Backpacking Banff – The Drive from Calgary

My first trip was at 18 months old when my parents took me out West to visit my Great-Grandparents in Saskatchewan.  Even though it was about 8 – 9 hours away, my Mom convinced my Dad to drive us to Banff for a brief visit as part of this trip.  Although I have no memories of this, I'm thankful my parents took a lot of photos of this amazing trip.  It would take me nearly 35 years before I would make my long awaited return to Banff due to a work trip.  When I told my parents about this, my Mom was all ecstatic and telling me how much I would love it.  For someone who has rarely shown interest in my previous travels, this said a lot about this tiny mountain village that I was about to visit.

Descending upon Calgary with a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains

Before heading to Banff, I was in Calgary for a couple of days for training and administrative errands for my new position.  I didn’t get to see much of Calgary, but it was far more than what I saw back in 2009 when I here during a 2-hour layover to Vancouver.  The two things that vividly stick out in my mind about Calgary is how beautiful the city is and how amazing the Bloody Caesars are.  I definitely look forward to my next visit to Cowtown.

Downtown Calgary skyline

After a couple of days in Calgary, we were ready to head off to Banff for our retreat.  Since our office was based near the Calgary International Airport, my co-workers decided to drive north along Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) until we hit Stoney Trail NW (Highway 201).  From there, we headed Southwest until it merged onto the TransCanada Highway.  However, if you are based in downtown Calgary, the TransCanada Highway actually runs right through the middle of the city.  So, just follow the signs that will lead you onto the highway from there instead as it is the more direct route.

Approaching the Rocky Mountains in Morley, Alberta

As for the drive to Banff, it was an adventure in itself.  It’s usually a two-hour drive from Calgary, but we were stuck on the highway just outside of Morley for about a half hour due to a terrible rollover.  It appeared that speed was involved given that the car left our side of the highway, drove right through the grassy ridge separating both sides of the highway for about 100 meters, and ended up facing the opposite side of traffic.  It’s important to keep your eyes open here as moose are known to cross the TransCanada Highway.  I am sure that might have been the case here given the severity of this accident.

Driving towards Banff along the TransCanada Highway

Once you get to Morley, you start to see the majestic Canadian Rockies pop out at you from the horizon.  I was overcome with sheer adulation at this point for the natural beauty in front of me.  The last time I was that impressed by the scenery on a road trip would have to been my first visit to Death Valley.

Banff National Park

As we got closer to Banff, the more impressed I became.  You feel so small driving through the mountain range as the peaks hover nearly 10,000 feet above you.  The tree lines along the Rockies become more noticeable as you begin to pinpoint where the pine trees stop growing and where the glaciers begin.  Small lakes start to replace the flat lands that you pass just as you start to enter Banff National Park.

Welcome to Banff!

Once you enter the village of Banff, you start to see a different style of architecture similar to what you would see in European ski villages, particularly in Germany and Switzerland.  There was quite a bit of construction going on along the main street, so we took some back roads to get to our hotel.  This route allowed us to see more of the residential homes in Banff, as well as the local school.

View from my room at the Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel

By the time we arrived at the Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel, it was just past noon.  Our rooms were not ready yet, but it didn’t matter.  I already knew that Banff had something special to it, and I was looking forward to enjoying whatever I could in between our business meetings within the next 48 hours.