Suggestions for Alberta & British Columbia
#1
Suggestions for Alberta & British Columbia
Hey guys, so for our annual road trip we've decided to cut across Wyoming, up into Idaho along the western border of Idaho cut into Washington and back into Idaho. We're planning on going into British Columbia near either Porthill or Nelway. We're then planning on going up to Banff via Kootenay Lake and then back down into Montana to the Glacier area.
I've always used butler maps for route planning the states which has worked great for me, however there is no such map for Canada. So although the states are mostly planned out and can be tweaked pretty easily, I'm going into Canada blind.
Any route suggestions and/or food suggestions would be greatly appreciated
I've always used butler maps for route planning the states which has worked great for me, however there is no such map for Canada. So although the states are mostly planned out and can be tweaked pretty easily, I'm going into Canada blind.
Any route suggestions and/or food suggestions would be greatly appreciated
#2
If you can fit it in, do the Hells Canyon in Oregon. This will put you on track for Nelway.
Nelway to Revelstoke via Kootenay Lake, Kaslo, New Denver to Revelstoke. Go for a ride up Mt Revelstoke. Plan on a full day, there is lots to do, and there are two ferry's, which are free...... Then over the Rogers Pass to Golden, through Field and into Banff. I would strongly suggest taking a day trip from Banff to Jasper and back.
Then it is from Banff to Glacier one of two ways. You can head south back through BC via Cranbrook and onto Kalispel (I live in Cranbrook, stop for coffee...) or south through Alberta via Peter Lougheed park and down 22x to highway 3 and then south over Chief Mountain into Montana. Both routes are nice and worthwhile.
When it gets closer, I can give you some suggestions on where to stay, eat, etc. Nelson is a great little city. Kaslo is a worthy stop, Nakusp is nice. Revelstoke is also a very nice place to spend a day. In the summer there is a music festival most nights.
Golden is a **** hole, as is Banff in my opinion. Jasper is much nicer. It might be a consideration to drive up to Jasper, stay there, and then drive back towards Banff. Just be prepared for National Park rates. Also, don't show up without a reservation, in a hotel, or a campground. You probably wont find the first one, and the second one will be questionable and you could end up staying in the overflow sites.
5 days will get it done nicely from the Idaho border, back to the Montana border. 4 is a push, and 3 will keep you on the bike for all three days with very little stopping time.
With the exception of the Peter Lougheed Park bit, almost all of it is on "Journeys" in one spot or another, and some of it several times. As well as Hells Canyon in both directions.
Nelway to Revelstoke via Kootenay Lake, Kaslo, New Denver to Revelstoke. Go for a ride up Mt Revelstoke. Plan on a full day, there is lots to do, and there are two ferry's, which are free...... Then over the Rogers Pass to Golden, through Field and into Banff. I would strongly suggest taking a day trip from Banff to Jasper and back.
Then it is from Banff to Glacier one of two ways. You can head south back through BC via Cranbrook and onto Kalispel (I live in Cranbrook, stop for coffee...) or south through Alberta via Peter Lougheed park and down 22x to highway 3 and then south over Chief Mountain into Montana. Both routes are nice and worthwhile.
When it gets closer, I can give you some suggestions on where to stay, eat, etc. Nelson is a great little city. Kaslo is a worthy stop, Nakusp is nice. Revelstoke is also a very nice place to spend a day. In the summer there is a music festival most nights.
Golden is a **** hole, as is Banff in my opinion. Jasper is much nicer. It might be a consideration to drive up to Jasper, stay there, and then drive back towards Banff. Just be prepared for National Park rates. Also, don't show up without a reservation, in a hotel, or a campground. You probably wont find the first one, and the second one will be questionable and you could end up staying in the overflow sites.
5 days will get it done nicely from the Idaho border, back to the Montana border. 4 is a push, and 3 will keep you on the bike for all three days with very little stopping time.
With the exception of the Peter Lougheed Park bit, almost all of it is on "Journeys" in one spot or another, and some of it several times. As well as Hells Canyon in both directions.
#3
If you can fit it in, do the Hells Canyon in Oregon. This will put you on track for Nelway.
Nelway to Revelstoke via Kootenay Lake, Kaslo, New Denver to Revelstoke. Go for a ride up Mt Revelstoke. Plan on a full day, there is lots to do, and there are two ferry's, which are free...... Then over the Rogers Pass to Golden, through Field and into Banff. I would strongly suggest taking a day trip from Banff to Jasper and back.
Then it is from Banff to Glacier one of two ways. You can head south back through BC via Cranbrook and onto Kalispel (I live in Cranbrook, stop for coffee...) or south through Alberta via Peter Lougheed park and down 22x to highway 3 and then south over Chief Mountain into Montana. Both routes are nice and worthwhile.
When it gets closer, I can give you some suggestions on where to stay, eat, etc. Nelson is a great little city. Kaslo is a worthy stop, Nakusp is nice. Revelstoke is also a very nice place to spend a day. In the summer there is a music festival most nights.
Golden is a **** hole, as is Banff in my opinion. Jasper is much nicer. It might be a consideration to drive up to Jasper, stay there, and then drive back towards Banff. Just be prepared for National Park rates. Also, don't show up without a reservation, in a hotel, or a campground. You probably wont find the first one, and the second one will be questionable and you could end up staying in the overflow sites.
5 days will get it done nicely from the Idaho border, back to the Montana border. 4 is a push, and 3 will keep you on the bike for all three days with very little stopping time.
