How the Canadian outdoors works
Canada has more wild land than almost any country on earth, and most Americans underestimate how fast the pavement ends. An hour north of Toronto or Montreal you are in lake-and-forest country, and an hour off the Trans-Canada Highway in British Columbia you can be beyond cell service for days. The flip side: the famous places are busy, and the best-known trails in Banff fill by 8 a.m. in July.
Land is managed in layers, and each layer has its own rules and fees. National parks run by Parks Canada need a park pass and, for overnights, backcountry permits. Provincial parks (Algonquin, Garibaldi, Bowron Lake, the Sépaq parks in Quebec) have separate fees and booking systems. Beyond the parks lies Crown land, public land where you can often camp free for a limited time, with few facilities and no one coming to check on you.
Different from home
Trail signs and park maps are metric, so a "6 km" trail is 3.7 miles and "500 m elevation gain" is about 1,640 ft. A quick rule: multiply kilometers by 0.6 for miles, and meters by 3.3 for feet. Parks Canada lists distances one way on many signs and round trip on others, so read the small print before you decide you have time.
Classic day hikes by region
These are the hikes people fly in for. Distances are round trip and elevation gain is total climbing, rounded; times assume a fit adult with stops. Trail conditions change with snow, bears and fire, so check each park's trail report the morning you go.
| Trail | Where | Round trip | Climb | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston Canyon to Upper Falls | Banff, Alberta | 3.2 mi (5.2 km) | about 400 ft (120 m) | 2 hr |
| Johnston Canyon to the Ink Pots | Banff, Alberta | about 7 mi (11.5 km) | about 1,000 ft (300 m) | 3.5–4 hr |
| Lake Agnes Tea House | Lake Louise, Alberta | 4.4 mi (7 km) | about 1,300 ft (400 m) | 2.5–3 hr |
| Plain of Six Glaciers | Lake Louise, Alberta | 6.6 mi (10.6 km) to the teahouse | about 1,200 ft (370 m) | 4 hr |
| Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass | Moraine Lake, Alberta | about 7 mi (11.6 km) | about 2,400 ft (725 m) | 5 hr |
| Grouse Grind | North Vancouver, BC | 1.8 mi (2.9 km) up only | about 2,800 ft (850 m) | 1–2 hr up |
| Garibaldi Lake | Near Squamish, BC | about 11 mi (18 km) | about 2,700 ft (820 m) | 6 hr |
| Skyline Trail | Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia | 4 to 5 mi (6.5 to 8.2 km) | little climbing | 2–3 hr |
| Gros Morne Mountain | Gros Morne, Newfoundland | 10.3 mi (16.6 km) loop | about 2,650 ft (805 m) | 6–8 hr |
| Tablelands | Gros Morne, Newfoundland | about 2.5 mi (4 km) | minimal | 1–1.5 hr |
The Canadian Rockies
Johnston Canyon on the Bow Valley Parkway is the easiest big payoff in Banff: steel catwalks bolted to the canyon walls lead to the Lower Falls in about 20 minutes and the Upper Falls in under an hour. Continue past the Upper Falls to the Ink Pots, cold blue-green springs in an open meadow, and the crowds drop away. Arrive before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. in summer, because the parking lot fills.
At Lake Louise, the Lake Agnes Tea House and the Plain of Six Glaciers are the two classic teahouse hikes, and you can link them via the Highline Trail for a full day. Past the Plain of Six teahouse, a final steeper mile leads to a viewpoint over the Victoria Glacier. Both teahouses run roughly from June to early October, so check before counting on lunch.
Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass above Moraine Lake are the place to be in mid-September, when the larches turn gold. Moraine Lake has no private vehicle access, so you need a Parks Canada shuttle seat, a licensed tour or a commercial shuttle, and Parks Canada can require hikers to travel in tight groups of four or more when grizzlies are feeding there. See the Rockies for shuttle details. In Yoho, the Iceline Trail and the Lake O'Hara area are the other days that need advance planning, and in Waterton the Crypt Lake hike adds a boat ride, a ladder and a short tunnel.
