Family Trip Companion (Calgary – Banff – Jasper)

This Wiki is built from your trip companion document and organized for a multigenerational family group of 9 travelling with two SUVs, a lap infant, a 6-year-old, and a 10-year-old in early September. The Rockies are spectacular, but they punish improvisation: Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round, Parks Canada shuttle seats sell out months in advance, and the drive between Jasper and Banff alone can consume half a day if you stop for every waterfall.

The five decisions that determine whether this trip runs smoothly:

• Lock your shuttle seats first. Parks Canada shuttle reservations for Lake Louise and Moraine Lake open April 15, 2026 at 8 am MDT; only 40% of seats are released on launch day, and the remaining 60% drop two days before departure at 8 am MDT. Build the entire Banff day around whichever departure window you secure.

• Buy the Discovery Pass, not daily tickets. A Family/Group Discovery Pass (up to 7 people in one vehicle) costs $167.50 CAD and covers Banff, Jasper, and every other Parks Canada site for the year. With two vehicles, you will likely need two passes — but youth 17 and under are free, and a lap infant does not count toward the seven-person limit.

• Treat the Icefields Parkway as a full-day commitment. Calgary to Jasper via the Parkway is roughly 4.5 hours of pure driving. Add Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, Athabasca Falls, and Sunwapta Falls, and you are looking at an 8–9 hour day with an infant who needs to nap in the car.

• Book the high-demand add-ons before you leave. Maligne Lake Boat Cruise (Adult $85 · Child $45) and the Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer / Skywalk are the two experiences most likely to sell out for your dates.

• Give wildlife the right amount of space — from inside the vehicle. Roadside wildlife viewing in Jasper is restricted year-round; you must stay in your vehicle, pull over only where safe, and move on promptly. On trails, the minimum distances are 30 m from elk/deer/moose and 100 m from bears.

How to use this Wiki: Start with Subpage 1 (Pre-Trip Checklist) at least 4–6 months before departure — that is where the booking deadlines live. Then follow the Day-by-Day subpages in order. Each subpage is a standalone 3–4 minute read with steps, costs, timing, and image references.