By Guest Blogger Sue Glenn July 2026
As I reflect on our Canadian Rockies trip, I consider the age-old travel question: To Tour Group or Not To Tour Group?
Prior to this experience, Mark and I had always planned our own trips and travelled by ourselves or with one or two other couples who we knew well.But this time, we opted for the first time to use a hiking tour group, namely Backroads, and book their well-planned Canadian Rockies 6 day tour. There were 14 travelers in the group (four of whom we knew) plus three fabulous guides. Here are some of my thoughts re using a hiking tour group for this specific Canadian Rockies trip:
Logistics: Hikers in the Canadian National parks who were not part of a tour group had a difficult logistical experience. Parking was often far from the trailheads and in some cases shuttles were required from large parking areas to trailheads. Some hotel properties or amenities were closed to non-guests after a certain hour. As part of the Backroads group (and also when we did a separate private tour of Yoho and Kootenay parks), our van was allowed easy access to parking close to the trailhead. Logistics were incredibly smooth and stress-free! Backroads wins in a big way
Local Knowledge: I love to learn about the areas I am visiting – the history, the traditions, the terrain, the flora and fauna. The stories we heard from our guides significantly added to the overall experience – we could not have gathered this knowledge on our own. Backroads wins
Wildlife Sightings: One of the goals for many in the group was to see wildlife, normally plentiful in the Canadian Rockies. Perhaps because of the size and loudness of our group (or perhaps because of Mark’s repeated “Hey Bear” calls), we saw no bears and very little wildlife on our hikes. Perhaps in a smaller group we would have seen more wildlife and perhaps any bears might have taken Mark’s words as an invitation to visit our small group rather than a warning to stay away. Non-Backroads likely wins for wildlife sightings but maybe Backroads wins for safety
Pacing of Hikes: Members of the group had varied hiking backgrounds, abilities and interests. Some were much slower hikers or had injuries that prevented them from doing the hikes. Some were focussed on taking photographs. Others set a much faster pace and wanted to hike the longest/most difficult route. Because of the concern for bears, a guide had to try to stay with each group of people which meant sometimes people had to go slower or faster than then would have preferred in order to stick close to a guide. In a smaller group we probably would have more easily hiked at our own desired pace. Non-Backroad wins
Group Diversity and Dynamics: Because of the size of the group, there was always someone to walk and chat with. Each day I spent time with a different person or group of people – either on a hike or at a meal. And I met two doppelgängers in the group! Donna was the exact clone of my dear friend Robin and Tracy was a match for my friend Martha. Their looks, personality, and temperament made me feel like two of my best friends were traveling with me. And we still were able to spend time with the six of us who are friends – meeting up as a small group for some breakfasts and dinners, having a drink together, or hiking with each other. Both options are great but Backroad wins for more group diversity (and doppelgängers!)
Pushing the Envelope: Encouragement (pressure?) from some of my new friends in the group led me to participate in the glacial lake plunge – one of my most fun activities of the week! I am not sure if I would have done this if it was just Mark and me. Backroads Wins
Long story short, for this adventure I think Backroads was the way to go, especially because of the potentially difficult and cumbersome logistics of trying to visit these parks and do these hikes on your own. Highly recommend this Backroads trip!!
R1T Tour 