Completion of our no-build rental camper van took longer than expected (we probably should have expected that) so we didn’t leave the Vancouver area until after sun-down on Day #1 of our epic west Canada national park extravaganza.

Driving routes from Vancouver to Banff and Jasper

There are several possible routes to drive from Vancouver to Banff and Jasper National Parks. We chose the route through the city of Kamloops, stopping over at Yoho National Park, before arriving in the town of Banff.

Where to park overnight on your van-life road trip?

Please keep in mind that within Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, overnight camping is only allowed in designated camping areas! This means you should not park your van overnight on a random street and hope to go unnoticed. Please follow the rules so camping (and van-camping) remains a positive experience for everyone!

With that said, outside of the national park mandates, I highly recommend utilizing the resource iOverlander to plan out your stops along the way before arriving to the national parks! iOverlander was instrumental in our success in finding safe spots to sleep overnight, reliable sources of potable water, and even showering facilities on the road.

Drive From Vancouver To Yoho National Park

Due to our late start departing from Vancouver, we made it to the mid-way point of Kamloops quite late in the day. Essentially all we did that night was pull into the Costco parking lot (recommendation courtesy of iOverlander), brush our teeth, and sleep.

The following morning, we continued on our way to Yoho National Park. One well-known stopping point along the way is Othello Tunnels, which is a series of old train tunnels and bridges cut into granite mountains near the town of Hope, BC. The tunnels looked amazing online, but were closed for the entire 2022 season due to flood damage.

My next planned stop was in the town of Revelstoke: Mount Revelstoke National Park’s Giant Cedars Boardwalk. Unfortunately, the Giant Cedars Boardwalk was also closed! It was closed through 2020 and 2021 during the COVID pandemic, and was now closed also for summer 2022 due to extensive damage from tree fall.

Wapta Falls, Yoho National Park

Finally arriving in Yoho National Park, we embarked on a hike to Wapta Falls. The 4.7km trip takes about 45-60min each way. Make sure you drive from Highway 1 (Trans Canada Highway) all the way to Wapta Falls Trailhead Park Road and not Beaverfoot Road as Google Maps sometimes sends you the wrong way. Your destination on Google Maps should be “Wapta Falls Main Trail” rather than just “Wapta Falls” to avoid the incorrect navigation instructions.

The hike is more of a very well-trodden easy walking path rather than a hike. It can get muddy after rainfall but thankfully was not at all when we visited. The first overlook to the falls is a side view. A lot of people stop here, but you can continue further to get closer to the base of the falls.

The biggest negative of this hike (and that of many hikes on this trip, we would soon discover) was the mosquitoes. There were SO MANY. Biting us through our clothes!

Hoodoo Creek Campground

Our first overnight in a national park was at Hoodoo Creek Campground within Yoho National Park. This campground was a cozy little enclave, maybe around 30 unserviced spots arranged in a small circle, completely surrounded by towering mountains. Looking back, this campground boasted the best “camp under the stars within the mountains and feel like a forest creature” vibes of the trip. Hoodoo Creek Campground offered (very non-smelly) pit toilets, fire rings, and firewood. We showered outdoors by the van (check out our van shower set-up!), cooked up some noodle soup along with barbequed sausages, and enjoyed a beer under the stars. There were SO MANY stars.

 

Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park

The next morning started off at Emerald Lake, the largest lake in Yoho National Park. People flock there to take in the turqouise blue water, made vibrant and opaque by the rock flour deposited by glacial movements. Be sure to arrive before 10am or you may have to circle a bit to find a parking spot. We hiked a bit of the Emerald Lake Loop trail and it was flat, compact ground and very manageable. The full loop is 5.1km long. Due to the ease of the trail and the beautiful turquoise blue water, the front area near the kayak rentals and parking area gets very crowded. Don’t worry, just keep walking on the trail— you will come across little enclaves to get away from the crowd and enjoy spectacular views of Emerald Lake and the canoes and kayaks roaming about. The majority of people who visit Emerald Lake don’t actually go very far on the Loop Trail so crowds are not difficult to escape from.

Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park

After getting our fill of our first glacial lake of the trip, we continued driving to Takakkaw Falls, also within Yoho National Park. If in a time crunch, you can actually get a good view of the falls from the road on the drive in. Additionally, the parking lot is very close to the base of the falls so you can appreciate the grandeur even if you don’t want to hike in. I recommend taking the time to do the hike, as it gets you much closer. Surprisingly close, like “that waterfall spray will mess up my camera” close. After parking, the 1.2km “hike” starts essentially paved and stays very easily accessible all the way to the base of the falls, close enough to get uncomfortably wet from the spray. At this point you can choose to continue onwards and upwards, climbing the mountain paralleling the falls, if you wish. It reminded me of Cave of the Winds in Niagara Falls.