I embraced 'off season' travel in Canada to beat the crowds - here's the verdict

I'm standing in the middle of Jasper National Park in Canada, listening to Beauvert Lake speak. It's very chatty today. The first time I heard it, it sounded like a big bird flying towards me with its fat wings flapping vigorously. I almost shrieked. The next time, it was more like the groan of a distant dinosaur. Not that I have heard a dinosaur. But I have seen Jurassic Park.

Science has an explanation for the loquacious lake. Only a few weeks ago, temperatures had plummeted as low as -15 degrees, freezing it from bank to bank. But it's spring now: the sky is unrepentantly blue, the towering snow-capped Rockies are glistening in the sun and - this morning - the mercury is rising: 2 degrees, to be precise. All of which is making the lake melt - one shard of ice at a time. And as it melts, it yawns and whistles, creaks and whoops, gasps and hisses, shrieks and whispers.

No offence to science, but my guide Theresa Westhaver has a much more evocative explanation. "It is the spirits of our ancestors speaking to us," says the Cree woman as she takes me around the frozen Beauvert on an indigenous tour of the local flora.

"Everything has a spirit - the mountains, the rocks, the plants, the lakes, the ice, the glaciers ... and if we're willing to listen, they're willing to speak to us."

It is easy to listen today because - other than the occasional passer-by - there's no one around.

Banff and Jasper - both located in the Canadian province of Alberta - are the country's two most visited national parks, attracting in 2022/23 more than 4.1 million and 2.4 million visitors respectively.

But most of those visitors come here in summer, when hotels are packed (and nosebleed expensive), restaurants are hard to get into and car parks at the top tourist sites reach capacity before seven in the morning.

Many come in winter, too, for world-class skiing. But spring offers a soft spot, when you can virtually have this white wonderland all to yourself. Not to mention enjoy experiences - like walking around a chatty Beauvert Lake - that are at their peak at this time of the year. Here are four other incredible adventures to tick off in the Alberta spring.

It's one thing to look at majestic white mountains in the distance, but a completely different experience to weave your way through the guts of towering canyons sheathed in snow. Which is where Johnston Canyon comes in. Located in Banff National Park, about 30 minutes west of the resort town of Banff, it's an intricate puzzle of soaring pines, giant limestone boulders and - during my visit - semi-frozen waterfalls, which make me think I'm north of the wall on the set of Game of Thrones.

Parks Canada has spent an obscene amount of money on infrastructure here, installing suspended steel boardwalks that wind their way through the deep gorges and valleys, so it's easy to tackle the adventure on your own.

You can hike up to the Lower Falls, a 1.1-kilometre trail one way; or make your way to the Upper Falls, about 2.5 kilometres one way.

But I have signed up for a small-group tour with Radventures (radventurescanada.com), which - in addition to insightful commentary by our guide Rae - also provides crampons: spiky soles you can attach to your hiking shoes for ease of walking on ice and snow.

"I love this time of the year," says Rae as we huff and puff our way through some steep climbs. "The snow really settles into the landscape by spring, with well-defined ridges, giving the mountains a lot more dimension and definition."

And in the absence of mega crowds, not having to queue for pictures of the ice-blue frozen waterfalls is a bonus.

Located in the heart of Jasper National Park, Jasper is a small alpine town, where word travels fast, particularly when it's splashed across the skies. Within minutes of my arrival, the cab driver tells me the northern lights were doing their thing last night. "Keep an eye in that direction tonight," he says pointing north. "If they return tonight, you'll be able to see them, no matter where you are in the town."

On average, Jasper gets one night of aurora borealis per week. But locals still get excited about it, and that includes Mike Gere of Jasper Photo Tours (jasperphototours.com), who specialises in aurora photography.

And because there's a decent chance of northern lights returning tonight, I'm joining him on a private after-dark tour in his van. Armed with several layers of woollens, beanies, gloves and in-sole foot warmers, we arrive at Pyramid Island - in the middle of frozen Pyramid Lake - about 15 minutes north of Jasper. It's an almost-full-moon night and - once my eyes adjust - it's surprisingly bright, with majestic white mountains making their presence known through their sheer size against the backdrop of clear ink-blue skies.

We wait, we chat, we wander ... but in the end, the fickle northern lights don't oblige, but I don't go back empty-handed either. Off to the left, Mike points out Sirius - the brightest star in the night sky. "You might think, well, that one over there is brighter. But that's not a star - that's Jupiter," he says.

And then in between the two, he points out the constellation of Orion, which up here in Jasper you can only see at this time of the year.

No one told me there was a difference between ice-skating on a manmade rink as opposed to a frozen lake. Having pranced around on rinks in New York and Philadelphia, I arrive at Lake Louise - about 40 minutes north-west of Banff - thinking I'm Torvill and Dean rolled into one. But Mother Nature is unpredictable and - in this case - bumpy. And within seconds, I'm more horizontal than vertical.

With shattered ego, I give it another go and things get a bit better - and warmer. Even at 2 degrees Celsius, it's surprising how quickly your body heats up. Within minutes, I shed most of my woollens, and ice-skating - rather cautiously - in a mere jumper against the backdrop of soaring white Rockies becomes the singular highlight of my trip.

