Driving times - Edmonton/Calgary/Jasper
 

We will be arriving in Calgary, moving up through Banff, LL, and the Jasper then departing back out of Calgary. Would we be better off going from Jasper to Edmonton to Calgary on the return, or going back the same way we came? What is the drive time (when not leisurely) from Jasper to Edmonton, Jasper to Calgary, Edmonton to Calgary?<BR>thanks for your help.

It's nto that easy a question. At the heart of it is whether you want to see Edmonton. There's a beautiful river valley, some historical buildings, a good museum, the giant West Edmonton Mall (people travel hundreds of miles to see this; indoor waterpark, among other things.)<BR><BR>But if you don't want to see Edmonton, retrace your steps from jasper back to Banff and Calgary.<BR><BR>The rockies are on an angle, heading north wet, so it is a much longer drive, across basically boring territory, from Jasper to Edmonton. My recollection -- someelse will confirm or alter -- is at least four hours.<BR><BR>When you retrace your steps, yous ee the mountains from a different perspective, so it's fresh scenary all over again.<BR><BR>BAK

More specifically:<BR>Jasper to Edmonton is 227 miles.<BR>Jasper to Calgary is 251 miles.<BR>Calgary to Banff is 78 miles.<BR>Calgary to Edmonton is 173 miles.<BR><BR>The math says it is about 150 miles further to go in the circle.<BR><BR>If it was me, I'd go up to jasper and return via the mountain highway, skipping Edmonton, and then I'd leave Banff and head across the back roads toward to little towns of Didsbury and Olds, just north of Calgary, to get a look at the cattle ranches and cowboy country in the foothills of the Rockies. <BR><BR>Or, head south from Banff on the back roads into Turner Valley, Blcak Diamond, Okatoks, etc.<BR><BR>For Jasper - Edmonton, assume you won't get a ticket at 70 mph, and remember there's nothing much to look at anyway, so you won't want to stop often.<BR><BR>BAK<BR><BR>BAK

Do you plan on driving along the Icefields Parkway??<BR>If you do, then the time estimate could be all day.<BR>If you don't take that route, then why are you going to that part of Canada?<BR>

Thanks for the great info.<BR>We are planning to stay 3-4 days in Banff/LL area then take the Icefields Parkway for a full day and stay in the Jasper area a couple of days. At the end of the week we are planning a late afternoon flight out of Calgary. If we can get from Jasper to Calgary in about 4 hours, then we could do it in a day, but I don't really want to drive all day and then catch a flight the same day. <BR><BR>Should we even be going to Jasper? Or do we end up in Jasper by default at the end of the Icefields Parkway?<BR>I really don't have an interest in Edmonton (no offense), just looking for the most efficient way back to Calgary. It sounds like we should plan all day to go one direction and about 4-5 hours to come back. Sound realistic?<BR><BR><BR>

In terms of total miles your estimate is realistic, but remember if you go back through the icefields route, traffic can get very slow, especially in the summer. Another alternative is to cut off the Banff-Jasper highway and go through Rocky Mountain House rejoinig highway 2 at Red Deer. That route is less travelled, and its a good highway the whole way. Check it out on a map.

Thanks for the great input all!

jasper is definitly worth the trip. drive from banff to jasper on the parkway and then, as mentioned above, return through rockey mountain house to get some different scenary. it's a nice drive.