so here we are, stuck at home, covid cramping our wanderlust and cancelling our plans and forcing us to explore our backyards instead.

honestly WHAT. A. BLESSING.

my fam and i always went to the okanagan as i was growing up, which means i haven’t actually explored a ton of other places in BC/Alberta. it was always QUITE embarrassing when i tell people i’m from canada and they’re like ohhh have you been to banff? road tripped the rockies?.. i’m like yeah no.

so this was the summer to see the lakes and mountains from the pictures!! no one was able to join me on my trip but that’s never stopped me before.

i was a bit hesitant to travel solo here because i just didn’t know if i would meet people cause of covid, i didn’t know what the hostel scene would be like, i just wasn’t sure it would be my usual vibe.

it wasn’t QUITE as flouncy as normal and i did have like one day where i felt quite lonely, but it turned out to exceed my expectations across the board. i felt like my old self again, so much so that i gave the trip its own hashtag: #arocky2020 (get it, because it’s the rocky mountains and 2020 has been a bit.. rocky..) like i do for all my other trips.

i saw old friends, made new ones, and talked to people in and outside of the hostel every day. driving by yourself is actually the BEST cause nothing will hold back your dance party, and tswift came out with a new album for my road trip which was super nice of her. plus i had a couple moments where you just get this wave of gratitude, appreciation, and freedom, and let me tell you those moments ONLY come when you are solo travelling.

so anyway! i saved some inspo pics on Insta, borrowed my mom’s SUV, was able to secure a collaboration with Hostelling International, and set off to climb some mountains and verify if the colour of those lakes was actually real. i did 10 nights at the end of July, staying at the following spots:

night 1: HI Banff
night 2: HI Banff
night 3: HI Lake Louise
night 4: HI Athabasca Falls
night 5: HI Jasper
night 6: HI Jasper
night 7: HI Beauty Creek
night 8: HI Lake Louise
night 9: The Adventure Hotel
night 10: HI Nelson (Dancing Bear Inn)

the thing that made my trip sooo seamless was staying in all the HI hostels along the way. i didn’t have to scrounge for decent accommodation, i knew each place i stayed was going to be nice, clean, safe, reliable, and have proper COVID-19 measures in place. they were operating at 50% capacity, physical distancing was in effect, the staff were all soo friendly and welcoming and asked COVID-19 screening questions from behind a glass panel or mask. the hostels have private room options, dorm rooms (where they only fill bottom bunks right now), and communal kitchens that you can sign up to use. i LOVE staying in hostels when i travel for so many reasons, mainly the vibe and the opportunity to meet fellow travellers. would recommend staying here to anyone at any age.

before i get into the trip, i do have 2 major tips that will make or break it.

1. get up before the sun

my main advice for basically everything on this road trip (lake moraine, lake louise, big beehive hive, maligne lake) is GO EARLY. like, for sunrise. sleep when you’re dead. these are some of the most mind-blowingly stunning landscapes ive ever seen in my life, and they deserve to be seen without hordes of tourists. i can’t even explain to you the difference between seeing lake louise midday when selfie-takers are elbow to elbow (which is not covid-friendly, btw) vs coming for sunrise when you're the only ones on the platform and you can hear the sounds of nature and take in the spectacular lake and its reflections in peace.

2. wear hiking boots

okay i didn’t actually own hiking boots until like a month ago when i got some from cabela’s, and they were a lifesaver on this trip. it’s so much easier to trek across rocky terrain, down steep hills, or across streams or rivers. i just loved them so make sure you have a pair!

oh also bring bear spray, and mosquito repellent, hike in groups (i may or may not have violated this a couple of times but i was not proud of it), bring car snacks (pretzels are a good go-to), book accom in advance because it does book up and you could be stranded, and bring all layers cause it can go from freezing to scorching in a day.

okay let’s dive into it! here are the main stops along the way along with my tips for each.

emerald lake

stopped here en route from the okanagan to banff and got my first taste of one of those postcard-perfect turquoise glacier lakes. they really are that blue and they really do look fake! of course they are bluest under a blue sky. i did the loop around the lake which was pretty flat but muddy at parts (but it’s okay cause i had my boots, remember). i also kinda thought i was gonna run into a bear the whole time, which was a recurring theme of my trip.

banff

after hearing about banff from every other canadian, finally seeing it for myself wasn’t what i expected and i absolutely LOVED it.

i thought it’d be a little ski village tucked into the mountain like whistler, but it is actually more expansive and just surrounded by the most striking mountains ever. like the streets are bookended by these insane rocky mountains. and the town is so cute and quaint and super outdoor-focussed, from its patio seating to its shops to the people being active outside everywhere. there is SO much to explore right around the town. also running through the town is the turquoise Bow River, which is stunning from ground level or from above.

