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My husband and I (in our late 50s) are taking the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff in mid Sept, then 5 days to explore before boarding ViaRail in Jasper heading to Toronto. We will be renting a car in Banff. Will there be any issues with driving (weather related)? Suggestions for what we should be sure not to miss in our visit? Is renting a car a good idea?
Well, I will just put in two cents on the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Banff, witch is considered one of the finest hotels in the world. If you don't stay there, it is surely worth a visit for say, lunch. Take a look: http://www.fairmont.com/lakelouise
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I think you will be fine hiring a car to get around, definately the easiest and you are your own boss, I have not staved at the Fairmont Lake Louise but I have had Brunch there and looked around, not to be missed but have stayed at the Fairmont in Banff which was fantastic.
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The obvious stops in Banff (outside the town itself) are Lake Louise, Morraine Lake, Peyto Lake, getting up on the Athabasca Glacier (Columbia Icefield), and of course the hot springs at Banff. You can also drive to the other three adjoining National Parks - Jasper (where you are heading anyway), Yoho and Kootnay. The Miete hot springs in Jasper are less crowded than the Banff ones, but in September, neither should be an issue. Weather - should not be bad, but the evenings will be quite chilly at that time of year, so dress accordingly (after all you are in the mountains). It might rain and you could see a few flakes of snow if the weather goes funny on you, but nothing too serious.
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Reenting a car is the best idea because then you can see whatever you want at your own pace. The Icefield Parkway between Lake Louise and Banff will be very scenic - in September the deciduous trees at the lower elevations will be golden in colour (and most of them grow only in the valleys and along lakes/rivers). I would recommend "Parkways of the Canadian Rockies" by Brian Patton as an excellent resource for planning your driving and sight-seeing. Happy trails!!!
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Banff and Jasper in September is great, the Larch trees will be in full color and the summer crowds are gone. I would definitely rent a car, it is the kind of place where you want to poke along, stop for walks and take in the scenery. I would recommend the Banff - Jasper map by local map maker Gem Trek, it has all the sites listed on the back and a very detailed map on the front. They are also great for hiking maps if you plan to hike, and you should!! You can get it here: maptown.com/cgi-bin/mt/store... If you are not hikers but still would like to see the high country check to see if you can get a shuttle ride up to Sunshine Ski Area, it won't be open for skiing but you can walk the high meadows above the tree line. The ski village is above 7000 ft. We went up there years ago with White Mountain Tours, I don't know if they still offer shuttle service or not. Have fun
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Lake Louise is quite close to Morraine Lake:http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/camping/lltrailer.aspx more
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