British Columbia's coast and mountains
The Grouse Grind is Vancouver's outdoor stair machine: a relentless climb up the face of Grouse Mountain, usually open from spring to fall and closed in winter and in bad conditions. Hiking down is not allowed on the Grind itself, so most people ride the Skyride gondola down; you pay for the downhill ride. Think of it as a hard workout with a city view at the top; real wilderness starts farther up the coast.
Garibaldi Lake, off the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler, climbs switchbacks through forest to a startling turquoise lake under glaciers. BC Parks has required free day-use passes for Garibaldi and Joffre Lakes in recent summers, released online in the days before your visit, and Joffre Lakes has had closures during First Nations harvesting periods. Check the BC Parks page for this season before you drive up. See Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky.
Atlantic Canada
The Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park is a gentle walk through boreal forest to a boardwalk on a headland high above the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Moose are common along it, and from July into September you often spot pilot whales below. Sunset is the classic time; bring a headlamp for the walk back. See Nova Scotia.
Gros Morne Mountain is the hardest common day hike in Atlantic Canada: forest, then a steep scramble up a boulder gully to an arctic plateau where caribou and ptarmigan live. The summit trail closes each spring into late June to protect the thawing alpine terrain, so do not plan it for early June. The Tablelands, a flat walk across ochre rock from the Earth's mantle, is the easy option. See Newfoundland.
In New Brunswick, Fundy National Park has short waterfall walks at Dickson Falls and the multi-day Fundy Footpath for experienced backpackers. See New Brunswick and PEI.
Ontario and Quebec
The Bruce Trail runs 560 miles (900 km) along the Niagara Escarpment from the Niagara River to Tobermory, and nobody does it all on vacation. The best sections for visitors are at the north end: the cliff-top stretch around Lion's Head and the Georgian Bay shoreline in Bruce Peninsula National Park, where the trail passes the Grotto sea cave. Parks Canada sells timed parking slots for the Grotto area in season, and without one you will be turned away. Near Toronto and Hamilton, day sections around Mount Nemo, Rattlesnake Point and the Hamilton waterfalls make easy half days. See Ontario.
Quebec's provincial parks are run by Sépaq and charge a daily access fee per adult. Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie in Charlevoix has the steep Acropole-des-Draveurs climb above a deep river canyon, and Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier, under an hour from Quebec City, has river valley trails and canoe rentals. See Quebec beyond the cities.
Insider tip
The best Rockies hikes are usually snow-free only from early July to early October. In June, trails above about 6,500 ft (2,000 m) can still be buried, and avalanche paths cross some of them. If you are visiting early, stick to valley and lakeshore trails.
The West Coast Trail and other multi-day hikes
The West Coast Trail, in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island, follows 47 miles (75 km) of wild coastline between Port Renfrew and Bamfield through the territories of the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht First Nations. It was built as a rescue route for shipwrecked sailors, and it is still rugged: more than 100 ladders, suspension bridges, cable cars over rivers, slick boardwalks, deep mud and beach sections you can only pass at low tide. Most people take 6 to 8 days end to end.
How the permit system works
- Book a start date and trailhead (Pachena Bay in the north, Gordon River in the south, or the midpoint Balaats'adt at Nitinaht Village) through the Parks Canada reservation system. Reservations for 2026 opened at 8 a.m. Pacific on February 5, and popular July and August dates went quickly. Expect the 2027 launch in a similar window; Parks Canada announces it in winter.
- Pay the backcountry use permit, reservation fee, orientation fee and the ferry fees. Parks Canada publishes the amounts on the Pacific Rim fee page. The water taxi at Balaats'adt is paid directly to the operator, C$70 (about $50) one way in 2026.
- Complete the online Safety Primer; Parks Canada sends the link one to two weeks before you arrive.
- Attend the in-person orientation at your trailhead (10 a.m. or 2 p.m. at Gordon River and Pachena Bay; earlier at Balaats'adt, with registration the afternoon before).
The trail is open to overnight hikers from May 1 to September 30. As of 2026 there are no standby spaces, so you cannot show up and wait for a cancellation; every spot is reserved. Groups are capped at 10. If you cancel 21 or more days ahead you get back the permit, orientation and ferry fees but lose the reservation fee and pay a cancellation fee; inside 20 days only the ferry fees come back.
