Got a three week roadtrip planned for this autumn. Vancouver, vancouver island (ucluelet), squamish, whistler, clearwater, jasper, banff, Emerald lake, kelowna. Basics are planned, but unsure as to whether we try bear watching in ucluelet on the water or whistler with a 4x4 tour and keep seeing loads of suspension bridges to try, but don't need to do them all so trying to work out the best couple. We have sea to sky gondola earmarked at squamish and helmcken falls at clearwater. Other must dos I guess will present themselves enroute but keen nt to miss the biggies, so any pointers would be appreciated.
Rockies Road trip
It depends a lot on when in autumn, I suspect. When I was in Banff, Jasper and around in June, the only thing you had to do to see bears was watch for a bear jam (2+ cars haphazardly parked by the side of any road). We saw about a dozen in two weeks (and one near Whistler the week before). Of course, at that time of year both their food and the vegetation is still more scarce, making them a lot easier to see.
We travelled this part of the world so often, mostly end of August to end of September. That time you'd have a good choice of seeing Bears just by driving slowly.
But with only 3 weeks of time you've planned too much. So you either should skip VI (it is worth 3 weeks by its own) or the part around Jasper/Banff.
""helmcken falls at clearwater"" Helmcken falls is not near clearwater. It is in Wells Gray Provincial Park, one of my beloved parks in B.C. But it is 50 km away from Clearwater. And nearby are more waterfalls:
https://wellsgray.ca/things-to-do/iconic-waterfalls/
Thanks for the info BeateR. We've seen the same trip on package tours with only 14 nights, so thought we had made a good plan. Appreciate VI is going to be a bit of a rush, but we're probably only going to be in this part of the world once, so will try and cram it all in. Clearwater to Helmcken Falls is about an hours drive and as we are staying close to Clearwater for a couple of nights thought that was a must see. But your link throws up many closer options, I guess. Is there a couple you'd recommend. Your point on bears seems to indicate two things. We are a bit late, and won't have enough time to 'drive slowly'?
[ Edit: Edited on 3 Mar 2025, 22:29 GMT by Bill Bailey ]
Looks like an epic trip! I’d say if bear watching is a priority, Ucluelet on the water might give you a more unique experience than Whistler, but if you're keen on 4x4 adventures, that could be fun too. As for waterfalls, Helmcken is stunning, but if time is tight, Spahats Falls is much closer to Clearwater and still impressive. I wouldn’t worry too much about seeing bears, if you’re driving through Jasper/Banff, chances are high you’ll spot some along the way.
""We are a bit late, and won't have enough time to 'drive slowly'""
I meant, you should not speeding. If you drive slowly you should have a look at the grassy slopes on the side. There we saw bears so often. Last september we stayed 3 nights in a cottage in Wells Gray park and there a bear came just in front of your cottage.
We stayed a night in a B+B at Sunshine Coast and in that night a Bear uprooted a tree in the garden.
And in Jasper you have to good choice of seeing Wapiti in the town or on a sidetrip to Maligne lake and Medicin Lake.
If you by chance come through Radium Hot Springs: there are almost everytime Mountain Goats on the roads through the city.
We didn't do the overpriced Capilano suspension bridge. If you want a nicer suspension bridge than try nearby Lynn Canyon Suspension bridge. Or as you are on VI go to Elk Falls suspension Bridge near Campbell River.