We are (7 of us ) flying into Calgary and driving to Glacier National Park with quick stop in Waterton and staying overnight in Whitefish Mt.

The next day we are going to Yoho Nat. Park & Emerald Lake. We were thinking of staying overnite there (1 nite)and driving to Lake Louise the next day for 1 night. Then we have 3 nites in Jasper and 3 in Banff. We know its a lot of driving, but we want to see the sights and are not major hikers. We are going to Icefields (Sno-coach) Is all this do able? After Banff we are driving back to Calgary for 1 more day before flying home.

I'm most concerned about the 1 day from Calgary into Glacier national Park.

Please help. We are 2 families with 3 kids (but kids are young adults -early 20's).

Anything we should not miss. Where should we do hot springs? What about white water rafting?. Any suggestions for evening entertainment that's a bit different?

You should be worried about the day day from Calgary into Glacier National Park. I don't know if I've understood you correctly. The way I read it, you plan to land in Calgary and drive to Whitefish the same day.

If you're coming from the USA, it will take you a good hour to clear Canadian immigration and customs. Then it'll take you about 3 hours to drive to Waterton. Then Whitefish is another 3.5 hours beyond that. And that's not counting stops for meals and so on.

You do not need to spend 1 night at Emerald Lake and 1 night in Lake Louise. The two places are 35 minutes' drive from each other. One can be used as a base for seeing the other. In fact Lake Louise also can be used as a base for visiting Banff and vice versa.

Yes, it is feasible to ride the Snocoach / Ice Explorer on the day that you drive from Lake Louise to Jasper or alternatively on the day that you drive back from Jasper to Lake Louise and on to Banff.

To help you decide on which part of Calgary to stay in, read this message that I have just posted in another thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34936966

The best commercial hot springs are Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park. However, you may be interested in Lussier Hot Springs, which are 100% natural, non-commercial hot springs. They are located in White Swan Provincial Park, to the east of Canal Flats. That's approximately half way from Cranbrook, British Columbia to Radium Hot Springs, BC. You would drive that route to get from Whitefish, MT to Emerald Lake or to Lake Louise.

The most exciting place to go whitewater rafting is the Kicking Horse River in Yoho National Park.

I think this would be a better itinerary:

1 - Land in Calgary. Drive to Waterton.

2 - Drive to Whitefish via the Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National Park.

3 - Drive to Banff or Lake Louise.

4 - From your Banff or Lake Louise base, visit Moraine Lake and the lake of Lake Louise (3 miles from the village of Lake Louise).

5 - From your Banff or Lake Louise base, explore the area around Banff. Visit Johnston Canyon, visit Lake Minnewanka, ride the Sulphur Mountain Gondola, and stroll through Banff townsite.

6 - Go whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River. On the way back, visit Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park.

7 - Drive the Icefields Parkway (Hwy #93) to Jasper.

8 - Explore Jasper's environs.

9 - Another day of exploration in Jasper National Park.

10 - Drive to Calgary.

11 - Fly home.

Want entertainment that's a bit different? When you're in Jasper, go to a deli, buy a picnic dinner, and eat in on the beach at Pyramid Lake. If you're lucky, you'll be like us and have a beaver swim by you and inspect you (a great compliment since beavers are shy animals).

You're going to a wilderness area. It's not about night life. That said, Banff townsite does have over 200 restaurants. Since you'll be travelling with young people, you may prefer Banff townsite over Lake Louise. I'm the opposite. When I go to the mountains in summer, I go there for hiking and for peace and quiet. So I prefer Lake Louise over Banff townsite.

There is more information at my website:

http://groups.msn.com/CalgaryandCana...kiesTravelTips

First of all, I hope you'll be travelling to the area at an appropriate time. I suggest you read my When To Travel page:

http://tinyurl.com/s4yaw

Next, I suggest you read my What To Pack page, so that you'll know how to equip yourselves for the quirky mountain weather:

http://tinyurl.com/npoh2

If you read my sample itineraries, you'll see suggestions of what to do along the Icefields Parkway on the way to Jasper and in Jasper National Park itself:

http://tinyurl.com/35jzr8

Hope that helps.

Judy

Thanks for the information. Just to clarify, we are flying into Calgary the evening before and then leaving the next a.m. for Waterton and Glacier National Park with an overnight in Whitefish . We were hoping we could do that in a day

>>>>>>Thanks for the information. Just to clarify, we are flying into Calgary the evening before and then leaving the next a.m. for Waterton and Glacier National Park with an overnight in Whitefish.<<<<<<

Oh, okay, that's good to know.

>>>>>>We were hoping we could do that in a day<<<<<<

You COULD do it in a day, but the question is do you WANT to do it in a day? If you don't want to spend a night in Waterton, at least consider spending a night in the Many Glacier / Swiftcurrent area at the east end of Glacier National Park before you continue to Whitefish.

Even if you stick with your original itinerary, you could accomplish the night in Many Glacier if you sacrificed either the night in Emerald Lake or the night in Lake Louise. As I explained to you in a previous post, those place are close enough to each other that one can be used as a base for visiting the other.

I feel you are seriously short changing Glacier National Park.

keep this