Best route Nashville Tn to Canmore AB
 

We will be visiting the Canadian Rockies August 2017 and I am trying to decide on the most scenic route to take me there from Nashville Tn.

It looks like I have many options
#1 North through Chicago and on up into Canada
#2 A little more westerly, going through Iowa and then to Canada
#3 Through Kansas City and South Dakota, then entering Canada through Montana.

We are willing to travel a little farther for a more scenic route.

As a side note, we are not planning to go into the US Glacier national park this time, but will include it in a future trip to include Yellowstone.

Please give some feedback on the different routes and any suggestions on things to see on the way.

I would second driving trough southern SD on I-90 (a real good interstate without a lot of traffic) towards Rapid City SD.

If the drive on I-90 between Sioux Falls and Rapid City becomes too boring, you can always stop in Mitchel to take a photo for the Corn Palace. https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/bu...ly-corn-palace and https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...th_Dakota.html

A little further along you will see lots of advertising and bumper stickers for Wall Drug ... a tacky tourist trap that I wouldn't stop at anywhere else, but in the middle of no-where its a break from driving that I usually stop at. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...th_Dakota.html

When you get near Rapid City there are lots of things ... plan a day in the area: The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park (of indian & cavalry fame), in-progress Crazy Horse, and the Black Hills. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com...ota-road-trip/ and http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/

Between Rapid City and Billings google maps routes you on a cutoff hwy. US 212. My preference is to continue west on I-90 through Gilette to Buffalo through some moderately interesting hills between those 2 towns and some great views of the Wind River Range.

From Buffalo continue on I-90 to Billings, then US 121 & I-15 to the Sweetwater border crossing thence Lethbridge, then to Alberta 22 and 40 that I described on your earlier post.

To back up just a bit:
If you are interested in western art, West of Buffalo you could take a lengthy detour via US 14 to Cody and see the Whitney Western Art Museum and the Buffalo Bill Center: https://centerofthewest.org/explore/western-art/
But its quite a bit out of your way. It'd be a tossup whether it'd be better to see it on this trip or a future trip to Yellowstone.

The distances in the west can be great ... plot out your hotel and *gas* stops carefully. In a few places it (like on Alberta 22 & 40) it can be over 100 miles between gas stations.

PS:
Correction: The mountains west of Buffalo are the Big Horn Mts, not the Wind River Range which is further to the SW.

In planning long trips I often use Goggle Earth and its street view and the photos people have added to it to get a feel for the looks of the countryside and what the drive would be like.

PS2:
And I forgot to mention Devil's Tower National Monument between Rapid City and Gillette: http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/pa...ional-monument

Thanks for you reply. You have given me some great info and ideas.