With the exception of the Peter Lougheed Park bit, almost all of it is on "Journeys" in one spot or another, and some of it several times. As well as Hells Canyon in both directions.
Nelway to Revelstoke via Kootenay Lake, Kaslo, New Denver to Revelstoke. Go for a ride up Mt Revelstoke. Plan on a full day, there is lots to do, and there are two ferry's, which are free...... Then over the Rogers Pass to Golden, through Field and into Banff. I would strongly suggest taking a day trip from Banff to Jasper and back.
Then it is from Banff to Glacier one of two ways. You can head south back through BC via Cranbrook and onto Kalispel (I live in Cranbrook, stop for coffee...) or south through Alberta via Peter Lougheed park and down 22x to highway 3 and then south over Chief Mountain into Montana. Both routes are nice and worthwhile.
When it gets closer, I can give you some suggestions on where to stay, eat, etc. Nelson is a great little city. Kaslo is a worthy stop, Nakusp is nice. Revelstoke is also a very nice place to spend a day. In the summer there is a music festival most nights.
Golden is a **** hole, as is Banff in my opinion. Jasper is much nicer. It might be a consideration to drive up to Jasper, stay there, and then drive back towards Banff. Just be prepared for National Park rates. Also, don't show up without a reservation, in a hotel, or a campground. You probably wont find the first one, and the second one will be questionable and you could end up staying in the overflow sites.
5 days will get it done nicely from the Idaho border, back to the Montana border. 4 is a push, and 3 will keep you on the bike for all three days with very little stopping time.
With the exception of the Peter Lougheed Park bit, almost all of it is on "Journeys" in one spot or another, and some of it several times. As well as Hells Canyon in both directions.
#5
Not 100% sure, there are 9 of us so there's some logistics involved. We usually do a full week, trying to hit the touristy areas mid week. Doesn't always work but we make due.
#6
Canadian Rocky hit it on the head.
But the road ranked #1 in the destination highways is 3A north of Creston. I did it in 2015 from north to south. I'd recommend a comms system between your group. [Sena 20H?].
I don't own a nickel in the company - just it works well for my needs.
Anyhow - any secondary highway is nice in southern BC. Alberta next to the mountains is good too - but - have a look on the map, east is flat and straight.
If you feel really excited - go to Whistler over the Duffy Lake road and then down the Sea-to-sky highway. Pretty scenic. Although the sea-to-sky can be pretty cop heavy - it is just a road that feels great and can be quite fast...
Best of luck.
H
But the road ranked #1 in the destination highways is 3A north of Creston. I did it in 2015 from north to south. I'd recommend a comms system between your group. [Sena 20H?].
I don't own a nickel in the company - just it works well for my needs.
Anyhow - any secondary highway is nice in southern BC. Alberta next to the mountains is good too - but - have a look on the map, east is flat and straight.
If you feel really excited - go to Whistler over the Duffy Lake road and then down the Sea-to-sky highway. Pretty scenic. Although the sea-to-sky can be pretty cop heavy - it is just a road that feels great and can be quite fast...
Best of luck.
H
#7
Something I didn’t mention. Once you cross the border at Nelway there is a Junction about 5 miles north. Make sure you head East to Creston. You will be going up and over the Kootenay Pass. On the way up you climb about 4,000 ft up the side of a valley. It is a spectacular piece of road. Going down the East Side you do a nice piece of twisty high speed corners. Then your in Creston. And head North up the lake. Stop in Crawford Bay....buy a broom.
Also highway 31 up to Nelway through Metaline Falls is nice and twisty.
Also highway 31 up to Nelway through Metaline Falls is nice and twisty.
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#8
When you leave Revelstoke after you do both ferry crossings going North of Creston B.C. stop at Giant Cedars Boardwalk,it's just East of Revelstoke on Highway 1, it's pretty nice in there.
If you can take the Gondola up Kicking Horse Ski Mountain you should, it's in Golden B.C.
Once you see Banff, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake you'll be heading East on highway 1, not long after you pass Canmore(15 minutes) take a right on highway 40 into Kananaskis Park, Lougheed Park.
You'll ride way up high over the Highwood Pass and down into Longview,Alberta. From there go South on highway 22,find Pincher Creek and go to the border after a stop at Waterton Lakes National Park.
Glacier Park and Logans Pass(going to the sun road) are right across the International Border at Chief Mountain.
If you can take the Gondola up Kicking Horse Ski Mountain you should, it's in Golden B.C.
Once you see Banff, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake you'll be heading East on highway 1, not long after you pass Canmore(15 minutes) take a right on highway 40 into Kananaskis Park, Lougheed Park.
You'll ride way up high over the Highwood Pass and down into Longview,Alberta. From there go South on highway 22,find Pincher Creek and go to the border after a stop at Waterton Lakes National Park.
Glacier Park and Logans Pass(going to the sun road) are right across the International Border at Chief Mountain.
Last edited by skidder; 12-05-2017 at 10:14 PM.
#9
I appreciate all the input, after reading and looking at CanadianRocky's thread I've talked it over with a few guys that help me do the planning and we are talking about changing the trip up a bit. We were originally going to spend several days going through Idaho and Washington and Montana, leaving about 3 days in Canada. After discussing it I think we might skip those days in Idaho and Washington (save it for another year so we can include Oregon with them) and spend some extra days in Canada instead. We're going over the potential route changes this weekend. I'll try and post back here with the results.
Can't thank you guys enough, especially CanadianRocky.
#10