deborahmcginnis

We are planning a trip to GNP in Sept 2006. We want to do some hiking but are not interested in doing long all-day hikes. We will be in the area for 7 days. 4 adults - no children. My question: How long should we spend in GNP and what would be a not-too-rushed itinerary for that area? Is it too much to drive up into Banff for a couple of days? Or south to Yellowstone. We would like to divide the trip into 2 locations - don't really want to spend a lot of time checking in & out of hotels.

hilda

7 days is too long for Glacier, there is not that much to do. Nonhikers 2 days was long enough for us. Definitely plan something else, Yellowstone is 5 or 6 hours away

sylvia3

It might be 6 hours from the north entrance of Yellowstone, but be sure to check for seasonal road closures there. You certainly should go to Banff--the Canadian Rockies are incredible (there are nice hot springs there)! Waterton is also nice. You could easily do both parks, but for non-hikers, Glacier is a walk-the-short-trails in a couple of days at most trip.

PaulRabe

I've been to Glacier, Yellowstone, and Banff. If I were forced to choose, I'd select Yellowstone simply for its variety. It has FAR more hot springs than the Banff area, as well as things (geysers, boiling mud pots) for which Banff has no equivalent. I also agree that, if you're not interested in day hikes, seven days in Glacier would be far too long.

tovarich

We've been to all those places and can give you some pointers. As already said one of the most beautiful drives you can make is the road from Jasper to Banff the so called Columbia icefields.(185 miles)
From Banff we went to Waterton lakes and stayed at the AsPEN VILLAGE iNN;(334 miles)
Then we did Glacier nat. Park and stayed in Kalispell.(130 miles)At the highest point of the park ;Logan pass you should do the hike to Hidden lake(not too strenuous).From Kalispell we went to Helena (248 miles). Then to Gardiner(1mile from the north entrance to Yellowstone)and visited the park for 3 days.As you know it's in the form of an 8 and 150 miles of road.This was all part of a tour we made of 5210 miles in 2000. Hope this has given you an idea about distances. Paul

anneryan

Our family did a similar trip a few years ago. We flew into Calgary and drove to Banff where we stayed 3 nights and did the hikes around that area (it is a beautiful area!). Then, we drove to Glacier NP (I think it was abouta 3-3 1/2 hour drive). We stayed at Glacier for three nights and hiked each day. Then, we drove back to Calgary and flew home. We found this to be a very doable trip in that amount of time and we felt that we got a great feel for each of the areas. You could do it in reverse order, depending on where you can fly into that is near Glacier.

justme22

if you are not into hiking then glacier only needs about 2 days, banff is definately nice too, but so is waterton np and that has lots of short day hikes.

if you fly into kalispell, depending on when you arrive. if it is before noon, you can drive going to the sun road that pm. stay in st. mary and then drive back to logan pass the next day, enjoy that area, then back out the way you came in at st. mary's.

you should then drive into the many glacier area to see the setting,lodge. stay in st. mary again that night.

then head to banff. take the hike along the bow river, take icefields parkway and DO the hokey athabathsca (sp?) glacier buggy rides it really is interesting and easy. you should also go to lake louise while there. you can canoe on lake louise. and the hotel is something to see, if you have the wherewithall stay there.

of course there are lots of hikes in this area too but it doesn't sound your style. google some alberta tourism sites for more info. i mostly hike, hike hike. (i've spent weeks at glacier!)

TheWeasel

If you're looking to book lodging in advance, I'd say go to Yellowstone rather than Banff because of the potential for snowy weather. September isn't that late in the year, but it's still very possible for snow in the Rockies then, whereas Yellowstone would be a safer bet. If it were mid-summer, I'd do the opposite and go to Banff.

If you're planning on going and finding places to stay when you get there (and I wouldn't recommend that), then you could just check the weather and go either direction depending on the forecast.

ellen_griswold

Tough call because they're all amazing!

Yes, 7 days in glacier is way too much. Waterton is great for maybe 1/2- 1 day, and the only place we've seen a ton of bears. Banff and Jasper are in a class of their own, the Icefields Parkway is truly breathtaking.

But weather in banff / jasper definitely could be a problem; when we were in jasper one july it snowed intermittently with a low temp of 34.

So i'd probably do yellowstone, alotting most of the time there. Its just too wonderfully huge and diverse.

Depending on your time, if you have 7 full days without travel / flight times, you just might take 1/2 day and see Cody, WY for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center... and maybe even the rodeo, great fun! I know i know, sooo much to see, so little time.....

utahtea

I agree that 7 days for Glacier is to much if you are not into long hikes.

IMHO it's not enough time to do justice to add Yellowstone or Banff/Jasper. Now I could easily spend 7 days in the Yellowstone/Teton area OR 7 days in the Banff/Jasper/Yoho National Park area.

Utahtea

deborahmcginnis

What about 2 days in GNP, then up to Waterton, then on to Banff? I'm pretty sure that we will be flying in & out of Kalispell so we'll have to end up there. I forgot to add that my husband & I have been to Yellowstone and Banff/Jasper. I loved the Canadian Rockies and would love to spend the entire week there but we want to see a different area. We went to Yellowstone last summer. How long a drive from Banff to Kalispell? Thanks!

AuntAnnie

Bring warm clothes! I LOVE Glacier Park, but spent a very cold night in a summer weight sleeping bag in July. It got down to low 30's at night. The park is spectacular but 2 or 3 days is good. I had my first mountain goat sighting at Glacier...we actually saw 5 including 2 babies. Yellowstone is my favorite of the parks we have visited due to the diversity (geysers, waterfalls, animals...) but I have not been to Banff and it is supposed to be gorgeous. Have fun!

utahtea

I don't know this for a fact, but AlbertB has a post on Glacier too and he said he was finding that he couldn't take a rental car into Canada so you might want to check that out.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34697739

Since you've been to the other areas, then I'd spend a couple days at Waterton and the rest at Glacier.

Utahtea

GP

Hi deborahmcginnis

In the summer of 2004 I spent 2 nights at GNP at St Mary's it was too short. 4 days would be better. Two on each side of the going to the sun road. It is not 6 hours from the North entrance to Glacier it is around 500 miles

Have Fun
GP