Glacer NP To Vancouver CA

[ronandsue74]

My DW & I are planning an August/September trip from Glacier NP MT up to Banff Canada and then over to Vancouver Canada. 
Our goals are beautiful scenery, native animal sightings, hiking and some biking.
I would appreciate routing and camping recommendations from anyone that has traveled this route. Our camping needs require full hook-up camps. 
We travel in a 36' motor home pulling a tow vehicle.
Thank you,
CC Rider 

[hermanmullins]

Ron,

My only suggestion would be to heed everyone that has been to Canada with a TEXAS tag. Leave the guns at home, even if is a toy. The Canadians feel that every on in Texas still packs a Six Shooter. 

Herman

[tbutler]

That looks like a great trip and the time of year should make for some interesting sightings.  If you have time, I would suggest continuing on north from Jasper to Lake Louise and then to Jasper.  We found all the national parks along here to have full hook-ups for RV's available.  We were able to get reservations on short notice at each one of these locations.  There are great hikes all along the way and plenty of wildlife to be seen while driving as well as hiking. 

Don't overlook Waterton Lakes National Park which is the Canadian park adjoining Glacier, just across the border.  We saw more wildlife there in a single day than in Glacier in a week.  There is a great hotel there, stop and get lunch.  It could be a good spot to start and end a bike ride as this park is less mountain and more valley.

We hiked extensively around Lake Louise and enjoyed a great serenade by alpenhorn or alphorn, outside the Fairmont Chateau at the lake.  Continuing north you will travel a part of Hwy 93 designated the Icefields Parkway.  The highway continues on to Jasper National Park and the town of Jasper.

At Jasper we took the Skytram and hiked the high country.  Called to return as a storm approached, we had lunch at the Summit Restaurant, sharing a booth with a group of Canadian college students and enjoying the thrill of a mountain thunderstorm at a table under a glass roof.  We bicycled among a herd of Elk and luxuriated in the warmth of Miette Hot Springs.  I'm not sure what the weather would be here in September, if you were there in late August, weather would probably be excellent.

Out of Jasper if you head west on Hwy 16 through the mountains then south on Hwy 5 to Kamloops, you are on your way to one last treat.  Heading west on Hwy 1 out of Kamloops to Hwy 97, just a few miles north on Hwy 97 is the turnoff to Hwy 99, The Sea to Sky Highway or as you would be driving it, the Sky to Sea Highway.  This will take you to Vancouver.  This is a scenic road, not to be rushed and you won't be able to.  It is two lane and has a short section of switchbacks, nothing our 40' coach with Trailblazer in tow couldn't handle.  There is plenty to see along the way so allow several days on this road.

Sidetrips for your trip might include Calgary where the Stampede is held in July.  Drumheller, east of Calgary, has a the Royal Tyrrell Museum, a spectacular dinosaur museum.  South of Calgary is the Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site.  We arrived and parked in the parking lot for RV's and were met with a golf cart ride to the entrance where a Native American (First Nations) group was performing native dances in costume.  The site has a great visitors center and trails.  You can also visit the site of the Frank Slide which occurred in 1903 and buried part of the town of Frank.  Ninety people died in 90 seconds as the summit of Turtle Mountain tumbled down on the outskirts of Frank.  The interpretive center has great displays.  Parking is limited but we found parking for our rig with car in tow on the weekend of the grand opening of the interpretive center so I'm guessing you should have no problem.

RV Park Reviews has campgrounds in Canada, with reviews of people who have visited.  We have also used AllStays Camp and RV, the phone app for the US sites and the web site for the locations where we don't have phone service.  AllStays also has reviews and covers Canada as well as the US.  I find their scope of campgrounds much more comprehensive but some of their listings are not RV or full hookup sites.  They are very good about indicating the type of facilities and their features.

Whatever route you take and places you visit, I'm certain you will enjoy your trip. 

 

[manholt]

Ron.  If you enjoy a Scotch or Whiskey, leave it at home as well.  They want you to drink theirs! Duty is high.  They have excellent Beer. 

[alflorida]

The few times I need to stay at an RV Park I use:  http://www.rvparkreviews.com/  to check out places with full hookups.   We mostly dry camp in National Parks and other places or boondock so not a lot of help with RV Parks.

 

[manholt]

Al.

Thanks for the input.  Everything helps someone!  If your going to Perry in March, look me up.

You & Sharon have a great 2018

[tbutler]

2 hours ago, alflorida said:

The few times I need to stay at an RV Park I use:  http://www.rvparkreviews.com/  to check out places with full hookups.   We mostly dry camp in National Parks and other places or boondock so not a lot of help with RV Parks.

 

Then the AllStays Camp and RV (phone app or computer linked) would be an excellent resource for you.  They have extensive listings including city parks and out of the way small spots that allow RV parking.  They also have all the Walmart locations and indicate those that allow and don't allow overnight parking. 

[ronandsue74]

I really appreciate all the great suggestions.

I will include many of them into our plans.

Thanks again,

CC Rider  2005 CC Inspire #51264