Glacier NP To Vancouver Canada

[ronandsue74]

My DW & I are planning a trip from Glacier NP Montana to Vancouver Canada.
Primary highways are the Queen Elizabeth Hwy 2 North to the Trans-Canada Hwy 1 West all the way to Vancouver.
I'm looking for feedback from folks that have done this route. Our primary goals are scenic beauty & wildlife viewing. Our travel would be in August & September.
How are the highways? Any cautions or probable issues? Recommended side trips along our route. Campgrounds with scenery and full hookups, full hookups required, scenery optional.
We travel in a 36' Country Coach Diesel. We will be towing a Ford Explorer.
All input is appreciated.
Thank You,
Ron Jacobs

[wigginsjsr]

If you are going north out Glacier, I would recommend you consider going to Banff.  Not far and it puts you on a main route to Vancouver.  There is much to see in the Banff area.  Glaciers, wildlife, etc.  Banff is as easy drive from Glacier.

[lmsooter]

I don't have a lot of information to offer but maybe it will help. 

We traveled part of your route in 2012 on the way to Alaska.  We picked up Highway 2 at Fort McLeod on the way to Calgary where we took Highway 1 to Lake Louise.  The highways were excellent all the way.  We went around Calgary to the south then to the west and stayed at Spring Hill RV Park in Cochrane, AB.

In Fort McLeod, you will find the Northwest Mounted Police Museum which is set in a replica fort.

In Calgary, you can visit the Canada Olympic Park and Heritage Park Historical Village.

We stayed in Banff National Park at Tunnel Mountain Campground.  Beautiful scenery.  We were in Tunnel Mountain Village 2 Campground and we had full hookups but that is limited to just a few sites. All of Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court has full hookups (don't let the name trailer court deter you - great scenery).  Downtown Banff is a great visit as is Canmore just a short distance away.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/camping.aspx

Then further up Highway 1 is Lake Louise which is a must see.  From there we left Highway 1 and went up the Icefield Parkway to Jasper, AB so I can't say anything about the highway or sights on to Vancouver.

 

[Kookaburra98]

Hi - we did the trip in reverse - we were in Washington State and did Olympic NP and crossed over northern Washington (beautiful country) to the Coulee Dam area - then we took 97  (north in Canada) crossing near Oroville. The 97 was beautiful route to 97A to Rt 1 Canada heading east - that highway is a good road.  We skipped Vancouver as we ran out of time (had to be in Calgary to meet friends and go to the Stampede and that there were riots in Vancouver because Bruins won! we are from Boston area) We visited and stayed in the Canadian NP Glacier and Yoho.  (we are a big RV 43' towing a Durango) was a bit tight at times for sites and it was June without any reservations in these parks.  The scenery is just beautiful.  We stopped in Calgary picked up friends and after the Stampede (we went only for a few days and I would highly recommend it) we headed up to Banff, Lake Louise and all the way up to Jasper. That northern highway and the Ice Fields is one of the most beautiful drives we have done!  If you are able take advantage of it those parks and beauty is worth it (and we have done all lower 48). We returned the same way and back tracked around Calgary and went down highway 2 to Glacier NP (US). Highway 2 was okay - it can get windy especially after ST Mary's (east Glacier) towards West Glacier (just go slow) and look for the mountain goats along that section of RT 2.  You can not drive thru Glacier NP (car maybe depends usually open august for a few weeks and no way RV).  We stayed on both sides of Glacier (east and west) to visit the park.  The entire trip has been one of our most memorable ones and the scenery/wildlife and travels were unforgettable. 

Hopefully this helps - I don't have specifics on campgrounds as this was a few years ago 2011.  We only made reservations for Calgary, Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise and Glacier east and west due to the fact that there was (4) of us and we wanted to make sure we had full hookups - and a place - I believe the Stampede is around 4th of July and around major holiday's it's good to plan ahead and national parks during the summer months.  We were did this route June/July. (KOA west is better then east)  

enjoy