Campervan Chronicle

Zion National Park

Check out this quick tour of my van and some of the beautiful scenery in the Alabama Hills courtesy of my meeting up with Parking with Foalhaus.

Ate at the Bryce Canyon Lodge Lunch buffet (much needed calories)

Stayed 1 night at the Gros Ventre Campground for $28 (not worth the price, except maybe for the fact that I finally saw a moose wander right through camp)

After taking the advice of some friendly locals in Banff, I was convinced to backtrack a bit and drive through Kootenay National Park before making my way south into Montana. The drive was very scenic and I spotted a lot more wildlife right from the side of the road. I was also told to make a detour and checkout Lussier Hot Springs, and I’m glad I did. This free hot spring pool on river bank was the perfect way to relax after a few busy days of hiking. The temperature was almost too hot for me, but when I felt a little warm I took a quick dip in the freezing cold river beside it. After going back and forth like this for 2 hours, and talking with all the friendly people stopping through, I was feeling excellent. I hit the road again and made my last stop at Horshoe Lake, a free recreational camping site outside of Jaffray. I have to say, the setting as the sun went down was amazing, but the mosquitoes were in full force and effectively stopped me from enjoy much of my time there. Overall, I had another great day to conclude my visit to Canada!

I spent the better part of 3 days in this bustling town surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery to explore the area and get some more hiking in. After arriving to Banff I went to do the 2.7mi hike up to the summit of Tunnel Mountain - a popular spot where you can gain a panoramic view of mountains, rivers and suburbs. In the evening I grabbed a fresh new pair of pants at Fjallraven, got a drink at Banff Ave Brewing and parked overnight on a quiet residential street two blocks from downtown. The following day I did some work in the morning before heading up to see Lake Minnewanka and taking a short hike along the lakeshore. I explored the town on foot again before ending up at Rose & Crown where I hung out for some live music. Overall, my experience here was pretty great, and I can see now why this little town attracts visitors from all over the world.

This type of hitch carrier is looking like my best option for maximizing space and securing my motorcycle while on the road. I decided initially that I didn’t want to tow a trailer behind the van because of the ease at witch it could be hijacked, the extra cost in tolls, and the limitations on parking spaces or mobility it tight situations. This style of hitch sits behind the vehicle and is raised up in a position almost like a bike rack. My Honda Rebel only weighs about 310lbs - so the carrier rated for 600lb should do the trick. Of course, this will limit the access to and through my rear doors for the most part, but the savings on gas overall, and the experience driving my bike around new places could be worth it!

Energizer Headlamp

Some would same this is the most scenic drive in the United States… I would have to agree based on my 9 months of travel around the country so far. The occasional rain, lightning and sunshine made this snow covered landscape an incredibly memorable drive. The climb up to the summit of this scenic bypass is filled with incredible canyons, peaks and hills where you might see some marmots, mountain goats, raging rivers, alpine lakes and adventurous skiers along the way. Almost every turn offers a new view that make you want to stop and soak it all in. If you’re planning to enter Yellowstone from the East then it would absolutely be worth it to take this route on your way in. 

Camped for $15 at Horsethief BLM campground 

Access to the Maroon Bells between 8am-5pm in the Summer is limited to shuttle only, so I managed to wake up early and arrive at 7:30AM to get one of the last parking spots available. I took my time getting ready and set out for the 3.6-mile round-trip hike up to Crater Lake.  I did some bushwhacking to get a view of a waterfall on the west side of the valley but it turned out to be treacherous and not very rewarding in the end. On my return down to Maroon Lake I stopped and wandered the Maroon Lake Scenic Trail to take in amazing afternoon scenery. It would’ve been easy to sit and enjoy the serene views all afternoon, but I had plans to head back into Aspen and explore the city for good lunch spots. 

This 144mi scenic highway between Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta may be the most beautiful drive I’ve had to date.  Over the course of 48 hours I made several stops to check out the views and hike around including the Athabasca Glacier, Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, Mistaya Canyon, and Parker Ridge Trail/Saskatchewan Glacier before spending my last night at the Mosquito Creek campground. The entire experience being surrounded by mountain peaks, evergreens, glacier rivers and wildlife was so serene and awe-inspiring. During my drives I caught a brown bear off the side of the highway as well as some bighorn sheep. My final night in camp started with a brown bear running past my river-side campsite as it was being chased away by a ranger with a paintball gun. I could easily have spent days exploring this region, but I was excited to turn around and head toward Banff National Park as well.

As a storm rolled in from the distance I decided to go for one more late afternoon hike up to Taggart Lake in Grand Teton National Park. I chose an easier and shorter 3mi roundtrip trail that lead right to the lake. The scenery was diverse, including open fields and dense groves, until I reached the shore of the lake and got an excellent view of the mountains staving off the storm clouds. I sat on the rocks and enjoyed the scenery for awhile before the rumble of thunder caused me to head back. Just as I reached the car the rain came; followed by large hail, and sunshine again over the course of 30 minutes. Overall, this hike was less crowded and very enjoyable!

Watched the sunset on Lake McDonald