Alt Route to Edmonton

Agree with your plan to cross at a smaller, less busy crossing. They are generally more casual and quicker to cross. We crossed at Sherwood in 2016. If I remember correctly the first 20 or so miles north were kinda worn and we drove slower for a while - this trip is no race!

Our route then angled northwest across Saskatchewan and we worked our way to the north of Edmonton, avoiding city traffic.

Tough to find places to boondock but as others have said, many towns have small city campgrounds and generally the Canadian provincial parks are very nice and well-maintained.

Enjoy!

SideHillSoup - thanks for the detailed info on that route. Don't think I ever would have found that one as an option. Looks very interesting and will keep it in my files for reference.

Head west on I-90 all the way to Coeur d'Alene Idaho following 95 / 2 / 95 / 1, north to where you cross into B.C. just below Creston BC.
Then follow Hwy 21 to where you join up with Hwy 3-A, at Creston BC, there follow Hwy 3-A along Kootenay Lake northwest to where you cross Kootenay Lake on the Kootenay Lake Ferry ( longest free ferry ride in the world)
Once off the ferry take a right and follow Hwy 32 west to Kaslo passing Ainsworth Hot Springs.
Once in Kaslo stop in and tour the dry-docked Paddle Wheeler Moyie.
From Kaslo take Hwy 32-A up and over the hump to New Denver on the shores of Slocan Lake. Just before New Denver you can take a short side trip ( 8kms) into the Ghost town of Sandon BC, also you can take a short hike to Idaho Peak ( YouTube Idaho Peak BC) There is a passenger van for a fee that will drive you to the parking out 12kms up the mountain from Sandon if you don’t want to take your rig up the gravel mountain road.
From New Denver take Hwy 6 north towards Nakusp where you will join up with Hwy 23 north towards Revelstoke.
At Nakusp there is the Nakusp Hot Springs 20 minutes up a paved road. ( with a small creekside campground)
From Nakusp follow Hwy 23 north past Halcyon Hot Springs ( $$$) who also have a small campground to another free ferry across the Upper Arrow Lakes ( Columbia River) at Galena Bay/ Shelter Bay and then 40 minutes once off the ferry to Revelstoke.
From Revelstoke take Hwy 1 west to Kamloops then take Hwy 5 north to the jct with Hwy 24 just past Little Fort. Then follow Hwy 24 west to just south of 100 mile House and Hwy 97 north.
Once on Hwy 97 follow that road through Prince George then north east on Hwy 97 all the way to Dawson Creek.
Now that’s a route, not fast, but beautiful...
Enjoy your trip which ever why you decide to go.
Soup.

Summit Lake, between New Denver and Nakusp.


Road side mountain lake between Kaslo and New Denver
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Fly fishing on Summit Lake


Old shed in the mining Ghost town of Sandon

Kolhdad,

You may find many small towns with undocumented town run RV parks. They often only offer power, but some are excellent, and a few are full service.

The reason they are a bit hard to find, is that to be listed in the Provincial Guide, they have to pay a fee.

sjjohnson1938 - that is why I wasn't worried about the extra cost as I had figured it was about a break even, but didn't do detail calculations. Plus, to me it's about the experience not the cost. If I was worried about a couple hundred here or there on teh trip, I wouldn't be going this far anyhow.

By the way, your calculations were off as you didn't taken into consideration over 1/2 the time was in Canada even staying in the US longer.
So fuel actually cost more taking the longer US route.

1> Caclulation is good

2> 567 miles in US @ $3/gal plus 1354 - 567 = 787 miles @ 4/gal
567 / 15 * 3 + 787 / 15 * 4 = 113 + 210 = $343

So the shorter distance is actually saving $48 plus 4hrs drive time.

Like I said in the OP, wasn't worried about the cost, but was wondering how the roads and camping availability for this alternate route.

Though not mentioned, I already know I'm not crossing directly at North Portal but a different, limited hour, small backroad crossing in the general area. Just used North Portal as the reference because it was a bigger crossing and easily to tell the route.

just checking about which way to go. Using my Trailer life mapping program.
both routes use Minot, ND as the starting point.

1. going up thru Canada. crossing at North Portal and working way to
Dawson Creek, BC.

miles 1107
cost $295 - using $4.00 USD per gallon getting 15 MPG (1107 / 15 * 4.00)

2. going across US to Shelby, MT, then North and crossing at Sweetgrass, MT
working way North up to Dawson Creek, BC

miles 1354 -

cost $270 - using $3.00 USD per gallon getting 15 MPG (1354 / 15 * 3.00)

so you drive 247 miles more (4 hours at 60 MPH) and spend $26 dollars less in fuel.

take your choice. we choose the first option.

have you concidered going west more in the US befor heading up to the boards

I have but also want to experience some of truer Canada on the trip so was considering coming in more East where less tourist go. This route is also the shortest route so while may spend more on fuel while in Canada, will probably balance out with the distance saving plus the two days it will save me at my pace..

I've been to Glacier and Idaho before but don't want to include them again on this trip. I've also done two cross country trips before with my kids so have most states covered though only scratched. But I hope to have many more chances to travel around the US before my travels days are over.

have you concidered going west more in the US befor heading up to the boardse, come into canada in say alberta or BC, or have you done that route befor?

There are many places to cross. The busiest is North Portal.

This might help you.
https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/list-of-border-crossings/north-dakota/portal/