Watch out
Rescues on the West Coast Trail are usually for ankle and knee injuries on ladders and slick logs, and evacuation can take a day in bad weather. Carry a tide table, rain gear, and bear spray (Parks Canada recommends at least one can per group), and do not attempt it as your first backpacking trip. If you want the scenery without the commitment, the shorter Cape Beale Headlands route near Bamfield has similar terrain.
Other multi-day classics
- Rockies backcountry: Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay charge C$15 (about $11) per person per night for backcountry camping, booked through Parks Canada. The Rockwall in Kootenay, the Skyline in Jasper and Egypt Lake in Banff are favorites.
- Juan de Fuca Marine Trail (BC Parks), next to the West Coast Trail, is shorter and has easier road access for sections.
- Fundy Footpath in New Brunswick: steep coastal valleys and river fords timed to the tides; campsites must be booked.
- East Coast Trail near St. John's, Newfoundland: cliff-top sections you can do as day hikes from the city.
Canoeing and kayaking
The canoe is Canada's national vehicle, and a lake trip with portages (carrying your canoe and gear between lakes) is one of the most Canadian things you can do. You do not need experience for a guided trip or a short loop; you do need it, or a guide, for big open water and the ocean.
Algonquin Provincial Park
The classic. More than 1,200 miles (2,000 km) of canoe routes link lakes along and north of Highway 60. Interior campsites are reserved through Ontario Parks, which opens bookings five months ahead, and you camp only on your assigned lake. Outfitters at Canoe Lake and Lake Opeongo rent canoes, packs and complete kits and run water taxis deeper in. Cans and glass bottles are banned in the interior. Go after mid-June for fewer blackflies, or in late September for color.
Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit
A 72-mile (116 km) rectangle of lakes, rivers and portages in a provincial park east of Quesnel, near the gold-rush town of Barkerville. Reservations through BC Parks are essentially required in summer, and every party gets an orientation. The season runs roughly from mid-May to the end of September; a shorter west-side route takes 2 to 4 days. Moose and black bears are common.
Broken Group Islands
About 100 islands and rocks in Barkley Sound with sheltered channels, sea lions and Parks Canada island campsites. Most paddlers launch from Toquart Bay, which means a crossing of open water; in some seasons a freight vessel from Port Alberni has carried kayaks closer, so check whether it is running. Campsites need reservations in season. Fog and afternoon winds are real hazards, so beginners should go with a guide out of Ucluelet or Tofino.
Bay of Fundy
The world's highest tides make paddling here unique and unforgiving. At the Hopewell Rocks you can kayak around the flowerpot stacks at high tide and walk the ocean floor at low tide the same day. St. Martins has red sandstone sea caves. Paddle here only with a guide; the tide moves faster than you can.
Quetico and the Boundary Waters
Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park adjoins Minnesota's Boundary Waters. If you paddle across the border, you need a Quetico permit and Canadian border clearance, either at a ranger station port of entry or with a CBSA Remote Area Border Crossing permit arranged in advance, and you must report to US authorities on the way back. Check CBSA and CBP requirements well before you go.
Insider tip
Canadian lakes stay cold. Even in August, northern lakes and the Pacific can be in the 50s°F (10–15°C), and capsizing far from shore is the most common way paddlers die. Wear your life jacket rather than storing it under the seat; Canadian rules require a properly sized one for every person on board.
Whale watching by species and season
Canada is one of the best places in the world to see whales, often from small towns with a dozen operators. Tours range from big boats with heated cabins and naturalists to fast inflatable Zodiacs, which are closer to the water, colder and bumpier. Expect roughly 2 to 3 hours; book a morning trip so you have a backup day if the weather turns.
