Redneck Summer Camp. Take the long way there.
The quick take
A five-day motorcycle adventure through the Icefields Parkway, Hinton, and the Alberta backroads—ending with a full weekend at Berta Biker Bash.
This trip is built around one spectacular riding day, an easier roll into camp, and a weekend of live music, motorcycles, camp life, questionable wardrobe choices, and whatever happens after somebody says, “This seems like a good idea.”
The rally matters.
The road there matters more.
Why we picked it
Because nobody needs to take the fastest highway to summer camp.
The trip starts with the Icefields Parkway: mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, changing weather, and enough places worth pulling over for that the first day is intentionally not rushed.
Then we slow it down.
One easier riding day gets the crew to Lac Ste. Anne with enough energy left to set up camp, find a drink, and remain generally pleasant to one another.
After that, the motorcycles stay close and summer camp takes over.
Live music.
Food trucks.
Grain-silo bars.
Campfires.
Motorcycle games.
An ’80s dress-up party.
A floating playground that will almost certainly encourage grown adults to make poor decisions.
It is not subtle.
That is very much the point.
The vibe
Big road first. Good trouble after.
The ride out gives the trip its scale.
The weekend gives it the stories.
This is not five straight days of punishing mileage, and it is not simply showing up at a rally with a tent and hoping for the best.
It is a proper motorcycle adventure wrapped around a weekend where nobody expects you to behave like a serious adult.
The route matters
Icefields Parkway
The first day runs from the Calgary area through Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway before continuing through Jasper to Hinton.
Bow Lake.
Saskatchewan River Crossing.
The Columbia Icefield.
Tangle Creek Falls.
Sunwapta or Athabasca Falls, depending on timing, energy, and whether the group has spent too long taking the same mountain photo from seventeen slightly different angles.
Second Shift take: this is the main riding day. Fuel early, keep your layers accessible, and do not be the person who says, “I’m probably fine.”
Hinton
A hotel night after the longest day of the trip.
A proper bed. Breakfast. Air conditioning. A chance to dry out, warm up, cool down, or recover from whichever version of Alberta weather showed up.
Second Shift take: after a full Parkway day, the hotel is not the adventure. It is what keeps everyone human for tomorrow.
The easy roll-in
Day two is deliberately lighter.
The route heads east through small-town Alberta, with options depending on the weather, energy, and how ambitious the group feels after breakfast.
Second Shift take: the goal is to arrive at camp with everyone hydrated, speaking to one another, and still capable of setting up their own bed.
Berta Biker Bash
Three nights near Lac Ste. Anne with live music, motorcycle events, vendors, food trucks, bars, campfires, and more entertainment than anyone reasonably needs in one field.
The bunkhouses are basic but practical, with power and portable air conditioning. Shower facilities are available onsite.
Second Shift take: this is redneck summer camp, not a wellness retreat. Adjust your expectations and pack accordingly.
Do the thing
Take the Parkway.
Stop for the glacier.
Pull over for the waterfall.
Eat somewhere casual in Jasper.
Then trade mountain views for camp chairs, live bands, motorcycles, and an ’80s costume you will later have to explain through photographic evidence.
Berta Biker Bash includes live music, motorcycle games and competitions, food trucks, bars, vendors, fireworks, and a floating aquatic playground.
You do not need to participate in everything.
You do need to accept that at some point, something ridiculous will happen within your line of sight.
A few stops worth knowing about
This is not every stop between Calgary and Lac Ste. Anne.
Just a few places that fit the trip.
Saskatchewan River Crossing
Fuel. Bathrooms. Food. A practical reset in the middle of the Parkway.
Not glamorous.
Still important.
Columbia Icefield
The big stop.
Glacier views, mountain scale, and the moment everyone remembers why we took the long way.
Jasper Brewing Co.
A casual food-and-drink stop where the whole group can find something without creating a dinner committee.
Shady Lady Saloon — Peers
Small-town Alberta saloon energy.
Not polished. Not pretending to be.
Exactly the kind of stop that makes the route feel like part of the adventure rather than transportation to it.
Somewhere nobody planned
A patio, roadside tavern, food truck, or small-town stop chosen because somebody saw motorcycles parked outside and declared it promising.
Second Shift rule: the route needs enough structure to work and enough room to get interesting.
A few things worth knowing
The first day is long.
The planned ride time is roughly six hours, but stops, traffic, construction, weather, viewpoints, fuel, and the classic parking-lot shuffle can turn it into an eight-to-ten-hour travel day.
Fuel early. Keep your layers accessible. Mountain weather does not care what outfit you planned that morning.
The Biker Bash portion is camp life.
Expect basic accommodations, shared facilities, outdoor conditions, noise, crowds, and a schedule that may have more enthusiasm than precision.
That is not hidden in the fine print.
That is the trip.
Who is this for?
Riders who want one spectacular road day followed by a lively weekend with their crew.
Couples, friends, and riding buddies.
People who like mountain roads, casual stops, live music, campfires, and events with a little chaos around the edges.
Anyone willing to participate in—or cheerfully witness—an ’80s dress-up party at a motorcycle rally.
Who should skip it?
Travellers who need quiet evenings, polished hotels, private bathrooms, and predictable schedules.
Riders who dislike crowds, camp life, loud music, or adapting plans around weather and group energy.
People who believe motorcycles should never share space with costumes, floating playgrounds, or grain-silo bars.
There are other rides for you.
The Second Shift Take
Redneck Summer Camp gives you two kinds of reset.
The Parkway clears your head.
The weekend fills it with stories.
Take the long way through the mountains, arrive with a crew, and remember that grown-ups are still allowed to play outside.
The right road. The right people. Just enough bad influence.
interested?
Our 2026 Redneck Summer Camp adventure runs July 30 through August 3.
The original riding group is already planned, but Berta Biker Bash still has tent space available. Curious whether there is room to join the fun?
Send me an inquiry and we’ll help you figure out whether this ride—or the rally itself—fits.
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