perka86

Hello,

Me and my wife who are from Sweden are thinking of going for a 2-3 week car trip in the US / Canada. We want to see amazing nature, with mountains, lakes, forests and much wildlife and want to see bears (black bears, grizzlies etc does not matter), do a lot of hiking etc, in addition to spending some time on the shooting ranges, etc.

We are considering either Alaska 2-3 weeks or Yellowstone in Wyoming, then Glacier National Park in Montana, since Canadian Rockies, Banff etc, and also see some small towns around every state. If we go it will be this year, probably last week in August and 1-2 weeks in September or the like.

I have some questions.

- Is this realistic about 2-3 weeks? Or do you think we need to prioritize and just visit 1 or 2 places instead of all? What would you choose to remove in such a case and why?

- In that case, according to you, which place is the most beautiful, has the most wildlife and most wildlife feel with less tourists etc and most worth visiting?

- We have previously visited Yosemite, Zion, Grand Canyion, Capitol Reef, Wenatchee National Forest (Colchuck Lake, etc), how would these parks compared to them would you say?



We would ne greatfull for help and tips. Thanks.

kgsneds

You've posted this in another forum and gotten plenty of feedback. Simply put, it's not enough time for all of those destinations -- too much distance to cover. As suggested elsewhere, a Calgary to Calgary loop including Banff/Jasper and Glacier NP (US) would be a good fit for the time & timing of your trip.

Also, as mentioned, while there are shooting ranges in Canada, gun laws are much stricter here, so you will need to do your own research to see whether it will be feasible. Based on a website from one of the ranges in Calgary, it does look like you can rent weapons (rifles, shotguns or handguns) as long as you are in a group of at least 2 and have valid government photo ID. Probably should check to see if it needs to be Canadian government ID. I would google to find out more -- most likely to find ranges in the big cities - guns aren't permitted in the national parks, so you won't find any in Jasper/Banff/Lake Louise or even in Canmore.

perka86

Thanks for your answer. I think it's a good idea to hear opinions from as many as possible who have visited these places.

What about Glacier NP Montana vs Banff/Jasper for seeing wildelife ( and especially bears), what would you say is best for this purpose?

elbegewa

There are tons of wildlife to see throughout the area: big horn sheep, mountain goats, moose, elk, and of course, bears. It's the luck of the draw. I've driven and hiked a lot throughout BC, Washington, Montana, Idaho. I've made plenty of trips where I haven't seen any of the above. I've been lucky to see big horn sheep while driving near Radium Hot Springs, in Banff, in Jasper, and in Glacier National Park. I've seen mountain goats while driving in Washington State, Glacier National Park, and British Columbia along highway 3 in the Okanagan. I've seen moose in Jasper, wandering through a relative's acreage near Rocky Mountain House Alberta, Banff, Grand Tetons National Park, and in northern Idaho. I've seen tods of elk in Washington, BC, Idaho, and especially Grand Teton National Park, Banff, and Jasper. I've come across black bears while hiking near Mt. Baker in Washington, in the Cascades of Washington, in British Columbia near Whistler. Much to my concern and nervousness, I came across grizzlies while hiking in remote areas of the Stein in British Columbia and in the Niut Range of western BC. I've seen grizzlies from the car in Kootenay National Park and Glacier National Park. But I have also been in all the above on trips and not seen any significant wildlife. It's the luck of the draw.

Here's a map of bears' ranges:
https://geology.com/stories/13/bear-areas/

Bear watching has become quite an industry, especially in western BC and Alaska, with lots of tours and lodges catering to it. Here are some websites:
Top 10 Places to Spot Bears in BC - Explore BC
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser..._Columbia.html
https://www.internationaltraveller.c...ces-in-canada/
https://www.hellobc.com/vancouver-is...-watching.aspx
Bears - Discover Kodiak - Kodiak Island, Alaska
Alaska Bear Viewing Tours | Lists The Best Tours Around The State
https://www.recreation.gov/marketing...r-watching.htm

And polar bears at:
https://www.nathab.com/polar-bear-tours/

perka86

Thank you very much elbegewa.

elbegewa

Since the OP is interested in bears, this article, although it's about bears in New Jersey on the US East Coast, may be interesting. It's just a well-written good read, but does contain a little info about black bears and about luck: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...eys-wild-bears