Tunnel Mountain Campground

On a bit of a whim Melissa and I decided to book a camping trip. The only other time we'd been camping together my aunt and uncle spoiled us and had all the food, booked the sites and basically all we had to do was set up the tent. We picked Tunnel Mountain since it was close to Calgary and we could go after work on a Friday night, but was close enough to Banff in case we forgot anything, seeing as how we were camping rookies.

Arriving, staff was friendly and directed us towards our site and the wood pile. You can't bring wood into the park due to invasive species concerns, but their wood pile was massive. You aren't going to have to worry about running out.

Our site was on a corner and had a good amount of space for my SUV, the tent, a picnic table and fire pit. The family next to us was a little close, which wouldn't have been a problem had it not been for their devil-child who only knew how to scream, not talk. We did take time to look at a site map though, and you can easily grab sites with a good distance between you and your neighbours if you book far enough in advance.

The bathrooms were decent, and showers were free, so it was easy to feel at home at Tunnel Mountain. The proximity to Banff and hiking trails nearby mean you'll have lots to do if lounging around isn't your thing, and you might even bump into some wildlife. At one point we were surrounded by about 16 elk!

On a side-note, if you've ever seen those campfire grilled-cheese sandwich cookers, I'd say buy one. Melissa and I picked one up for this trip, and it worked pretty well. It's a bit of guesswork to figure out the perfect cooking time, but it definitely adds some variety to what you can cook over a fire!

I'd definitely recommend this site. You have to pay for a fire-permit, but it pays for itself in wood if you use it and you don't have any at home. Bathrooms we're clean enough for camping and the free showers were a plus.