Is Yosemite worth it if I'm also visiting Banff and Jasper on the same trip?

Hi fellow travelers, do you think there’s a real benefit to spending 2-3 days in Yosemite when I’ll already be spending a week in Banff and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies? Won’t it feel a bit redundant? I’m asking because Yosemite is expensive (I’d go with an agency from SF, staying in a cabin, since I’ll be solo and without a car) and apparently packed. Thanks for your feedback!

Hmm, I don’t know if you’ve checked the distance, but it’s still hundreds of kilometers from Calgary, so you’ll need to take a plane. Then from Calgary, I’m not sure if there are many flights to California—check with WestJet. As for Yosemite Park, which I haven’t visited, the environment is definitely different and probably much drier than the Rockies in Alberta. Just heading west from Alberta, the landscape changes as you go into British Columbia. Don’t miss Lake Louise—it’s a truly stunning place.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I’ll be spending some time in San Francisco and the surrounding area before flying to Calgary. I’d love to explore some California parks or the coast toward LA, but I haven’t figured out how to do it without a car yet. Any tips from travelers familiar with California are welcome!

And you’ve been to Banff and Jasper, right? Lake Louise is on my list. Any other recommendations?

Lake Moraine is 14 km from Lake Louise and served by the same shuttles. The turquoise waters are stunning. The Athabasca Glacier and its little skywalk. Great view. You can access the glacier on big trucks. Obviously, it damages it... up to you to decide.

Hi, actually the Canadian Rockies don’t look anything like Yosemite at all—it’s a completely different kind of landscape!