadian

wilderness.

Today's Ride Choices

Morning: Blackshale Suspension Bridge trail — 1 km (.5 miles) | 1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition

Interpretive Trail — 2 km (1 mile)

Afternoon: Upper Kananaskis Lake to Opal Day Use Area — 30 km (19 miles) | Opal Day Use Area to

Kananaskis — 18 km (11 miles)

What to Expect:

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Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your tour concludes at the Marriott Downtown Hotel Calgary (or Delta Hotels by Marriott Calgary Airport

leisure—perhaps explore the city, rest up in the hotel, or select a local restaurant for lunch and dinner. We

provide detailed city information to help you plan your day.

Today's Ride Choices

Morning: Troll Falls Trail (optional) — 5 km (3 miles) | Kananaskis to Barrier Lake — 16 km (10 miles)

The optional guided hike to the scenic Trolls Falls is considered an easy-moderate out-and-back trail with

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