Glacier National Park, Waterton, Banff, and Jasper
What I like to call the big 4
So you've made a plan to go to the crown of the continent, the going to the sun road, the most beautiful lake in the world, the fall larches, the wild beauty that is Montana's and Alberta's Rockies. You're not to be disappointed.
Preparing for all four
I almost always hear some things when it comes to the big 4. The first is bring bear spray! So should you? Is it effective? In all honesty, no. It's not. Research has shown that bear spray is about 30% effective, and even then it would only prevent the initial attack of a curious bear. If a bear was more aggressive (say later towards fall). The bear would attack again. What's more, you can't take bear spray on planes, and the Canadian version is different from the US version, and they are not allowed to cross borders. So buy one for the big 4? Not exactly a good idea. That being said, I've hiked across the border with one, and border patrol officers aren't exactly looking to take your method of keeping yourself safe. That wouldn't look good...person attacked after BP agent confiscated bear spray... Finally, now you can rent bear spray in all four parks...so why buy it? 'nuff said. So what should you use to keep yourself safe? Once again the answer is surprising to most. Bears are skiddish creatures. I've seen two small dogs tree three relatively big bears. Bears want to avoid you as much as you want to avoid them. So for most casual visitors to the big 4, the best ways to stay safe are: travel in daylight, take widely used paths, don't leave your package of tuna open in the campground (you'd be surprised what I've seen), don't travel alone, make noise as you go (They've shown that bears are scared of noises made by living creatures. So talk, stomp as you walk, etc. They've found that bears are actually not afraid of and possibly curious of bells), and most importantly watch your season (Bears become a lot more aggressive towards late fall, also during huckleberry season be careful as bears might be in dense foliage and you won't see them till it's too late).
The next thing I hear is oh it's really cold up there, bring warm clothes. This is true to an extent. It's a world of extremes, it can be brutally hot during summer days and cool off to almost freezing at night. Sometimes, in the summer, it can snow as well. You've been warned. That being said, if you're coming in August you don't need to prepare for the worst in Glacier. Most of the time, you will have shops within a short distance unless you intend to go deep into the backcountry. Well...then you better prepare. Also Banff and Jasper are much more remote, so be careful as you may need to prepare a little more for the long drives to the far far north.
Glacier National Park
What should you do? Where should you start? Glacier National Park is an interesting park in itself. The majority of the park is completely inaccessible to motor vehicles. The only way to get to the heart of the park is by signing up for backcountry permits months in advance, or by getting a lucky walk in permit. This is what makes it one of the most amazing parks in the US. This is the true heart of wild country. Home to almost 1,000 grizzly bears. This range hosts some of the most unique wildlife and fauna in the greater US. Look for grizzlies, moose, marmots, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, beargrass and huckleberries. So where are you likely to see the most of these?
Many Glacier is probably my favorite area of the entire park. Home to many of the bears. This area is probably your best chance for spotting a grizzly by car. Look for them near the many lakes. If you're up for a bit of a hike, this area also has what I consider the most beautiful day hikes in the park. They are somewhat strenuous, going between 4-7 miles one way, but they are worth the trip. Also there is quite good fishing in this area. Though the best is on the other side of Ptarmigan Tunnel. Additionally, this is home to one of the best lodges in the park with its sister lodge in Waterton Parks from a period of tourism long gone by. If you have the money, I have heard it's worth the stay. Let me know if you go and like it! Also, don't miss the best place to get huckleberry pies on the way out of St. Mary's towards Many Glacier. Out of the town on the right will be a lone shack with bright purple letters on the outside. This is the place. I think it's something sisters. Don't remember the name exactly, but I'm a huckleberry fiend, and I can tell you they have the best. Although most of the places in St. Mary's have good slices.
Next up is the Going to the Sun Road. This has most of the great stops and short day hikes of the park. Also the trip to Logan Pass is unbeatable, especially if you then do the short mile hike to Hidden Lake Overlook. That along with the short mile hike to Avalanche Falls are probably my favorite parts of the park that can be reached quickly. On top of Logan Pass you're likely to see some bighorn sheep. A herd usually hangs out around there in the summer. The hike to Hidden Lake will also usually have mountain goats, so one quick trip can check all those off your list. The goats will get surprisingly close to you as well. It's a very interesting experience. Don't touch them though. There are also some other great viewpoints like Goose Island Overlook and green pools. Also keep a wary eye on Lake McDonald as sometimes its surface can be a perfectly still reflection of the mountains in the distance. This usually happens in alcoves as you drive around it. There are plenty of places to stop as you drive through, so just keep a weather eye on it. Also do not stop for huckleberry pie on the way to West Glacier if you're coming from Kalispell or Whitefish. Their pies aren't the greatest. If all of St. Mary's is out of them, you may have to try one there to get the taste, but they are by far not the best. Finally feel free to take a scenic ferry ride across St. Mary's if you're in the mood. Be prepared for this journey to take a long time to drive from one end to the other. Traffic can back up very quickly and I've had it take 7 hours to get from one end and back. You can also take buses all along this route, but in my experience, they are not extremely fast, nor reliable.
