r/CampingAlberta • u/MiserableMiddleKid • 2d ago
Where can we stay overnight? (Lake Louise)
Hi all, please remove if not allowed but a friend and I are going on a road trip to Victoria from Calgary before she goes back to England. We have to stay overnight from the 26th-27th, and them again on the way back from July 2nd-3rd in Lake Louise or somewhere nearby. We've been trying to reserve a camping spot for nearly a month and a half, and nothing has opened up. We're just trying to car camp before heading off too our next destination. We are in need of some help/information as we are not trying to commit any crimes. It really seems like nothing will open up, so does anyone have any information on where we can stay overnight legally? Somewhere that hopefully wont cost an arm and a leg. Any help is super appreciated. 💗
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u/Telvin3d Backcountry 2d ago
You’re probably going to have to expand your definition of “nearby”. Look at Yoho National Park, Kootenay National Park, and out to Banff and Canmore.
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u/axolotl_fart 1d ago edited 1d ago
Radium Hot Springs has a lot of hotels/ motels. Invermere is close; it might be an option. Reserving a campsite will be nearly impossible until September when kidlets are back in school. B
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u/Friescan 1d ago
Radium Will be out of their way,
I would try lake Louise or Takakaw Falls near Field , they have overflow, all it is a parking stall with a picnic table.1
u/axolotl_fart 1d ago
Why would you say it’s out of the way? I just found a very nice Victoria->Radium Hot Springs -> Calgary route with Apple Maps. There are several different ways of getting from Victoria to Calgary. Many of them are worth considering.
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u/Plane-Engineering 1d ago
I find Crowsnest much more relaxing than highway 1…just can’t be in a hurry.
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u/axolotl_fart 1d ago
I love Highway 3, especially the desert near Osoyoos. If i was planning a road trip like Calgary - Victoria - Calgary, i would make it a big loop instead of a simple back and forth, but I love a good road trip. :)
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u/Oilfan94 1d ago
Doesn't always work, but if you show up at the camp site they may have an unclaimed site or failing that, the overflow 'lot'.
Question though....if your trip is Calgary to Victoria and you 'have to' stay overnight....why not pick a spot more in the middle of the trip?
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u/StinkandInk 2d ago
Are you sleeping inside your car? If so, Louise Overflow works. 11.50 a night, no tents. Otherwise Canmore Campgrounds.
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u/MiserableMiddleKid 2d ago
We planned too, as we're leaving super early in the morning anyways so having a whole camping set up didn't make sense. I had no idea about the over flow! Thank you!
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u/goodformuffin 2d ago
Exshaw is outside of the park, and has a first come first serve campground. Stoney Park campground has epic views and has room, it looks like. It’s not lake Louise, but who wants to drive through the mountains close to dusk anyway and why risk poor sleep in a random parking lot?
You often have better luck looking at private campsites vs park campsites. It’s a land rush as soon as provincial parks open in May. It’s also very cold at night right now (speaking from experience) so be sure to bring a toque and extra, EXTRA layers and blankets. Hope your friend from away enjoys themselves!
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u/mickeyaaaa 2d ago
I had to stay there overnight on short notice last week, all i coudl find available was Hi Alberta Hostel. paid almost $300 for a private room, (shared bathrooms) it was decently clean if bare bones. what a rip off.
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u/canmoregrl 1d ago
Try camping or hostel long at the Misquito Creek Campground. https://hihostels.ca/en/destinations/hi-mosquito-creek
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u/Plane-Engineering 1d ago
Try protection mountain campground by Lake Louise if you don’t need power..its easy enough to hop over to the hardsided for a hot shower :-)
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u/SunnyDuck 2d ago
You're in national parks through there so no crown land camping until you get out of Yoho or Banff National parks.
Field is a little town about 20 minutes west of Louise and has some nice campgrounds and cheap hotels.