California, UT, Alberta, B.C., WA, OR, back to California

[Lexx]

I'm starting to plan out our inaugural summer RV trip. We're either going to be towing a 36 - 39 ft Toy Hauler or a 40' Class A MH will be towing a Jeep Wrangler.

Our plan is to head on over the Sierras on I-80 to Salt Lake City. Spend a few days there exploring. Then Hwy 15 to Yellowstone, where we'd spend a week providing we can find a place to stay.

Next we take Hwy 191 from Yellowstone to Bozeman and then Hwy 89 to Great Falls. Spend 2 nights here.

We then take Hwy 15 to the border and cross over into Canada, taking Hwy 4 and 2 on up to Calgary. We'd stay there for a few days and then head on up to Edmonton for 4 or 5 days, since my wife has family there.

We leave Edmonton for Jasper/Banff area via Hwya 2 and 12, with 93 being the route up and down from Jasper to Banff. It seems finding a place in this area June 23 - July 5 is going to be tough since it covers both Canada Day and July 4th. We'd like to spend about 10 days in the area.

Then its west to Glacier National Park for a couple of days on Canada Hwy 1. From there it's a straight shot on Hwy 1 to Vancouver, where we'll spend 3 weeks since this is home for my wife.

Then it's back down into the States on good ol I-5.

Are any of these roads problematic for a F450 with a 36 - 39' Toy Hauler or a 40' MH with a 4 door Jeep?

Any suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[padredw]

Next we take Hwy 191 from Yellowstone to Bozeman and then Hwy 89 to Great Falls. Spend 2 nights here.

We then take Hwy 15 to the border and cross over into Canada, taking Hwy 4 and 2 on up to Calgary.

Made this portion of your proposed route last year on our visit to Banff. No problem pulling a 34' fifth-wheel with a Chevrolet Duramax 2500.

[Mr_Biggles]

In May snow is very possible in Banff and Jasper.

[jacketsbum]

Blazing Zippers wrote:

Note, we went North May 15th 2017 and traffic was nill---Came back through Jasper and that area on July 4th, and I can't tell you how many thousand visitors were on the road. Around Banff, the Park had folks parking a few miles away and used shuttles on the freeway to get the people about..

I know this is an old thread but doing research for next spring. We're heading to Alaska and will be hitting the icefield through Banff and Jasper about the same time, the middle of May. How are the roads that time of year? Is the snow done, crowds aren't there yet? Do I need reservations at the cg's then or can I wing it?

[kandkbrand]

Lexx wrote:

Two Hands wrote:
You mention a bit of concern finding a place to stay in Yellowstone. Make a reservation now at Fishing Bridge RV Campground in the park or one of the rv parks in West Yellowstone. That will be one less thing to worry about. In fact, for a ambitious trip like this I would make a reservation at every place I could. Have a great trip.

Ugh...Fishing Bridge has already sold out of the 40 ft sites. All the have are the 35' and shorter sites. And from what I read the sites are very tight so squeezing in a 37 foot trailer 2A 35 or smaller full site it's not going to work. We may just need to stay outside the park

we stayed at lonesomehurst campground right on lake Hebgen last summer and it was perfect. Close enough to Yellowstone, but you can still get away from the crowd. Only 4 electric sites, but we booked the first day they were available (6 months out) and had no problem getting 2 sites.

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/lonesomehurst-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72360

great little campground

[Blazing_Zippers]

Reservations are a must for Yellowstone-or most anywhere close.
I'm not familiar with the visitors center near Jasper. last July, the town was PACKED!! We stayed at a very nice Provincial "overload area," which was about 10 miles from Jasper.
The Columbia Icefields parking lot might be a place to park for the night (if they allow it), but most of the lot is sloped for run off. There are two Provincial Parks at Jasper--get reserved NOW. Same with Banff or Lake Louise.
Note, we went North May 15th 2017 and traffic was nill---Came back through Jasper and that area on July 4th, and I can't tell you how many thousand visitors were on the road. Around Banff, the Park had folks parking a few miles away and used shuttles on the freeway to get the people about.
Your itinerary sounds very busy, but doable.

[DaveG39]

I was up in Canada Glacier to Jasper then into BC Jul and Aug 2016. Had to make reservations in January and then had to keep calling for cancellations. Don't wait too long to book.

[Lexx]

Two Hands wrote:
You mention a bit of concern finding a place to stay in Yellowstone. Make a reservation now at Fishing Bridge RV Campground in the park or one of the rv parks in West Yellowstone. That will be one less thing to worry about. In fact, for a ambitious trip like this I would make a reservation at every place I could. Have a great trip.

Ugh...Fishing Bridge has already sold out of the 40 ft sites. All the have are the 35' and shorter sites. And from what I read the sites are very tight so squeezing in a 37 foot trailer 2A 35 or smaller full site it's not going to work. We may just need to stay outside the park

[Two_Hands]

You mention a bit of concern finding a place to stay in Yellowstone. Make a reservation now at Fishing Bridge RV Campground in the park or one of the rv parks in West Yellowstone. That will be one less thing to worry about. In fact, for a ambitious trip like this I would make a reservation at every place I could. Have a great trip.

[profdant139]

Having done similar trips to those areas, with similar mileages and days on the road, that sounds like a pretty good itinerary. It sounds like you are not trying to cram in too much stuff, and you have some nice rest breaks between long highway days. Most first-timers over-commit -- congratulations on resisting that impulse!

My only other comment would be to do one or two shorter trips with your new rig before launching the Big One. There will be glitches to fix and things to learn.

[mockturtle]

Sorry about the photo. Apparently Photobucket wants me to pay for their services now.

[Rover_Bill]

Lexx wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Get yourself a Motor Carrier's Atlas and check your route. Generally, if an 18 wheeler can use the road so can an RV.

I actually plan on getting the Garmin for RVs.

Great choice on a Garmin! I used my RV-660 for my trip this last Fall with great results. One quirk though - Commercial traffic (semi's) is not allowed on the Icefield Parkway so the Garmin will try to route you around that road when the GPS is set for RV mode. Driving that road with an RV is OK but you need to reset the Garmin to automobile mode to get that routing. The Icefield Parkway is worth the drive if you're in the area.

[Lexx]

azdryheat wrote:
Get yourself a Motor Carrier's Atlas and check your route. Generally, if an 18 wheeler can use the road so can an RV.

I actually plan on getting the Garmin for RVs.

[azdryheat]

Get yourself a Motor Carrier's Atlas and check your route. Generally, if an 18 wheeler can use the road so can an RV.

[ORbiker]

mockturtle wrote:

We leave Edmonton for Jasper/Banff area via Hwya 2 and 12, with 93 being the route up and down from Jasper to Banff. It seems finding a place in this area June 23 - July 5 is going to be tough since it covers both Canada Day and July 4th. We'd like to spend about 10 days in the area.

There is a visitor's center near Jasper on the Icefield Parkway that allows dry camping (used to be $12) and the views are gorgeous. Worth a stop if it's not full up.

WOW

That would be a "terrible" place to boondock.

The last time my wife and I were at the Columbia Icefields, it was close to the 1st of July and it was snowing. We were on the Harley and snow was sticking to the sides of the road and the windshield. The electric hand dryers in the bathroom at the visitor center were our best friend.

Seattle traffic is horrid traveling I-5. 97 through WA and OR is better is you are not in a hurry.