East Glacier and Two Medicine Lake comes up next. This area was once the pride and joy of Glacier National Park. The railroad stopped here and it was the true entry point to the park in the past. It is still a beautiful place for things like weddings and other fun getaways. That being said over the past 20 years this area has been one of the least visited areas in the park owing to a large fire that ravaged the south eastern area of GNP. Now, however, the area is reborn. Nowhere will you find as many flowers during the spring as this area in the park. It also offers a completely different landscape as the park is covered in lower growth rather than large trees.
Finally, there's Bowman lake and Kintla Lake. These were both beautiful the last times I went, but last year a large fire ravaged that side of the park, so I do not know their status now. Also, this part of the park can be hard to get to if you don't have a high clearance car. Lots of dirt roads past Polebridge.
Waterton
Waterton is probably the cutest town you'll see in the big 4. Banff is nice, but you really miss the beautiful deep lake and the mountainous backdrop. I've been to Waterton a few times and every time I've gone, I've seen a bear as you enter the town. Not sure if this is always the case, but hey might be a good possibility to see a bear if that's at the top of your list. Next up if you're coming from Montana, you'll find Canadians don't often have huckleberries (this changed the last time I went to now in Waterton they're called huckleberries). But in general, in Canada, huckleberries are called Saskatoonberries. Waterton is a really cute city and worth a visit just for that. Besides that there are numerous hikes nearby, but most go straight up a mountain, so be prepared for that. There are also some beautiful falls that you can drive to or a short walk from the village. Finally, you can stay at the beautiful royal hotel, scuba dive in the deep cold depths or take a ferry across the lake to Glacier and Montana.
Banff
Having finished GNP and Waterton it's time to head to Banff. I usually consider Banff, Kootenay, and Yoho to be one National Park. Not really sure why they aren't other than it makes it so you have to pay an entrance fee three times instead of one. Here the wild really begins. You'll see on the sides of the road the animal crossings and fences created to keep wildlife off the road. It seems like the crossings have been quite successful, but they make it eerie to walk over one of the ladders onto the other side of the fence. Seems like you are entering Jurassic Park. Banff village is nice, it is a nice little ski town in the winter. You can also take the tram up to the top of the mountain for excellent views of Banff. Additionally there are quite a few hot springs nearby, some even at the hotels you can stay at, so keep an eye on that if you're a hot spring lover.
Banff and Lake Louise/Sunshine are great ski areas if you're interested in going in the winter. Also in January they have a world championship ice carving week and they leave the sculptures until they melt. I have yet to go, but it looks magical. Also during the winter, they will plow the snow off of Lake Louise in front of the Fairmont, so you can skate to your hearts content. Towards spring the ice becomes clear as glass and ever so magical. Finally, if you come in the fall you are in for the biggest treat of all. Both quakies and larches start to change colors in Fall. Quakies turn first and then towards October the larches turn into what is one of the magical color combos you'll find in the world outside of the Enchantments in Washington.
Banff and Lake Louise/Sunshine are great ski areas if you're interested in going in the winter. Also in January they have a world championship ice carving week and they leave the sculptures until they melt. I have yet to go, but it looks magical. Also during the winter, they will plow the snow off of Lake Louise in front of the Fairmont, so you can skate to your hearts content. Towards spring the ice becomes clear as glass and ever so magical. Finally, if you come in the fall you are in for the biggest treat of all. Both quakies and larches start to change colors in Fall. Quakies turn first and then towards October the larches turn into what is one of the magical color combos you'll find in the world outside of the Enchantments in Washington.
Within these three parks you'll find many breathtaking summit hikes overlooking the mountain lakes and streams, or find a climbing paradise. If you're interested in quick stops, however, the best are Lake Louise and a short hike to the lookout of the lake, Emerald Lake in Yoho, Johnston Falls, Peyto Lake towards the Jasper end of the park, and finally, the true gem - Moraine lake. No matter when you go, Moraine Lake is a hassle to get to. They only allow a certain number of cars in at once, and people park along the sides of the road miles from the parking lot, so it can be rough to get there. That being said. Once you get there, you will be in love.
Jasper
Having finished the first three, the biggest and hardest journey awaits. That is the long journey to the end of the park and the north to Athabasca Glacier, falls, and Maligne Lake. This is perhaps the prettiest of all spots, and the long drive north will not disappoint either. Cutting through the valley, you'll be surrounded by massive peaks and beautiful mountain lakes as you trek to the finale of this long trip. You can walk on the glacier, and they have an awesome lookout as well, but the real treasure, in my book, are the falls, which are not to be missed if you want to make the trek.
All in all, you'll not find a better trip than to the big 4. Miles and miles of seemingly untouched terrain and some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes you'll ever see. Enjoy it, and please comment on what you liked from your own trips there.