# looking for a good guidebook, BC and Rockies



## Liz Wolf-Spada (Mar 16, 2008)

We are going to Fairmont Mountainside (not sure that name is exactly right) this summer and hope to go to Vancouver and Victoria the following summer. What would be a good guidebook?
Thanks,
Liz


----------



## talkamotta (Mar 17, 2008)

We are going to Fairmont Riverview for a week in July and then the following week in Banff.  So I wanted the first week to be on the west side of the Rockies and the second the east.  

For maps I used AAA.  Then I bought Dont Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies.  I have been to Banff and Jasper before but not Yoho, Kootenay, Glacier and Mt Revelstoke National Parks so I wanted more detail on those areas. So I got a book by Falcon Guide (with that title).  These books are   mainly for hiking but many of the hikes can be as long as you want.  I also wanted to know about the fees for the Canadian National Parks so I went to thier site on the internet.  www.canadianrockies.net/maps was a good start to poke around.  They also have maps of the area.  I bought Canadian Rockies Access guide on ebay but I havent received that book.  I know this is a overkill but thats what I do. 

If you read some of the posts on this thread, it will give you ideas of where to look and you can google some of the places.  I find the internet is still one of the best places to get information.


----------



## Chrisky (Apr 20, 2008)

Hi. You don't say if you've checked out the internet, but here are a few websites that will give you some good ideas of what you can see and do. www.hellobc.com; www.travelbc.ca and www.beautifulbc.net


----------



## RIMike (Apr 20, 2008)

*there is a National Park Guide book*



talkamotta said:


> We are going to Fairmont Riverview for a week in July and then the following week in Banff.  So I wanted the first week to be on the west side of the Rockies and the second the east.
> 
> For maps I used AAA.  Then I bought Dont Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies.  I have been to Banff and Jasper before but not Yoho, Kootenay, Glacier and Mt Revelstoke National Parks so I wanted more detail on those areas. So I got a book by Falcon Guide (with that title).  These books are   mainly for hiking but many of the hikes can be as long as you want.  I also wanted to know about the fees for the Canadian National Parks so I went to thier site on the internet.  www.canadianrockies.net/maps was a good start to poke around.  They also have maps of the area.  I bought Canadian Rockies Access guide on ebay but I havent received that book.  I know this is a overkill but thats what I do.
> 
> If you read some of the posts on this thread, it will give you ideas of where to look and you can google some of the places.  I find the internet is still one of the best places to get information.



There is a National Park Guide Book on line that you can download for free. It gives details about all of these National Parks and also the cost for visiting them.  I am going to Fairmont HotSprings Mountainside Villas in August...so I am doing the same thing as you for this trip.
RIMike


----------



## tashamen (Apr 21, 2008)

I like the Moon Guidebooks series in general.  They have one for BC that is quite good that I used last week in Vancouver.


----------



## eal (Apr 21, 2008)

I just read a good review of a new book:
Where the Locals Hike in the Canadian Rockies: The Premier Trails in Kananaskis Country, near Canmore and Calgary by Kathy and Craig Copeland. But if you are staying only in Faimont it might not be that useful for you.  

Here is a link to some other good guidebooks:

http://www.gemtrek.com/guide_books.html


----------



## Keitht (Apr 29, 2008)

tashamen said:


> I like the Moon Guidebooks series in general.  They have one for BC that is quite good that I used last week in Vancouver.




I'll second the Moon Guidebooks.  I used their Canadian Rockies; British Columbia and Alberta Handbooks for our last visit.  Very informative and very easy reading.


----------



## rcshelton (Apr 30, 2008)

Before our trip to the Banff last year, based on discussions and recommendations on this board, I purchased the book "Parkways of the Canadian Rockies"  An interpretive guide to Banff, Jasper, Kootenay. and Yoho Parks by Brian Patton. I found the book to be very useful.  It includes a map of each the parkway roads with points of interest keyed to the map and distances between the points of interest. These roadside viewpoints are places where you can pull over such as picnic areas, campgrounds.  A discussion about each point of interest is included and hiking trails are also shown and included in the discussion.  The version I have is the 1989 edition, obtained on Amazon, but it was still good information.

I just checked Amazon and they now have the updated version dated April 15, 2008. Cost is $24.95.


----------

