It's so busy no one goes there anymore

I am paraphrasing Yogi Berra.

I will be doing my best to avoid the national parks this year. I love Banff, Alberta. I prefer Jasper, Alberta. Banff is closer to me. 

I took the motorcycle on a run to Banff and back on Victoria Day which was May 22, 2017. The weather was perfect. To celebrate Canada's one hundred fiftieth anniversay our Federal government made passes to the parks free this year. All you had to do was apply and get a free pass. This gave you free access to all of the National Parks in Canada for 2017. I like the idea and it is a way to get people out to see this country.

Banff National Park is getting crowded. Too crowded. You see people of all kinds just about everywhere there. Not just in the town of Banff itself but on the hiking trails as well. Everyplace there is jammed. I have mixed feelings about this. I think it is great that so many people will get out to experience the wilderness. The problem is that so many people are getting out to experience the wilderness.

I stopped in Banff itself for lunch on Victoria Day. Riding on a motorcycle meant it was easier to find a place to park. I had seen plenty of people in cars circling the streets trying to find a place to park. A motorcycle usually does not take up too much room. I almost felt bad that I could park my motorcycle in some leftover scrap of parking space. Almost.

I like to go to the Banff area for the scenery. I live on the prairie but I grew up in the mountains. In the background is the Banff Springs Hotel. There are lots of great views in the area.

Heading back home was not easy. From Calgary to Banff it is a four lane highway. Heading back home on the last day of a three day holiday weekend traffic was at a crawl for half of the trip. At least a quarter of the way my top speed was twenty-five miles an hour. It will be worse in July and August. I hope everyone that visits will enjoy their trip. I will be looking for other places to go.