| Where | Main species | Season | Base towns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saguenay–St. Lawrence, Quebec | Minke, fin, humpback; blue whales later in summer; belugas year-round | June–October, best August–September | Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Les Bergeronnes |
| Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia | Humpback, fin, minke, rare North Atlantic right whales | Late June–October, best August–September | St. Andrews, Grand Manan, Digby Neck and Brier Island |
| Newfoundland | Humpback, minke; icebergs and puffins on the same trip | June–August, peak July | Witless Bay and Bay Bulls (near St. John's), Trinity, Twillingate |
| Cape Breton, Nova Scotia | Pilot, minke and humpback | July–September | Chéticamp, Pleasant Bay, Ingonish |
| Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea, BC | Orcas, humpbacks; gray whales on the outer coast | April–October; gray migration March–April | Victoria, Tofino, Telegraph Cove, Campbell River |
| Churchill, Manitoba | Belugas by the thousands | July–August | Churchill (boat, kayak, even snorkel tours) |
At Tadoussac, the deep cold Saguenay fjord meets the St. Lawrence and brings food to the surface, so whales come close to shore. You can often see minkes and belugas from the rocks at Pointe-de-l'Islet in town, or from the Parks Canada Cap de Bon-Désir site at Les Bergeronnes. The St. Lawrence belugas are endangered, and boats must keep their distance, so a good operator will not chase them.
Off Vancouver Island, transient (Bigg's) orcas that hunt seals are now seen more often than the endangered southern resident pods, and northern resident orcas gather in Johnstone Strait off Telegraph Cove in summer. Canadian rules require boats to stay far back from orcas in southern BC waters, so bring binoculars. Reputable operators belong to the Pacific Whale Watch Association.
Save money
Ferries are free whale-watching platforms. The Tadoussac crossing over the Saguenay mouth is free and runs around the clock, BC Ferries routes through the Gulf Islands sometimes pass orcas and humpbacks, and Newfoundland's coastal headlands such as Cape Spear deliver humpbacks from shore in July.
Bears and wildlife viewing
Grizzly tours in British Columbia
BC banned grizzly trophy hunting in 2017, and bear viewing has become a serious industry, much of it run by or with First Nations. Most tours are by boat or from viewing platforms, because the bears feed on shoreline sedges in spring and on spawning salmon in late summer and fall.
- Bute Inlet and Toba Inlet, day trips by boat from Campbell River, with the best salmon-run viewing from about late August to October.
- Knight Inlet, a fly-in or boat-in lodge on the mainland coast with spring and fall seasons.
- Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary near Prince Rupert, boat-based tours in late spring and early summer.
- Great Bear Rainforest on the central coast, home of the white Kermode or spirit bear, reached by small plane or boat to Indigenous-run lodges, best in September and October.
Expect multi-day lodge trips to cost several thousand dollars per person and to book up a year out; day trips from Campbell River cost much less. Tofino runs low-tide boat tours to watch black bears turning over rocks on the shoreline. See Vancouver Island.
Polar bears and belugas at Churchill
Churchill, Manitoba, on Hudson Bay, is the one place where ordinary travelers can see wild polar bears reliably. The bears gather along the coast in October and November waiting for the bay to freeze, and you watch them from large, raised tundra vehicles. No roads reach Churchill: you fly from Winnipeg or take VIA Rail's train, which takes about two days. Packages with licensed operators book many months ahead and are expensive. In July and August the same town offers beluga tours. Do not walk outside town on your own; polar bears are dangerous. See Winnipeg, Churchill and the Prairies and Northern lights.
Roadside wildlife
In Banff, Jasper and Kootenay you will see elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and often black or grizzly bears from the road, especially in spring and early summer. Moose are common in Newfoundland, Cape Breton, Algonquin (look along Highway 60 in May and June) and northern Quebec. Parks Canada asks you to stay in your vehicle near bears, keep at least 330 ft (100 m) from bears, wolves and cougars and 100 ft (30 m) from elk, deer and sheep, and never stop in a traffic lane. Feeding wildlife brings heavy fines under federal law.
Watch out
Moose are the real road hazard. They are bigger than a horse, dark, hard to see at dusk, and in Newfoundland collisions happen hundreds of times a year. Slow down at dawn and dusk and avoid night driving on rural highways. See Driving in Canada.
Birding
Canada sits under several major flyways and hosts huge seabird colonies that are easier to reach than their American equivalents.
- Point Pelee National Park, Ontario: the southern tip of mainland Canada, at the latitude of northern California, is a funnel for spring warbler migration. May is peak, and the park holds a birding festival then.
