Marble Canyon Campground is a fantastic option, as it is less than 40 minutes from the Town of Banff and under 30 minutes from Lake Louise. There is excellent hiking in the immediate vicinity, including the Marble Canyon Interpretive Trail—which you can walk to directly from the campground—as well as the Saskatchewan Glacier Trail.
Redstreak Campground is just under two hours from our Canmore location and sits just outside the town of Radium Hot Springs. With full services available nearby, the ability to walk from your campsite to the hot springs, and fantastic hiking, biking, and paddling close by, it is one of our favourite campgrounds. It is also one of the best places in the region to observe bighorn sheep.
INSIDERS TIP:
Our two most important tips for booking FCFS sites are to camp mid-week whenever possible and to plan your arrival for mid-day, no later than the stated check-in time. Following these two tips will almost always assure you of securing a campsite.
For first-come, first-served (FCFS) camping, our top pick within two hours of our location is Waterfowl Lakes Campground along the Icefields Parkway. The Parkway itself is rated as one of the most scenic drives in the world.
All 110 campsites at Waterfowl Lakes are FCFS. The campground is beautifully set between two stunning, glacial-fed lakes that are perfect for stand-up paddleboarding. Don’t forget—we rent SUPs in addition to all your camping equipment.
There are also FCFS campgrounds along the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park, including Wilcox, Icefield Tent, Jonas, Honeymoon Lake, and Kerkeslin.
For more detailed campground information, including amenities, pricing, and direct booking links, visit Rent-a-Tent Canada: Best Camping Tour – Canadian Rockies.
Our number one tip for making an Alberta Parks reservation is to mark your calendar for the date that is exactly three months before your first planned night of camping. Be sure to note the time as 9:00 am Mountain Time, as reservations open then and booking right away gives you the best selection of campsites.
Popular campgrounds in Kananaskis Country book quickly, so preparation is key. We recommend setting up your reservation account ahead of time and researching your favourite campgrounds and specific campsites in advance.
We can’t say enough about the Alberta Parks campgrounds in Kananaskis Country. They easily rival the more well-known Banff and Jasper National Parks for stunning scenery, excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, and beautiful campgrounds—yet with a fraction of the crowds. In our opinion, Kananaskis Country offers a much more authentic wilderness experience.
Our top recommendation for reservable camping is one of the five campgrounds in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, located about an hour from our Canmore location. The park offers three reservable campgrounds, which we consider equally excellent, along with two group campgrounds and three first-come, first-served (FCFS) campgrounds.
Our hot tip for FCFS camping in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is Mount Sarrail walk-in campground. In conversation with the on-site campground manager last year, we learned that while the campground typically fills on weekends, it rarely fills mid-week. Quiet and beautiful, it is located just one kilometre from the stunning Upper Kananaskis Lake.
Another favourite first-come, first-served (FCFS) campground is Spray Lakes West Campground, located less than 40 minutes from our Canmore location.
Take note that several kilometres of the drive are along a dusty, bumpy mountain road with no cell coverage. This is truly a wilderness experience, set along the stunning shores of Spray Lake. As the campground website states, “Once you visit this peaceful campground… you may never want to leave!”
The campground received a full makeover in 2023, and the improvements to the campsites, lake views, and overall campground layout are lovely.
The main attractions of this location include some of the best hiking you can find in the Rockies, stunning scenery, excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, and breathtaking paddling on Spray Lake.
Insiders Tip:
Winds can pick up quickly and create sizeable whitecaps on the Spray Lakes. Unless you are very experienced, we recommend staying close to your launch point and always wearing your PFD. The water conditions tend to be calmer in the morning.
Heading west into British Columbia, BC Parks offers many campgrounds along the major routes into the province from Alberta.
Similar to Alberta Provincial Parks, BC Provincial Parks reservations open three months prior to your first planned night of camping. Be sure to note the booking time of 7:00 am Pacific Time, as reserving right when the system opens gives you the best selection of campsites.
Popular campgrounds in British Columbia book quickly, so preparation is key. Set up a reservation account ahead of time and research your favourite campgrounds and specific campsites in advance.
Mount Robson Provincial Park is located less than 40 minutes from the town of Jasper and features the iconic Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies. If you are planning a camping trip to Jasper, it is well worth considering adding this stunning provincial park to your itinerary.
The Okanagan is another spectacular region of British Columbia to explore. One of our favourite BC campgrounds is located in Kekuli Bay Provincial Park, just outside Vernon, BC, and approximately 5.5 hours from our Canmore location.
If you enjoy cycling rail trails, this is a premier destination. The Okanagan Rail Trail runs directly through the campground, making it easy to explore the region by bike. This campground is also the closest provincial campground to one of British Columbia’s top cycling routes, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.
In addition to cycling, the lake is a beautiful and relaxing destination for paddling.
Similar to Parks Canada and Alberta Parks, BC Parks also offers opportunities to camp without a reservation, with many parks providing first-come, first-served (FCFS) campsites. The same advice applies here: your best chances are to camp mid-week and arrive at the campground no later than the posted check-in time.
With the Revelstoke area being an important travel corridor to the Canadian Rockies, we can recommend two nearby provincial parks that offer FCFS camping. Blanket Creek Provincial Park is located just south of Revelstoke, while Martha Creek Provincial Park is situated just north of town. Both parks offer beautiful lakeside camping with excellent opportunities for paddling, fishing, and hiking.
