Jasper to Glacier and then to Calgary
Jan 13th, 2013, 01:53 AM
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Jasper to Glacier and then to Calgary
We are two English lady seniors. We are flying to Vancouver for 3 days and taking the Canadian to Jasper, where we pick up a hire car. Then we want to drive to Banff, visiting all the scenic places and taking short hikes. From Banff we want to drive into Glacier NP and take "the going to the sun shuttle bus". I don't know how to drive from Banff to Glacier and back to Calgary. Can someone help who knows or has done a similar trip
Jan 13th, 2013, 06:48 AM
#2
With only 3 days just stay in Canada. Were you planning on flying back to Vancouver from Calgary?
The easiest way that I have found to get to Glacier NP Montana is to take the Amtrak Empire Builder from Seattle to Whitefish.
The easiest way that I have found to get to Glacier NP Montana is to take the Amtrak Empire Builder from Seattle to Whitefish.
Jan 13th, 2013, 08:04 AM
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We are spending 3 days in Vancouver, then taking The Canadian to Jasper. It is from there via Banff and Glacier N.P, I need help with. How to get from Banff to Glacier N.P and then back to Calgary. we will have just over 2 weeks in total
Jan 13th, 2013, 08:32 AM
#4
I think this is what you are looking for. http://www.gonorthwest.com/Montana/n...nformation.htm
With 2 weeks you should be able to see it all.
Try to make the hike down through Maligne Canyon.
With 2 weeks you should be able to see it all.
Try to make the hike down through Maligne Canyon.
Jan 13th, 2013, 07:52 PM
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The going to the sun shuttle bus is at the American Glacier National Park, in Montana.
So that knowledge eliminates all the references to the Canadian Glacier National Park.
To the English ladies. Stay tuned. Good info will get here fairly soon, I'm sure.
Project One; when you make your rental car reservation, make sure the rental company knows you want to take the car into the United States, and then bring it back. Doing this should not be a problem, but there are insurance details to work out.
It's not as easy to drive from Banff to Glacier National Park in Montana as you might think, because the mountains get in the way.
If I was doing this (and I've been on most of these roads) I'd start in Banff and leave town driving east on The Trans-Canada Highway, also called highway 1. You'll be mostly surrounded by parkland and rolling hills, and eventually you'll be in Bow Valley Provincial Park. Seamless borders, and you may not notice you are in the park.
After leaving the park, drive toward Calgary, and turn right / south at big highway interchange 161 onto Highway 22 South, also called Bragg Creek Road.
Follow this, going more or less south, to where highway 22 ends at Highway 3, which runs east-west.
Turn left /east on highway 3, also called the Crowsnest Highway, and drive east until you reach Fort McLeod, and Highway 2 South.
Highway 2 will take you through Cardston and down to the border crossing at Carway.
When you cross the border into Montana, the highway number changes to 89, and this highway will take you to the Glacier National Park Entrance.
The roads above are to the best of my knowledge all paved, all have some traffic on them, but they are country roads, not big highways (for themost part) and they mostly run through cowboy country. You'll see mostly farms and ranches, and should see cattle grazing in the foothills of the Rockies, just like in a cowboy movie. Plus some oil wells, and a lot of pickup trucks.
The other choice is to drive from Banff into Calgary, and then take highway 2 south from there. More giant farms, fewer cattle ranches, wider roads, less interesting.
FILL THE CAR WITH GASOLINE as you leave Banff National Park. Lots of gas stations in Canmore. You do not want to worry as you drive in the country.
AFter glacier, just drive north on hgihway 2 back to Calgary.
So that knowledge eliminates all the references to the Canadian Glacier National Park.
To the English ladies. Stay tuned. Good info will get here fairly soon, I'm sure.
Project One; when you make your rental car reservation, make sure the rental company knows you want to take the car into the United States, and then bring it back. Doing this should not be a problem, but there are insurance details to work out.
It's not as easy to drive from Banff to Glacier National Park in Montana as you might think, because the mountains get in the way.
If I was doing this (and I've been on most of these roads) I'd start in Banff and leave town driving east on The Trans-Canada Highway, also called highway 1. You'll be mostly surrounded by parkland and rolling hills, and eventually you'll be in Bow Valley Provincial Park. Seamless borders, and you may not notice you are in the park.
