On Top of the World in Jasper National Park

The Raven Totem Pole outside the historic Jasper Train Station 

The carful of kids are on the top of the world having driven close to 2,500 miles from our home is Central Texas to reach Jasper National Park. We have stopped in some amazing national parks along the way like Devils Tower, Glacier, Waterton Lakes, Banff and the Icefields Parkway.

The carful of kids love cabins so I reserved Parks Canada's oTENTiks for our entire stay in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. They are rustic enough for the kids to love them but easy enough for a Mom to manage and I love having a roof in case of a stray mountain shower.

That is a bear trap--we don't see these in Texas.

When we arrive at Whistlers Campground in Jasper National Park and I spot a homemade-looking bear trap. I ask the park rangers about the contraption and they inform us that elk use the campground to calf--have their young, and that attracts bear looking to eat.

Wow. So it really doesn't matter how bare of a campsite I have because the bear are chasing baby elk amongst the campsites. Well, this mamma can't let her preteen boys out of her sight--they have more bark than bite and I don't want my babies getting caught up in some circle of life struggle.

In the oTENTik area of the campground we find a restroom nearby with hot water for dishwashing outside though the showers are a drive away, especially with the bear situation.

Elk graze through the campground, choosing this area to have their young.

The carful of kids enjoy a bear-free night in our oTENTik but when my best friend and nativagator hears something scratching on the outside, I walk towards the door ready to defend my carful of kids. What we find is an adult female elk scratching her head on the frame of our oTENTik.

Of course this gets the carful of kids up and out of their sleeping bags. The elk meander from one campsite to another nibbling on grass. The boys are especially impressed by the close proximity of the huge animals that can weigh as much as 500 pounds.

Jasper National Park Visitors Center

After breakfast and packing up, we stop by the Jasper National Park Visitors Center to turn in the Parks Canada Xplorer Booklets for a collectible dog tag, definitely worth a stop. This is a quaint town that has a lot to offer without the constant hum of idling tour buses.

Jasper is an important stop on Canadian National Mainline and the Jasper Heritage Railway Station is still serviced by passenger trains several times a week. The original depot was destroyed by fire and the present building was constructed in 1924.

Inside the Jasper Heritage Railway Station, I love old train stations.

The carful of kids continue exploring Jasper but I wish we had more time. Jasper National Park is rich in wildlife and incredible hiking and without the crowds of Banff and Lake Louise.

We file into the SUV and for the first time since we started our trip, we head south onto the Icefields Parkway. Our first stop is the Athbasca Falls, 20 miles south; this is a great stop with paved walkways allowing you to get super close to the magnificent power of the falls.

The carful of kids walked on the Athbasca Glacier and the river of the same name feeds the falls. They are beautiful but there are signs everywhere advising you of a certain death if you decide to climb over the fence--if the falls don't kill you, the hypothermia will.

The Mom in me has to explain this to my two boys--certain death always gets their attention, kinda like cuss words in foreign languages.

We are in Avalanche Country!

After touring the waterfalls, the carful of kids head to Bow Lake, another picturesque area along the Icefields Parkway. At Simpson's Num-Ti-Ja Lodge, we find a row of vault toilets, a luxury in the wilderness, and delightful path next to Bow Lake.

Bow Lake, an incredible spot along the Icefields Parkway,  25 miles north of Lake Louise.

Simpson's Num-Ti-Ja Lodge is a 16-room lodge built in 1950 by Jimmy Simspon, the legendary English outfitter that guided adventurers through this area in the early 1900s. This area has a great views of the Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Glacier that are part of the Wapta Icefield.

The carful of kids continue back to Lake Lousie for a quick gas stop, we drive 17 more miles south to the Highway 93 turnoff for Kootenay National Park in British Columbia. Kootenay National Park ( daily admission is $ 19.60 CAN for a family or $ 136.40 CAN for the Discovery Annual Pass ) encompasses 543 square miles and adjoins Banff National Park.

Another new Canadian Province for the Carful of Kids.

The majority of the sights along Highway 93 like the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon have adequate parking but remember your bear spray--this is grizzly country. The carful of kids need to make our way to our oTENTik site in Redstreak Campground in Kootenay Natioanal Park so we march south.

The highway is wide and well-maintained though some of the lookouts and viewpoints should only be entered from the north-bound side of Highway 93. The drive through the Sinclair Canyon is especially impressive with its shear canyon walls, hair-pin turns and heavy truck traffic.

Our next fun stop is Radium Hot Springs just inside the western boundary of Kootenay National Park; the carful of kids took a soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs and we like this hot springs even more.

The swimming pool at Radium Hot Springs with two slides and diving board.

Radium Hot Springs is open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and located at 5420 Highway 93 ( admission $ 6.40 CAN/ Adults and $ 5.40 CAN/ Kids ). This is a great family option as this is the largest hot springs pool in the Canadian Rockies with lockers and showers in the changing room.

There's plenty of room to stretch out here and enjoy your soak in the mineral rich water that ranges from 98 F to 104 F. If you have a carful of kids like I do, they have their own pool with a diving board and two slides that's a comfy 84 F--which my kids prefer. They don't understand soaking for relaxation.

Our oTENTik in Redstreak Campground

The carful of kids enjoy their swim and don't want to leave but we need to get to the campground that is on the south side of the town of Radium Hot Springs. I reserved an oTENTik for the night at the Redstreak Campground and when we arrive we are greeted by their resident big horn sheep.

This is a great campground for families conveniently located next Radium Hot Springs and if you are adventurous you can hike to the pool. The Redstreak Campground features evening interpretive programs in their amphitheater especially for kids.

Big Horn Sheep greet campers in Kootenay National Park.

There are showers within walking distance of our site but our oTENTik doesn't have electricity, not that big of a deal except to charge those phones. We are still in bear country so you have to use the bear box and keep a bare campsite but I don't see any bear traps here.

Know before you go: The oTENTiks ( $120/CAN per night, no minimum stay required, no cleaning deposit) are in high demand and can be reserved starting in January through the Parks Canada website.

Each oTENTik is structurally the same and is equipped with an outdoor picnic table. Inside, you will find a table with four chairs and platform sleeping area equipped with foam mattresses--you can sleep six and the carful of kids throw their sleeping bags and pillows on top. There are some differences from park to park, like some have electricity and some don't, so check the Parks Canada website.

If you show your receipt from another hot springs, Banff Upper Hot Springs or Miette Hot Springs, you can get a discount at Radium Hot Springs.

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