TenOC wrote:

We are thinking about making a late Spring trip to the Canadian Rockies. We are currently thinking about arriving at Waterton Lakes Townsite campground around May 1st and then Lake Louise Hard-sided around May 5th to May 10th this is outside the time frame in which the parks take reservations.

My questions what’s the possibility of obtaining a first come first serve campsite this time a year?

Is this too early to visit? We like to see the snow on the mountains. I assume that the roads and parking lots will be clear of snow.

enblethen wrote:

Whistlers (?) campground at Jasper has been fully rebuilt. Lots of sites.

TenOC wrote:



I want to go to Jasper and Pocahontas Campground if it is open.

SideHillSoup wrote:



Lucky I never wrote down beleclava

SideHillSoup wrote:

Just to add another thing about your post:
May 1st is not late spring in the mountains. Yes there are campgrounds open, however things really start to “open up” so to speak is Victoria Day long weekend, which is the 3rd Monday of May. That’s the unofficial opening day of Camping for the season.
I can’t count the number of times over the years that we have had snow on that weekend. Like I said in my earlier post, we had snow on the mountains the last Thursday before the 1st of July.
We are retired so we start camping as soon as Campgrounds from around here open for the season and we go out every week and come home every weekend to restock the camper.
Last year year every week were were out camping was cold, windy with rain and snow, we packed it in a couple of times as I was loosing to many crib game to my wife.
Not saying you won’t have a great time the 1st week of May, but in my experience the odds are against you.
As for your awning, there isn’t anywhere where I leave my awning out especially along lakes rivers or in a steep valley. Winds can come out of now where and your awning just won’t flop over the roof, I have seen gusts of winds so strong it ripped the awning right off the side of trailers, at least now a days, the US Airforce and NORAD will help you bring it back down to earth for you.

StirCrazy wrote:



we must just have opposit luck, I have been camping in Banff and jasper for 40 years as soon a campground start to open. ya I have woke up to the odd skif of snow or had a bit of rain but its generaly been good.

your pics of the highway not one of them would stop me from going out with the camper , but the 1st one might make me chek the forcast a little better before taking the 5th wheel out, but I would probably still go. The next ones are just wet roads.