- Bonaventure Island, Percé, Quebec: a boat ride and walk lead to one of the largest northern gannet colonies in the world, thousands of birds at arm's length on a cliff top. Best June to September.
- Cape St. Mary's, Newfoundland: a short walk across headland meadows to a sea stack covered in gannets, murres and kittiwakes.
- Puffins: Elliston on Newfoundland's Bonavista Peninsula has puffins you can watch from land, and Witless Bay boat tours pass the largest puffin colony in eastern North America. Tours from Grand Manan visit Machias Seal Island, which both Canada and the US claim.
- West coast: the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary south of Vancouver, and Boundary Bay for owls and raptors in winter.
- Prairies: Last Mountain Lake in Saskatchewan, North America's oldest bird sanctuary (1887), and Oak Hammock Marsh outside Winnipeg for fall goose flights.
eBird and the Merlin app work in Canada; download offline bird packs before you lose signal.
Fishing licenses for non-residents
Fishing in Canada is regulated by province, and non-residents pay more than residents. There is no national license. The three rules that catch Americans:
- Buy a provincial license for each province you fish. Each province sells non-resident licenses online, usually by day, multi-day or season. Ontario uses its Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service, Quebec sells through its wildlife ministry and local agents, and BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have their own online systems. Prices and limits vary, so check the current provincial regulations summary.
- Saltwater is separate. In BC, tidal-water fishing needs a federal license from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, plus a salmon conservation stamp if you keep salmon. Atlantic rules differ by species and province.
- National parks need their own permit. Provincial licenses are not valid inside national parks. In Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay a Parks Canada fishing permit costs C$15 (about $11) a day or C$51.25 (about $37) for the year in 2026. Other parks sell their own, and many lakes are catch-and-release only, barbless only, or closed to protect native trout.
Different from home
Do not bring live bait from the US; Ontario and other provinces restrict importing baitfish and leeches to keep out invasive species and disease. If you tow a boat, expect mandatory watercraft inspection stations for zebra and quagga mussels in western provinces, and arrive clean, drained and dry. On the way home, keep fish fillets identifiable (a patch of skin) so officers can count species and limits, and declare them to CBP.
Fly-in fishing lodges in northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan usually sell or arrange your license and handle the floatplane. Ask what is included, because fuel surcharges, guides and fish packing can add a lot.
Cycling: rail trails and scenic rides
Canada converted many abandoned rail lines into long, gentle trails, which suit Americans who want multi-day rides without mountain climbs or traffic.
Confederation Trail
About 170 miles (273 km) of crushed-stone rail bed across PEI from Tignish to Elmira, with branch lines to Charlottetown and Souris. Grades are gentle, and you pass farm villages, red-dirt fields and the sea. Bike rentals and luggage transfer services run in summer. See PEI.
P'tit Train du Nord
A 144-mile (232 km) former rail line from Saint-Jérôme to Mont-Laurier, partly paved, through Val-David and the Mont-Tremblant area, with old stations converted to cafés. Shuttles take you and your bike back to the start. Part of Quebec's Route verte network, more than 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of signed bike routes.
Kettle Valley Rail Trail
The Myra Canyon section above Kelowna crosses 18 wooden trestles and passes through two tunnels on an easy grade. Combine it with Okanagan wineries for a relaxed trip.
Galloping Goose and Seawall
The Galloping Goose runs about 34 miles (55 km) from Victoria toward Sooke. Vancouver's Seawall loops around Stanley Park and False Creek. Both have bike rentals at the start.
For road riders, the Icefields Parkway (144 miles, 232 km, between Lake Louise and Jasper) and the Cabot Trail are famous and demanding; the Cabot Trail's French, MacKenzie and North mountains are steep, and shoulders are narrow. Montreal's BIXI bike share and its separated lanes make it one of the easiest North American cities to ride.
Different from home
Helmet laws are set by province. British Columbia and the Maritime provinces require helmets for all ages, Ontario and Alberta for riders under 18, and Quebec has no general helmet law. Wear one regardless.
Safety: bears, weather, bugs and fire
Bear spray and bear sense
Black bears live across most of forested Canada, and grizzlies roam the Rockies, much of BC, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Carry bear spray on your hip or chest strap (not in your pack), know how to use it, and make noise on the trail. Hike in groups, keep kids close, and never leave food or garbage out at a campsite; use the bear lockers or food poles provided.