But there are plenty of experiences to be had here, even if you don't want to ice-skate. Go for a hike on the frozen lake in the middle of the snow-laden mountainous amphitheatre, or grab a bite at the legendary Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, perched right on the edge of this wonderland. Many sections of the hotel are open to the public, including Lakeview Lounge, where heartwarming mains such as braised-beef-cheek cottage pie come with a side of bewitching Victoria Glacier vistas.

There are many ways to explore the top sights in and around Banff - drive around on your own, sign up for a guided hike or book a small-group van tour. But nothing beats joining Bikescape's (bikescape.ca) Fat Tire E-Bike experience. Fat-tire bikes are cycles with oversized tires, perfect for tackling snow-covered trails, and the two-hour tour visits some of the town's top highlights, starting with the two-kilometre-long Fenland Trail that threads its way through old spruce trees, goes over rickety wooden bridges and skirts along picturesque creeks - many of them semi-frozen during our visit.

"This is where locals come for a walk with their dogs," says my guide Clare McCann. "Most visitors don't even know about it, even though it's right next to the town."

Over the next couple of hours we cover about 15 kilometres of different trails, stitched together with some exciting roadside biking, and visit photo-worthy locations such as the famous Banff sign, Bow Falls, Central Park and the two pedestrian bridges over Bow River.

The piece de resistance, however, is arriving at a quaint bridge along the Spray River West Trail, where I get to not only soak up storybook views of the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs hotel but also enjoy Clare's homemade oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies with piping-hot Bengal spice tea, which she's managed to carry in a thermos rather discreetly.

Read more on Explore:

Getting there: Air Canada flies direct from Sydney to Vancouver, with connections to Edmonton (from where Jasper is a four-hour drive west) and Calgary (from where Banff is a 90-minute drive west). Sundog Tours and Transportation is a great option for travel between Edmonton and Jasper, while Brewster Express is our pick for transfers between Calgary and Banff. aircanada.com; sundogtours.com; banffjaspercollection.com/brewster-express

Getting around: Taxis are the best option in Jasper, and Caribou Cabs offer reliable service. Bookings via phone only: +1 780 931 2334. Public bus transport in Banff is regular and reliable. roamtransit.com

Explore more: jasper.travel; banfflakelouise.com; destinationcanada.com; travelalberta.com

Basing yourself in the towns of Jasper and Banff is the best way to experience the riches of these national parks. Here's where to stay and play.

JASPER

STAY: Located on the banks of Beauvert Lake, with panoramic views of the Rockies, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is an incredible hotel, and particularly magical in winter and spring, when steam rises off the surface of its heated outdoor pool and gives the entire resort a mystical, otherworldly feel. There are 407 luxurious rooms, cabins and suites set on the 283-hectare property. Book one of the Junior Lakeview Suites, which are quite spacious at 39 square metres and feature separate sitting areas with large glass windows framing water and mountain views.

Then go for a wander around the property, frequented by wild deer and elks. "Those horns look beautiful," says Fairmont's Laura-Ann Chong as we chance upon a gang of elks on a sunset walk. "But always stay two school buses away from them; because they're wild and can use them if you get too close." fairmont.com/jasper

EAT & DRINK: For some of the best meals in town, you don't have to go too far. A number of great eateries are located within the Fairmont property - from The Great Hall which serves lunch, dinner and afternoon tea in the hotel's grand lobby to the classic steakhouse, The Nook. But our favourite is Orso Trattoria, where standout Italian dishes - tortellini filled with creamy smoked chicken, say, or a hearty bolognaise of fried portobello - compete with stellar lake and mountain views. Food wins.

BANFF

STAY: Despite its distance from the heart of Banff (about five minutes by bus or 20 on foot), the recently opened Hotel Canoe & Suites is an excellent option with clean, elegant interiors; a lovely onsite restaurant, Sudden Sally, which is open all day, and spacious rooms with pocket-friendly tariffs (from $223 per room, per night).

If the budget allows, check into one of the Superior suites, with gas fireplaces and large balconies overlooking the mountains. hotelcanoeandsuites.com

EAT & DRINK: Take the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, where you can soak up sweeping views of the surrounding peaks and fine-dine to your heart's content at the Sky Bistro. Kick off the feast with a big bowl of creamy seafood chowder with Canadian clams, then order the beautifully seasoned confit duck laced with the local saskatoon berries. For a more casual - but just as delicious - affair, make your way to Shoku Izakaya, a fairylight-strung Japanese pub in the centre of the town.

It's co-owned by Gold Coast-born Jonathan Posselt, so when he says their Chilean rosé is pale and dry, I know I can trust him. Order sambal-spiced prawns that come with a delish peanut sauce; pork and kimchi gyozas doused in tangy chilli soy dip; and grilled scallop in a creamy miso sauce. And leave some room for the miso-maple creme brulee.

The writer was a guest of Destination Canada, Via Rail, Tourism Jasper, and Banff and Lake Louise Tourism. He travelled to Alberta before the severe wildfires in July and August this year. Local communities have sprung back, and Jasper and Banff are now fully open and welcoming guests.