hbo6

Need advice for end of our trip. All lodging is booked except that. We will be departing Jasper NP and heading back to Kalispell, MT to fly home next day. I read this will be a 7-hour drive. Would you drive the entire way or break up the trip and spend another night somewhere? I have not booked the flight yet. Has anyone done this leg that can give me advice? Thank you!

tomfuller

Are you driving a car that you rented at the Kalispell airport? I don't think you can drop off a car you rented in Canada at a US car rental.
If I haven't driven a lot the day before, I have no problem driving 7-8 hours if the weather is good YMMV.

sludick

I would estimate an 8 hour drive without any stops. Let's call it 10-12 hours travel by the time you've stopped for gas, restroom, food, border crossing, and to admire the views.

Now, Mapquest takes you down 93...have you already driven the Icefields Parkway? If not, you want to take that, which will add to the travel time. That's a one night stopover, certainly. Just down 93, your choice. I've done longer, but if you have the time, can suggest stops and sights.

ltt

if you have the time, i'd stop over somewhere for a night or two. you could do the icefield parkway and then head east down the transcanada and turn south on hwy 22 (cowboy trail). spend the night in waterton lakes nat'l park. it's beautiful, different from banff / jasper. then you could drive the "going to the sun highway" on your way back to kalispell.
or head the other way and spend a night in radium hot springs.

hbo6

When we arrive we are flying into Kalispell, staying in Apgar, driving the GTTS, staying at Swiftcurrent then up to Banff, LL, and onto Jasper via Icefields Pkway. We are renting the car at Kalispell. So can you give me advice with this information and anything you would do that day driving back on 93. Thank you.

sludick

You'll near Radium Hot Springs and cross over into British Columbia, driving through Kootenay. As you leave the park, the rocky scenery is dramatic. Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep, they are often on the roadside and in people's yards.

You'll come to an intersection where 95 meets up with 93 and you'll need to turn left. Look off to the left, that's the crazy woodcarver's place. On the right is Old Salzburg Restaurant; if you are traveling in the summer, they are open for lunch as well as dinner. http://www.oldsalzburgrestaurant.com/

Stop in and visit the woodcarver. (His signage demands a small fee for entering the woodshop; if you buy something, he will waive that. Otherwise, he'd be overrun, I think.) He's eccentric, has built a ... unique ... home/workshop, he has goats and a water cannon (take pictures discreetly and from a distance). He sells his art as well, and we have several of them (his carvings range from simple rustic to larger-than-life statues). It's a bit hard to describe, so check out his website: http://www.radiumwoodcarver.com/index.php

As you drive on, the scenery becomes less scenic, with some run-down trailer-type dwellings for a bit. Then, if you didn't stop for lunch at Radium, you might make a short detour to Kimberley for a bit more alpen-kitsch. It's a ski resort area in the winter - in the summer, you could get a good rate on a condo-style place. One example: http://mountainspiritresort.ca/

Or maybe linger in Whitefish for a night. We stopped once for lunch in Whitefish and were surprised by the excellent quality and choice. It's another ski resort area, so that probably explains it. Food more upscale than Kimberley, though, and not kitschy (think great burgers, elk meatloaf, etc.). Can't speak for lodging choices.

hbo6

Should we consider stopping at Kootenay or Waterton NP? Are they close enough to 93?

sludick

I suppose it depends on your overall routing. With the suggestion I made above, you will drive through Kootenay - it borders Banff NP and for me seemed more or less the same park. Others will have to weigh in on what to do there, but here is the park link: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/kootenay/index.aspx

Waterton borders Glacier on the northeast side. You can actually drive from one park across the border to the other without leaving the park itself. It doesn't seem like it would work out the best at the end of your trip, but you should take a look at your entire planned route. Waterton: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/waterton/visit.aspx

hbo6

We decided to add an extra day. Thank you for your help!!!!!

hbo6

Thank you for all your help. We will have to make the drive from Jasper to Kalispell to leave the next day. Are there hotels near the airport?

John

Lots of hotels/motels in Kalispell which is about 7 to 8 miles from the airport. Holiday Inn, Red Lion, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn all have free shuttle service to the airport. Google for a list of hotels in Kalispell.