Frolicking along the streets of Banff. p sure this was fuelled by frosé.

i stayed at HI Banff Alpine Centre of course, which was about a 30-min walk to town and you can get a free bus pass. it had a very outdoorsy lodge vibe and was just what i would dream of for my first Canadian hostel experience.

woke up for sunrise and went to two jack lake with a new friend i met at my hostel, which was soooo peaceful. on the way back we were surrounded by a group of like 100 elk crossing the road, no joke, it felt like we were all being summoned to the elk pride rock. it was the most quintessential banff experience ever. one might say the banffiest.

A mystical Two Jake Lake at a cloudy sunrise.

i hiked tunnel mountain (about 30 mins up), which is such a nice and central lil hike with stunning views. went and checked out vermillion lakes for sunset, which also looked like a painting. “surprise corner viewpoint” is a nice spot to see bow falls, the beautiful river, and the Fairmont Banff Springs which i’m convinced is Hogwarts.

i had shrimp lettuce wraps and a delish gin martini at Park Distillery, and some unreal tacos at Magpie rooftop. Rose & Crown is another rooftop which has amazzzzing views of the surrounding mountains.

lake moraine

this lake is close to Lake Louise but it gets a teeny bit less of the hype (like, there isn’t a town named after it) but it is SO stunning and don’t you dare miss it. it’s a different shade than Louise and is actually quite shockingly blue.

i came here twice, both times for sunrise! the first time was cloudy and rainy except for this insane pop of fire.

the second time was a blue sky sunrise (there usually needs to be clouds for a colourful sunrise) but it was just so serene and beautiful

it’s a popular sunrise spot and i’d recommend here for sunrise and then head to lake louise just after (they’re like 15 mins apart). take the short climb up to the rock pile where tons of other sunrise seekers are gathered.

walk the path along the lake, it is soooo beautiful and i swear the water gets bluer as you go along. it looks like gatorade. you’ll end up at a pretty creek cascading into the lake.

Lake Louise

a few people told me lake louise was overrated, or at least they preferred moraine (both are unreal), but if they say this it’s definitely influenced by the crowds because that lake and its backdrop are an absolute MASTERPIECE.

i stayed at the HI Lake Louise one night and came for one more on my way back because i wanted a cloudless sunrise. it’s just one of those places where it looks like you’re looking at a painting IRL and it’s hard to comprehend it’s real. i felt the same way about Positano in Italy and Cape Town duh.

i came here 3 times. first, i came to meet my friend Lindsay and her babygirl Harlow for a glass of Prosecco at the Fairmont. it was an amazing spot for some bubbly and soOooOOoo lovely to see them. so grateful she drove out from Canmore to see me!!

Guisti Prosecco at Fairmont Lake Louise with Linds.

then, i came with my insta-friend-turned-real-life-friend Michele, who came out to meet me from Calgary, and we had an epic adventure!! we arrived at the lake for sunrise when there were literally no other humans on the main viewing platform, there was just a hush over the lake and we could hear the sounds of the birds in the trees and it was so so majestic. i got one of my fave photos ever here, look how milky the water is:

then we did the Big Beehive hike, which i definitely recommend! it took about 2 hours to the top and the views are incredible along the whole hike — Lake Louise looks like plastic from above. we started hiking just after sunrise, around 6:15 am before the crowds so got to see Mirror Lake and Lake Agnes and the teahouse all by ourselves, and then made the trek to the summit and got to soak it in by ourselves for a good 20 mins. it was so so incredible. coming down we passed bumper-to-bumper hikers and it was … less magical. but it is cute to have some tea on the way down!

Incredible views along the Big Beehive hike before the crowds arrived. This is Lake Agnes.

my third visit to Lake Louise was just after sunrise at Moraine Lake, so i arrived around 7am, and the sun was just starting to shine. it was. breathtaking. i strolled along the lake, which is about a 2 km flat path, and soaked it in.

icefields parkway

this is the 3-hour-long road connecting lake louise to jasper, and it is absolutely STUNNING. gigantic rocky mountains, glaciers, wildlife, waterfalls, turquoise lakes just right off the road. sometimes i just felt like i was in narnia honestly.

Stopped at Bow Lake. I also hiked to the waterfall here! (Took about 2 hours)

spent 1 night at HI Athabasca Falls, and those falls are h-e-c-t-i-c. the waterfalls on this trip were superpowered and just things i would like to avoid making physical contact with. this was one of HI’s wilderness hostels, which are rustic off-the-grid accommodations with limited facilities like running water, flushing toilets, and electricity (although HI AF was solar-powered, had drinkable water, and its outhouse was quite lovely lol).

defs go to Edith Cavell, the road is sooo beautiful, there is a glacier and 2 epic waterfalls feeding into a pond/lake that is covered with icebergs. again, narnia. you can go check out the lake, scramble up the shale to the waterfall (but be careful!) and also take the meadows trail which is like 6.2 km and has views of the lake and amazing wildflowers. we even heard an avalanche there!

stayed 1 night at HI Beauty Creek and LOVED IT. i arrived around 7pm after seeing not one but two black bears (!!) along my drive. i was loving this safari. the sun was just starting to go down and the river, mountains, and little cabin were gorgeous. this one is more of a wilderness accom, with no power, smellier outhouses (hey, you’re roughin it), and no one to check you in in the winter. i just loved the view and the dog molly became my insant bestie.