Watch out
You cannot fly with bear spray in carry-on or checked bags, in Canada or the US. If you drive up, the CBSA admits it only when the label says it is for use on animals; pepper spray meant for people is a prohibited weapon in Canada. Easiest: buy a can at an outdoor store in Banff, Canmore, Jasper, Squamish or Whitehorse, and give it away or dispose of it properly before you fly home. See Entering Canada.
Weather
Mountain weather changes fast. Snow can fall above treeline in any month in the Rockies, afternoon thunderstorms are common in July, and a sunny morning at Lake Louise can be a sleet storm at Sentinel Pass two hours later. Pack a warm layer, a rain shell, a hat and gloves even in August, and start early. On the Atlantic coast, fog rolls in quickly and can hide trail markers on headlands.
Bugs and ticks
Blackflies peak from mid-May to late June in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, and mosquitoes last into August in the North. Bring a repellent with DEET or icaridin and a head net for the North. Blacklegged ticks, which can carry Lyme disease, are established in southern Ontario, southern Quebec, Nova Scotia and southern Manitoba; check yourself after hikes in grass and woods. See Health.
Wildfires and smoke
Summer wildfires now close trails, campgrounds and occasionally highways and towns every year; a 2024 fire burned part of Jasper townsite. Before and during a summer trip, check the provincial wildfire services (BC Wildfire Service, Alberta Wildfire, Ontario's forest fires map and Quebec's SOPFEU) and each park's bulletins. Campfire bans are common in late summer and fines are steep. Canada measures smoke with the Air Quality Health Index, a 1-to-10-plus scale that does not match the US AQI numbers; a 7 or higher is high risk. See When to go and Safety.
Trail closures and getting help
Parks Canada posts closures and restrictions (bear activity, washouts, fire) on each park's trail report and bulletins page; AllTrails and blogs are often out of date. Leave a trip plan with someone at home. Cell coverage disappears quickly in the backcountry, so a satellite messenger is cheap insurance on remote trips. Call 911 if you have signal. Remember that your US health plan may not cover care in Canada, and you will pay non-resident rates for ambulances and hospital care, so buy travel medical insurance that covers evacuation.
Insider tip
In shoulder seasons (May, June and October) many mountain trails cross avalanche terrain. If a trail still has snow on it, check Avalanche Canada's forecast or choose a valley walk. For winter hiking, snowshoeing and skiing, see Winter in Canada.
Leave No Trace, Canadian style
Leave No Trace Canada promotes the same seven principles you know from home. A few apply with extra force here:
- Plan ahead: book permits, check closures, and know sunset times (late in June, early in October).
- Stay on the trail and on durable surfaces: alpine meadows in the Rockies and Gros Morne take decades to recover from shortcuts.
- Pack it out: including toilet paper and food scraps. Some trails, such as the West Coast Trail, have outhouses; elsewhere bury waste well away from water.
- Leave what you find: it is illegal to remove rocks, fossils, plants, antlers or artifacts from national parks.
- Minimize fire: use existing fire rings and only when fires are allowed. Do not bring firewood from the US; Canada restricts firewood imports, and moving wood spreads tree-killing insects. Buy it where you camp.
- Respect wildlife: no feeding, no approaching, no drones (flying a drone in a national park requires special permission).
- Be considerate: yield to uphill hikers, keep music off, and treat Indigenous cultural sites such as pictographs, burial grounds and signed closures with care. See Indigenous Canada.
Planning an outdoor trip
Base yourself in one hub per region: Banff or Canmore for the Rockies, Tofino or Ucluelet for the coast, the Highway 60 corridor for Algonquin, Rocky Harbour for Gros Morne, Ingonish or Chéticamp for Cape Breton. Book campgrounds and backcountry sites when reservations open in winter, and summer hotels in Banff and Tofino about six months ahead. Hire a guide for anything with tides, open water, glaciers or polar bears; guide tips run about 15 percent, as in the US. See National parks, Where to stay and the packing list.
Add it to a route in the trip builder, or ask us to plan the hotels, trains and guides for you.