Driving east, away from the Rockies, our next stop was Elk Island National Park just outside of Edmonton. We did not see any elk at Elk Island. But we did see lots of bison. Elk Island NP is home to one of the most successful bison herds still in North America. There are both wood … More RV’22.10 Elk Island

As you saw in yesterday’s post, we had lots of little outings in Jasper. But that took up a relatively small amount of our time in the biggest park of the Canadian Rockies. Most of our time in Jasper was about spending time doing ordinary things against an extraordinary backdrop. Going to the playground with … More RV’22.9 Jasper with Nature

By the time we got to Jasper, we were ready for a change of pace. We received it in the form of getting together for the long weekend with some friends. Rachel, Mike, and their kids J and N made the 12-hour drive from their home to meet us in Jasper. When we met for … More RV’22.8: Jasper with Friends

On our last full day in Banff National Park, we tried one last time to climb a mountain. After our frustrations on Sulphur Mountain, we reassessed and dialed way back. This is Tunnel Mountain, the lowest feature in the Rockies to be called a mountain. We didn’t even start at the bottom, but parked at … More RV’22.7 Banff and the Icefields

On our second day in Banff, we toured our first National Historic Site. National Historic Sites are also administrated by Parks Canada, but as the name implies, they are about preserving history rather than conserving nature. It just so happened that our first NHS was the birthplace of National Parks in Canada: the Cave and … More RV’22.6: Banff, History, and Surroundings

We spent two nights in the town of Drumheller, home to the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Then, having filled our heads with knowledge, we headed to another spot in the Red Deer River valley, this time to where most of the dinosaur fossils are actually found. Along the way, we stopped at this amazing display of … More RV’22.4 Dinosaur Provincial Park

We were just out Calgary when we first spotted the Rocky Mountains on the horizon. Watching them approach took hours. Finally, we arrived in Banff. Banff National Park was the first national park in Canada, and the town was the first town incorporated within a national park in Canada. It’s also the most visited national … More RV’22.5: Banff and the Rockies

We drove through the rest of mostly-flat Saskatchewan, broken up by things like “The World’s Largest Teepee.” At other points on this trip, we saw the world’s largest dragonfly, the world’s largest dinosaur, and we narrowly missed missed the world’s largest Pysanka. But as soon as you arrive in Drumheller, Alberta, the flat goes away. … More RV’22.3: Drumheller is Dinotown

Unfortunately, when our vacation began, the first thing that happened was COVID. Jared and I got it; it was unpleasant, but not terrible. I’m sure it was exacerbated by pre-vacation stress. Thankfully, the kids didn’t get it. Anyway, our first plans on our journey were to spend some time with friends in Brandon, Manitoba. But … More RV’22.2: Grasslands National Park