One of my bear friends! Excuse me while i pull over to the side of the road and fully hoist myself outside of my window. #safarilife

HI Beauty Creek is in one of the darkest areas of Jasper, so it’s got amazing stargazing! someone at the hostel recently brought a telescope and said he detected zero traces of artificial light, which is so so cool. look at this photo shot with my iphone 11 pro!

jasper

a lot of people said they actually liked jasper better than banff because it’s less crammed with tourists. i think banff is cuter but jasper is another beautiful mountain town surrounded by the rockies everywhere you look. it feels more removed and less crowded, with more wildlife and untouched nature. trains run along the town and the roads are literally lined with the most beautiful wildflowers. the restaurants are named things like “Jasper Pizza Place” and “Jasper Brewing Company” because why complicate things, and the HI Jasper is brand new and i lovooovovoveeddd my mountain view room.

maligne lake

(pronounced ma-leen) - i went for sunrise obv and saw FIVE MOOSE ALONG THE ROAD!! can also do the moose loop (took about 40 mins) where moose frequently hang out because they like the bushes there.

one of five (!!!!) moose. still v stoked on this safari.

the lake is sooo misty in the morning, it really is beautiful. i kinda thought i was gonna be attacked by bears the whole time but here i am to tell the tale. would recommend canoeing around here (or any of the lakes really), it looks so peaceful.

you can take a boat cruise over to Spirit Island, which is one of the most photographed spots in canada. it’s about $75. it’s a big chunk if you’re on a budge but i actually really enjoyed it because the lake is huge, surrounded by gorgggg mountains and glaciers, and the water gets pristine turquoise as you get closer to Spirit Island. the island itself (which is actually not an island as it’s attached to shore but anywho) is actually really beautiful, i thought it was gonna be overrated, i just wish i could’ve spent more time there to soak it in but it was like boom, 15 mins, get your pics, you’re outta there.

maligne canyon

i loved this day! start at bridge 6 (the crowds start at bridge 1 and dont make it all the way so its nice to start/finish a bit quieter) and make your way along the river, past super intense waterfalls and towards the terrifyingly deep canyon. it’s a nice lil stroll/hike and i thought it was beautiful :)

annette lake

i pulled in here on a whim after the canyon, had heard people at the hostel say they went swimming there, and had one of the BEST moments of my trip here. the lake looks like the freaking caribbean with different shades of blue and turquoise, but it has these stunning rocky mountains in the background. it’s spring fed not glacier fed so it’s like a normal lake temp, and it was so nice to go for a dip. i just had a moment here where i was like wow this is so unbelievably beautiful and this is why i love solo travelling and everything is gonna be okay. :)❤️

nelson

a cute little bc town that i have heard great things about, had a few days to spare on my road trip, so thought i’d check it out!
it is very quaint and trendy, definitely a vibe. the landscapes reminded me of the Okanagan, which is more what i’m familiar with so i wasn’t BLOWN AWAY like i was with the sights in Alberta but i think if you haven’t been, you will be in awe. lots of trendy restaurants (pitchfork - unreal cocktails, cantina, marzano - that pizza) , cafes (oso negro - those muffins. and that courtyard), shops (scout, bia boro, maison)
i stayed at HI Nelson, Dancing Bear Inn, and loved it of course!! i’m not just saying this about these hostels, by the way, guys. this one was soo central, in fact it was right next door to a restaurant i went for a bellini and pizza, and it was just very cute, cozy, the rooms were spotless, and the staff (Andrew at the front desk, Chloe on social media, and Andy over email) were soso nice. i met some new friends, one for bar hopping my first night and one for pizza and some reflecting on Africa the second night, and it was just an awesome vibe. very forward-thinking and quite spiritual really.
there is meant to be a good hike here called Pulpit Rock but tbh i was all hiked out, so i spent the day strolling Lakeside Park, stopping by six mile beach, which was so lovely (five and ten mile beaches also came recommended) and then i drove about an hour to another even quainter town on the lake called Kaslo.
nelson is just such a special place. definitely a gem of bc and i’m so glad i went!

okay that’s it for my Rocky Mountain road trip guide, please let me know if you have any questions and i will update this post accordingly! thanks for reading :)

One last shot from my fave, Lake Louise.

#arocky2020: My solo road trip through the Rockies