best route to/from Waterton, AB canada

Well, looks like Canada delayed opening at least in to July. We'll be on the road by then so we decided to forgo Canada this time.

btw, we already had reservations in Waterton (for several months) but just cancelled them.

Thanks so much for all the information

Salem27RKSS wrote:
I appreciate everyone's feedback. Now I'll just wait and see if the Border opens.

If the border opens good luck booking a site in Waterton!

I appreciate everyone's feedback. Now I'll just wait and see if the Border opens.

There really are not many roads to choose from, if any choices at all, in that area.

You plug in wherever the destination is on whatever navigation system you use & that is the way you are going. Any alternates will be miles longer.

Salem27RKSS wrote:
IF Canada opens the border by August 1, 2021 then we plan to drive from St. Mary's at Glacier NP ro Waterton, AB. This would be our first driving trip to Canada.

What is the best/preferred route pulling my 27' TT? Also, we plan to drive to Cody, Wy from Waterton. Does anyone have a recommended route?

Thanks

St. Mary MT north on 89 enter Alberta at Carway Hwy 2 to Cardston, west on Hwy 5 to Waterton town site.

N on Hwy 89 to jct Hwy 17 nw on 17 enter Alberta at Chief Mountain continue on Hwy 6 to Jct Hwy 5 go sw on 5 to Waterton townsite.

These routes are eastern foothills of the Rockies. If a wind warning
is forecast heed the warning.

We parked our bike and watched momma grizzly teaching her 2 cubs what berries to eat 50 yards downwind from us along AB Hwy 5 one day.

I live in Helena MT and USED to go to Alberta all the time. I miss Peter Lougheed park.

Well, IF...and I repeat IF...and when they reopen, there are kind of three ways to get to Cody. If you want the fastest, take the highways down to Billings and south. A more scenic route is 89 south to 287 through Augusta and down to Helena. It's still 70 mph road and nice and very pretty. Actually, there is a campground at Gibson Reservoir just west of Augusta that is beautiful and ALWAYS has open sites (Mortimer Gulch). The 23 mile dirt roads keep the riff raff out and is why it always has open sites. But it takes you right up to the edge of the Bob Marshall... The road is variable in quality. I put a road armor suspension on my TT as I like to go to these hidden gems. There used to be a very nice Nat Forest campground just above Helena on the McDonald Pass (not a big deal of a pass) but they cut down ALL the old growth trees and now it is bare... grrrr...

From Helena, you can either take 287 down to the highway or go south to Boulder and take 69 south to the highway. There are two Low passes that way Boulder Mountain and then the other one as you head east but not a big deal and less than 15 minutes difference but prettier. 287 is flat. All of the roads are 70 mph.

Then you can just drive highway all the way to Billings and go south through the Crow reservation or you can do two scenic routes. If you take the highway, in the Crow reservation is the battle of the little big horn site. The scenic routes are one through West Yellowstone and across the north side of the park or second from Gardiner into the park and across the Lamar Valley to Cooke City. This time of year I'd recommend Gardiner simply because of the Yellowstone traffic. You will miss the really crowded part east of West Yellowstone. The valley is awesome, Cooke City is a fun stop and there is a little cafe you can sit outside and get the dried trout as an appetizer. We usually get one to go in the cooler. Then east out of Cooke City and down to Cody.

So, those are really your main choices. Under NO circumstances take that trailer across the Bear Tooth as it might look tempting down through Red Lodge. You could technically do it, but it would NOT be fun for the driver or anyone else on the road. Cody sucks for camping. There are Nat forest campgrounds as you leave Cooke City but good luck and one RV park in there somewhere. The campgrounds right around Cooke City are all hard side ONLY has a few tenters got grizzlied a few years ago and at least one of them died. So, no soft side anything now days.

Just saw this on Seattle station.
Border opening

For our Canadian neighbors who are snowbirds, it sounds like maybe opening in October.

dedmiston wrote:

enblethen wrote:
You know the Canadian border is still closed to tourism!

Yes. He knows.

Salem27RKSS wrote:
IF Canada opens the border by August 1, 2021...

“If” the biggest word in the English language. LOL.

enblethen wrote:
You know the Canadian border is still closed to tourism!

Yes. He knows.

Salem27RKSS wrote:
IF Canada opens the border by August 1, 2021...