Best route to Banff Canada

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chinodon

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2007
Posts
6
I will be traveling to the Banff/Lake Louise area. what is best route from OR/WA I-5 and avoiding the Vancouver area?
Thanks
 
I would be more concerned about avoiding the Olympia to Everett area.  Head north and cross the border at Sumas (24 hrs) or take the Guide Meridian (539) out of Bellingham.  There are updated crossing time signs on I 5 around Lake Samish.
 
Thank you for your reply. I am most concerned about the roads as we have a 40 ft diesel pusher and want to be sure we can negotiate the roads.
 
No problem.  You can take the Coquihalla (Hwy 5) gorgeous drive but a bit of a pull.  You should have no prob. With your dp. I prefer it ov Hwy 1
 
Have you been over Hwy 3 going from Hope to the Oliver area? Looks like a nice drive that way.
 
Yes.  It is how we go to Manning Prov. Park.  Taken it from Osoyoos to Hope also.  It is a long twisty drive.  Hwy 20 in Wa is also a nice drive and not nearly as difficult.
 
Highway #20 WA is one of the 10 best motorcycle roads in the USA -- enough said  [I have personally ridden it several times].
Although they have been working hard on improving the highway [the width and the straightness] over the past several years the highway between Hope and Princeton was and is notorious. I would recommend the following namely:
The highway #1 in Canada East from Abbotsford BC [4 miles N of Sumas WA] to Hope BC is 4 lane divided. At Hope your options are to continue North on #1 to Kamloops [ which is: known as the "Trans Canada" - it is mostly 2 lanes with wide shoulders and numerous passing lanes - and has lots of transport truck traffic depending on the time of day as the climbs are less severe than the "Cocahalla"] OR continue East from Hope on highway #5 all the way to Kamloops [which is: known as the "The Cocahalla" - it is 4 lane divided all the way but has 2 long climbs]
At Kamloops you re-join the Trans Canada and continue East to Lake Louise then Banff [a great drive through the heart of the Rocky Mountains].
For your return I would suggest doubling back, from Banff, on the Trans Canada to "Castle Junction" - highway #1 & highway # 93] and then head South on # 93 through Whitefish MT to Missoula MT where you can then take US I-90 West ....
Depending on your degree of mobility [ a towed ] you could take a day trip North from Lake Louise on # 93 "the Banff / Jasper highway" to the Saskatchewan River crossing or further North to the Columbia Ice Fields or all the way to Jasper [the only other resort town located in the park]. Going all the way to Jasper would mean an overnighter but depending upon the weather it is without doubt the most scenic drive in the Canadian Rockies. You would be doubling back on your return
Drive safe and have a great adventure
 
best route for gas prices is to stay in the States, through Spokane, Sandpoint and cross in to Canada  near Creston bc on hwy 95.  You miss the beautiful rocky mtns but save a bundle on your fuel bill.
 
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