Eric and I have been trying to get to Banff, Canada since 2017 but bears and budget have always scared us away from booking a trip. So when we discovered an alternative to Banff that was within budget and far from the crowds, we hopped on a plane to Calgary!
The alternative to Banff
Banff National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Canada, and it’s easy to see why. The park boasts some of the most stunning scenery in the world, with towering peaks, pristine lakes and wildlife galore. However, Banff can also be crowded and expensive, especially during peak season. Luckily, there’s a little-known secret just a few hours away that offers all of the same natural beauty without the crowds or price tag:
Golden, British Columbia
Golden is located in southeastern British Columbia, about a 4-hour drive from Calgary. The drive itself is epic. Our first glimpse at the beauty to come was near Kananaskis, followed by the popular resort towns of Canmore and Banff. As we continued along Trans-Canada Highway the view became more dramatic with drastically different mountains on both sides of the highway. Everything is so vast here, surrounded by craggy gray mountains in front and thin layers of mountains in the background that look like tissue paper in various shades of blue. I strained my neck with the constant twisting trying to see everything!
A town with character
One of the things that makes Golden so special is its small-town charm. With a population of just over 4,000 people, Golden feels like a tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone. This is in stark contrast to Banff, which feels crowded, touristy and impersonal. Twice we walked Golden’s Rotary Trail which takes you through town and follows the Kicking Horse River until it converges with the Columbia River. It’s a beautiful walk with opportunities for people watching, skipping rocks and popping in to local businesses. We loved hanging out at Golden Bakery and Deli, where we tried Nanaimo Bars for the first time and ate the best carrot cake I’ve ever had! The icing tasted like whipped honeybun icing…it was divine!
History of Golden
Golden was once home to one of Canada’s largest Chinatowns and it was an important stop on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The neighboring town of Field, between Golden and Banff, also has some interesting history and the best way to learn it is to chat with local business owners. We visited with a woman at the Golden Dollar Store and learned how the area has changed in recent years. Like so many other beautiful remote towns, they’ve seen an increase in outsiders moving in and driving up housing prices. While it’s still cheaper than Banff, vacation rentals have risen here and will most likely to continue rising as more people become aware of Golden’s charm and ideal location.
The town is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains with two rivers running through it. Four national parks are less than 2-hours away: Kootenay, Yoho, Glacier and Banff. In one week, we were able to hike the last three parks and squeeze in scenic drives through Kootenay and up towards Jasper National Park. [We’ll cover these hikes in detail in our next post.]
Plenty to do in Golden
In addition to hiking, Golden offers a wide range of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy, including:
- MOUNTAIN BIKING – Golden is a mecca for mountain biking enthusiasts and there are hundreds of trails of varying difficulty levels to choose from.
- RAFTING / KAYAKING – There are several companies in town that offer half-day and full-day trips down the river.
- SKYDIVING / GLIDING – Golden has optimal conditions for tandem gliding, para/hang gliding and skydiving and you’ll find all of these within town limits or nearby.
- WILDLIFE VIEWING – You’ll see plenty of wildlife hiking, but if you want closer contact there is a wolf sanctuary and bear sanctuary within 15 minutes of town.
- For more, visit the Golden Tourism site.
Ways to save money
Golden offers a more affordable alternative to Banff without sacrificing any of the charm or adventure. Here’s how we saved money:
- CAR RENTAL ALTERNATIVE – We used Turo to rent a Jeep Cherokee and saved about 40% of what we would have spent with a traditional car rental agency. The experience was also better. They met us at our arrival gate and it was a simple conversation and check of the vehicle before we were on our way. Our rental came with an annual national park pass (saved us $60) and the option to add an ice chest and trekking poles (additional fee).
- LODGING – We scored a great deal on a VRBO condo at Kicking Horse Resort. Basecamp Lodge Golden is a great budget choice in town if you don’t need a kitchen. Find more lodging at Tourism Golden.
- FOOD – We always save money when we have a kitchen, but if you want to eat out or buy local provisions, there are good options. Golden has 2 grocery stores, several restaurants and a local bakery for bread where you can get fresh bread and pastries. Try Kicking Horse coffee while you’re there, it’s made near Radium Springs (about an hour south of Golden). It’ll definitely help you “kick ass” on the trail!
Construction notes
There is a major construction project on the highway between Golden and Banff and while we were there the road was closed from 10pm-7am. That can be a problem if you want to reach trailheads early or have an early flight out of Calgary. We were able to adjust spending our last night in Calgary, but it did prevent us from hiking the super popular trails near Banff (where you need to arrive by 7am or earlier to get parking).
If construction is a concern, consider splitting your time in Golden and Canmore. Canmore is the popular alternative to Banff and it’s very much a tourist town, but it still has a local flair to it. We stopped at the Canmore Farmer’s Market on our way out and really enjoyed walking the town and interacting with locals and visitors. For those coming from Vancouver, splitting your time between Revelstoke and Golden would also make a great hiking trip.
When you’re planning a trip to Canada and looking for an alternative to Banff National Park, Golden is the perfect choice for those willing to drive a little further for a more authentic British Columbia experience. Stay tuned for more details on day hiking in this area.
3 Comments
Loved this story! And looking forward to the follow ups.
Thanks Mary. I was shocked when I was looking out all the photos and realized I hadn’t taken as many as I usually do. But that’s because it was just so beautiful and I knew the photos wouldn’t be able to capture it.