Advice on Western Route thru Canada
Hi all, we are planning a trip from Charlotte, MI to Glacier NP and then into Canada to the west coast. We will be traveling in a large MH and being this is our first trip in our new MH we want to sta...
Forum Discussion
From Waterton National park head north on #6 to the jct with Hwy 3 west. I think the jct with Hwy 22x is about 30 miles from Pincher Creek, could be a little more could be a little less.
Follow Hwy 22x north all the way to Hwy 1 the Trans Canada Hwy (TC) there is a large service station if you require fuel on the North side of the freeway. From the Jct with Hwy 22x and Hwy 1 your about an hour and a bit to Banff.
If you have an idea when your going to be in Banff and Jasper go into the Canada Parks web site and book reservations now, the summer in the Canadain Rockies is a busy place.
Follow Hwy 1 past Banff to Lake Luoise and then take Hwy 93 ( Ice Feild Parkway) north to Jasper. I'm not like a lot of people I find that Ice Feild Parkways one of the most beautiful drives I have ever done and I tell people to double back down the Hwy to Lake Luoise as there is a lot to see that you were other to busy to see or missed it on your way up. It is well worth the doubling back check Trip Advisror and there " travel experts" will agree.
From Lake Luoise continue south to about the 1/2 way point to Banff and you will come to Castle Jct take Hwy 93 west to Raduim Hot Springs. The park pass you bought for Waterton, Banff and Jasper National parks will also work in Kootenay National park which you will be entering shortly after you leave Hwy 1 and join Hwy 93. Check on prices but depending on how much time you are planing to spend in the parks a Year pass may be cheaper than a daily, do some checking in to that.
About 25 miles in you will come to the Kootenay National Park Center on the left hand side of the road, nice place to stop get a pop cycle or bathroom break.
On the Raduim side of the road there is a long hill use you lowest gear and use your breKs to keep you speed in check. You will see the " Break Check" area on the right hand side of the Hwy just before the hill. I pull my 35ft 5th Wheel over this route all the time to bust my kids just west of Calgary, so it is doable just need to be awear of hills putting your 4 way flashers on when going slow down the hill is a good idea as well so the people coming up behind you can see. Stay in low gear and keeping your spread in check until just after the Hwy Dept sheds at the bottom.
From Raduim Hot Springs head south on Hwy 93 /95 through Faimount Hot Springs and on I to Cranbrook, where you meet up with Hwy 3 again. About 5 minutes before the Jcy with Hwy 3 you will see on the right hand side of the Hwy Fort Steele a rebuild historical town from the 1880's. The Esso gas station on the left had side has lots of room for a big rig to fuel up, the pump closet to the Hwy has diesel.
From Cranbrook follow Hwy 3 west to Creston, which has a large amount of fresh guilt stands beside the Hwy.
From Creston take Hwy 3-A up to Crawford Bay and take the Balfour Ferry across Kootenay Lake to Balfour. The Kootenay Lake Ferry is the longest FREE Ferry ride in the world, and big RVs like yours as well as logging trucks and vehicles of every size take it daily so you will fit.
Now from here you have two choices take Hwy 3-South to the Slocan Jct and then take Hwy 6 north, or if you don't mind some windy breath taking views for the next 1.5 hrs you can take Hwy 31 west to Kalso where the dry docked paddle wheeler Moyie is which you can tour and then take Hwy 31-A over the hump to New Denver.
Both roads and good roads the 31-A is more scenic.
From New Denver take Hwy 6 north to Nakusp Hwy 23 to Revelstoke where you join up with Hwy 1 (TC) there will be another ferry ride across the Upper Arrow Lakes ( Columbia River ) it as are all Inland Ferries in BC FREE.
Once on Hwy 1 follow it west all the way to Vancouver. I'm my opinion the Frazer Canyon between Cashe Creek and Hope should not be missed as well there is a lot less traffics than Hwy 97 through the Okanogon Valley or on Hwy 5 , which is a four lane road with gaurdrails on either side of the road and higher traffics speeds. That road was built to speed up traffic from east to west and that's it.
When you go through the Fazer Canyon stop at Hells Gate .
I would also head south at Sumas crossing unless you want to take your rig into Vancouver and lower mainland traffic.
The price for everything in Canada is more exspencive than the USA, however don't forget your getting about 20% better on the exchange rate meaning your $1 is worth $1.20. Also My relatives how come up from the Portland Org area often have found that they get the best exchange rate at ATM's at Canadain Banks.