After leaving the park, drive toward Calgary, and turn right / south at big highway interchange 161 onto Highway 22 South, also called Bragg Creek Road.
Follow this, going more or less south, to where highway 22 ends at Highway 3, which runs east-west.
Turn left /east on highway 3, also called the Crowsnest Highway, and drive east until you reach Fort McLeod, and Highway 2 South.
Highway 2 will take you through Cardston and down to the border crossing at Carway.
When you cross the border into Montana, the highway number changes to 89, and this highway will take you to the Glacier National Park Entrance.
The roads above are to the best of my knowledge all paved, all have some traffic on them, but they are country roads, not big highways (for themost part) and they mostly run through cowboy country. You'll see mostly farms and ranches, and should see cattle grazing in the foothills of the Rockies, just like in a cowboy movie. Plus some oil wells, and a lot of pickup trucks.
The other choice is to drive from Banff into Calgary, and then take highway 2 south from there. More giant farms, fewer cattle ranches, wider roads, less interesting.
FILL THE CAR WITH GASOLINE as you leave Banff National Park. Lots of gas stations in Canmore. You do not want to worry as you drive in the country.
AFter glacier, just drive north on hgihway 2 back to Calgary.
Nov 2nd, 2013, 05:14 PM
#8
I've driven what you want to drive and it's a piece of cake. The mountains don't get in the way as suggested above.
Essentially, you'll want to drive to Calgary from Banff and then straight south to the border and to Glacier.
Take the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) from Banff to Calgary and then go south on Rt 2. It's a smooth 4 lane road all the way to Ft MacLeod.
At Ft MacLeod be careful as the road turns a few times. You want to make sure you're continuing south on Rt 2. At this point it becomes a 2 lane road.
It's an excellent road all the way from Calgary to the border. No mountains or even hills.
When you cross the border at Carway it become Rt 89. Drive on 89 past Babb and turn west onto Goint to the Sun Road at St Mary.
You don't mention where you're staying in Glacier of if you're even staying in Glacier.
About Going-to-the-Sun_Road.
There's a shuttle that's essentially intended as transportation along the road. There are red "buses" that are intended to be sightseeing buses.
Personally I might do things a bit differently. If it's sightseeing then I would drive to a mile or so past Logan Pass. Stop at all the view points for as long as you want and read the descriptions posted.
Since you mention doing some short hikes in Banff I assume you are both in reasonable condition. If that's the case park at Logan Pass and do as much of the Hidden Lake Overlook hike you feel comfortable doing. Spectacular scenery all along and a good chance of seeing some mountain goats.
If you tell me a little more about your Glacier plans I can help you as I've been there a couple of times recently.
I just noticed that this was posted in Jan '13 so the trip may have taken place already.
Essentially, you'll want to drive to Calgary from Banff and then straight south to the border and to Glacier.
Take the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) from Banff to Calgary and then go south on Rt 2. It's a smooth 4 lane road all the way to Ft MacLeod.
At Ft MacLeod be careful as the road turns a few times. You want to make sure you're continuing south on Rt 2. At this point it becomes a 2 lane road.
It's an excellent road all the way from Calgary to the border. No mountains or even hills.
When you cross the border at Carway it become Rt 89. Drive on 89 past Babb and turn west onto Goint to the Sun Road at St Mary.
You don't mention where you're staying in Glacier of if you're even staying in Glacier.
About Going-to-the-Sun_Road.
There's a shuttle that's essentially intended as transportation along the road. There are red "buses" that are intended to be sightseeing buses.
Personally I might do things a bit differently. If it's sightseeing then I would drive to a mile or so past Logan Pass. Stop at all the view points for as long as you want and read the descriptions posted.
Since you mention doing some short hikes in Banff I assume you are both in reasonable condition. If that's the case park at Logan Pass and do as much of the Hidden Lake Overlook hike you feel comfortable doing. Spectacular scenery all along and a good chance of seeing some mountain goats.
If you tell me a little more about your Glacier plans I can help you as I've been there a couple of times recently.
I just noticed that this was posted in Jan '13 so the trip may have taken place already.
