Best time to go
This is a seasonal campground, so check current opening and reservation arrangements before planning a stay.
Overview
About Castle Mountain Campground
Why stop
- Close to Johnston Canyon and Silverton Falls.
Heads up
- No showers or hookups; train noise may carry after dark.
Map
Where it is
Loading the Banff map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
Best time to go
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Castle Mountain Campground, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this area
Silverton Falls or Rockbound Lake0:00 / 0:26
“You're approaching the Rockbound Lake trailhead, also the start for Silverton Falls. For a shorter outing, take the signed falls branch: about forty minutes round trip to water dropping through a narrow gorge.”
Plays on the road 0.3 km from Castle Mountain Campground in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Castle Junction Bridge Viewpoint
- Castle Cliffs Lookout: A Short Parkway Stop
- A Carpet That Helps Build Soil
- Sea Lilies in the Limestone
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Guide
More about Castle Mountain Campground
A simple base in the treesCastle Mountain is a small, unserviced campground on the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A), about 32…
Castle Mountain is a small, unserviced campground on the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A), about 32 km from Banff. It suits tents and small RVs up to 7.3 m (24 ft) and is handy for Johnston Canyon and Silverton Falls. Choose it for a wooded overnight base, not a full-service stay.
What you getThe campground has drinking water, flush toilets, a cooking shelter, a picnic shelter, firepits…
The campground has drinking water, flush toilets, a cooking shelter, a picnic shelter, firepits and food lockers. Sites are unserviced, with no showers or electrical hookups. Each site allows up to two vehicles, two tents and six people unless otherwise specified. If accessible facilities are essential, verify the current setup before booking.
The feel of the loopSites sit among the trees on a one-way loop.
Sites sit among the trees on a one-way loop. Higher-numbered sites are often described as more tucked away, though spacing can feel close; train noise may carry into the night.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