What ever route you take have a great time and do some reading up on what you can and can not bring into Canada check out the links in the fourth "sticky" down on the " RVing in Canada and Alaska " page
Good luck and have fun
Soup.
Follow Hwy 22x north all the way to Hwy 1 the Trans Canada Hwy (TC) there is a large service station if you require fuel on the North side of the freeway. From the Jct with Hwy 22x and Hwy 1 your about an hour and a bit to Banff.
If you have an idea when your going to be in Banff and Jasper go into the Canada Parks web site and book reservations now, the summer in the Canadain Rockies is a busy place.
Follow Hwy 1 past Banff to Lake Luoise and then take Hwy 93 ( Ice Feild Parkway) north to Jasper. I'm not like a lot of people I find that Ice Feild Parkways one of the most beautiful drives I have ever done and I tell people to double back down the Hwy to Lake Luoise as there is a lot to see that you were other to busy to see or missed it on your way up. It is well worth the doubling back check Trip Advisror and there " travel experts" will agree.
From Lake Luoise continue south to about the 1/2 way point to Banff and you will come to Castle Jct take Hwy 93 west to Raduim Hot Springs. The park pass you bought for Waterton, Banff and Jasper National parks will also work in Kootenay National park which you will be entering shortly after you leave Hwy 1 and join Hwy 93. Check on prices but depending on how much time you are planing to spend in the parks a Year pass may be cheaper than a daily, do some checking in to that.
About 25 miles in you will come to the Kootenay National Park Center on the left hand side of the road, nice place to stop get a pop cycle or bathroom break.
On the Raduim side of the road there is a long hill use you lowest gear and use your breKs to keep you speed in check. You will see the " Break Check" area on the right hand side of the Hwy just before the hill. I pull my 35ft 5th Wheel over this route all the time to bust my kids just west of Calgary, so it is doable just need to be awear of hills putting your 4 way flashers on when going slow down the hill is a good idea as well so the people coming up behind you can see. Stay in low gear and keeping your spread in check until just after the Hwy Dept sheds at the bottom.
From Raduim Hot Springs head south on Hwy 93 /95 through Faimount Hot Springs and on I to Cranbrook, where you meet up with Hwy 3 again. About 5 minutes before the Jcy with Hwy 3 you will see on the right hand side of the Hwy Fort Steele a rebuild historical town from the 1880's. The Esso gas station on the left had side has lots of room for a big rig to fuel up, the pump closet to the Hwy has diesel.
From Cranbrook follow Hwy 3 west to Creston, which has a large amount of fresh guilt stands beside the Hwy.
From Creston take Hwy 3-A up to Crawford Bay and take the Balfour Ferry across Kootenay Lake to Balfour. The Kootenay Lake Ferry is the longest FREE Ferry ride in the world, and big RVs like yours as well as logging trucks and vehicles of every size take it daily so you will fit.
Now from here you have two choices take Hwy 3-South to the Slocan Jct and then take Hwy 6 north, or if you don't mind some windy breath taking views for the next 1.5 hrs you can take Hwy 31 west to Kalso where the dry docked paddle wheeler Moyie is which you can tour and then take Hwy 31-A over the hump to New Denver.
Both roads and good roads the 31-A is more scenic.
From New Denver take Hwy 6 north to Nakusp Hwy 23 to Revelstoke where you join up with Hwy 1 (TC) there will be another ferry ride across the Upper Arrow Lakes ( Columbia River ) it as are all Inland Ferries in BC FREE.
Once on Hwy 1 follow it west all the way to Vancouver. I'm my opinion the Frazer Canyon between Cashe Creek and Hope should not be missed as well there is a lot less traffics than Hwy 97 through the Okanogon Valley or on Hwy 5 , which is a four lane road with gaurdrails on either side of the road and higher traffics speeds. That road was built to speed up traffic from east to west and that's it.
When you go through the Fazer Canyon stop at Hells Gate .
I would also head south at Sumas crossing unless you want to take your rig into Vancouver and lower mainland traffic.
The price for everything in Canada is more exspencive than the USA, however don't forget your getting about 20% better on the exchange rate meaning your $1 is worth $1.20. Also My relatives how come up from the Portland Org area often have found that they get the best exchange rate at ATM's at Canadain Banks.
What ever route you take have a great time and do some reading up on what you can and can not bring into Canada check out the links in the fourth "sticky" down on the " RVing in Canada and Alaska " page
Good luck and have fun
Soup.
