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Travel time?

TxGearhead
Explorer
Explorer
Thinking about a trip to Banff. I'm dreaming up a quick trip from Houston to Glacier NP in my cabover. Banff could be an added leg on my Glacier NP trip. Looking at Google maps they are showing about 11 hours driving time from St. Mary Montana, up HWY 2 to Calgary, then Banff and Golden, then back down to Kalispell. Is that accurate? This will be a fast trip, not particularly wanting to see everything. Probably just 1 overnight somewhere around Banff or Golden. Call it a scouting trip. To avoid the worst of the tourist season, I will try to do this during shoulder season of this fall or next spring.
Thanks for any input..
edit add...would crossing the mountains on 93 from Castle Junction to Radium Hot Springs be more scenic than Lake Louise?
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20 REPLIES 20

Veebyes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Done that area a couple of times. Figure speed average way under 50mph. It is about all 2 lane. Then there is the border crossing. You never know how busy that will be. It could be a minute. There could be a line, either way, & a half hour would not be unusual in the line.

Then there is the weather. That alone can be like a box of chocolates.
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padredw
Nomad
Nomad
St. Mary Montana, up HWY 2 to Calgary, then Banff


In August, 2017, we pulled out fifth-wheel down from Banff to Waterton Lakes National Park (in Canada, adjoining Glacier National Park in US).

This is a drive of 245 miles or approximately 5 hours, or a bit less, via Canada 2. (we actually took Alberta 22, which is a bit shorter (235 miles).

Direct from St. Mary, East Glacier, up Canada 2 is 258 miles--I would figure a bit more than 5 hours.

jamesu
Explorer
Explorer
Iโ€™ve been up there several times. Not really sure what you want to accomplish by taking a โ€œquick tripโ€ up into the Canadian Rockies, but I would advise taking a that โ€œquick tripโ€ to Glacier NP instead. Make the Calgary/Banff NP trip a separate trip at a later time. The Canadian Rockies are too special to nibble like leftover scraps. I have always said that our beautiful Glacier NP is merely an hor โ€˜d oeuvre before crossing the border and traveling through Banff NP to Jasper NP. For a โ€œquick tripโ€ I suggest Glacier NP and then head over the border to Watertown Lakes NP which joins Glacier on the Canadian side. Just be aware that both parks have been impacted by major forest fires the past few seasons.
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Kevinwa
Explorer
Explorer
I have been to both glacier NP and Banff last year. If you have the time it is definitely worth it as a scouting trip. Highlights in Banff are Johnston canyon, lake Louise and if crowds donโ€™t bother you, bow falls right in the town of Banff. As for going through castle junction straight to radium, or going through golden, both have great things to see. I have heard that emerald lake near field is beautiful. We like the canyon RV resort in radium and tunnel mountain in Banff. The are pretty rv park like and less rustic, but that works Us with the young kids. Lots of the small parks Canada campgrounds close mid sept, but their website has the closing dates on everything. Pack winter and summer clothes, easy,to have -10 C and a foot of snow and then +30C two days later in Banff in sept.

Waterton is also worth a stop, it is basically the Canadian side of glacier. Red rock canyon was really cool, the rocks in the water were the colour of raw beef.
We crossed at the chief mountain border crossing, but it isnโ€™t opened year round so check ahead.

TxGearhead
Explorer
Explorer
MDKMDK wrote:
TxGearhead wrote:
Good info. I will likely take a tour bus for the GTTS road. I think going up the east side to Lake Louise and looping back down the west side on 95 will work for me.


Excellent idea. (just noticed the size/length of your setup - they won't let you drive GTTS while hooked up) :S


So your saying go to Lake Louise and then backtrack to Castle Junction and go west on 93 to Radium Hot Springs?

GTTSR....No, I can't take the cabover on it. Not worth taking it off for just a few hours. I could be pretty far on down the road in that time. If/when we take the 5th wheel, yes unhook and drive it.

We've got a packed schedule this summer and early fall. Two new grandbabies due July 1, and reservations/tickets into September. If the wife wants to stay close to the new babies, I might be able to skip something and squeeze this in this year by myself.
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timandsusan
Explorer
Explorer
We have RV'd to that area 2 times and visited without the RV several times. All were great trips even in winter. Here are a few experiences.
1. It can snow any month of the year in the Banff area. We have experienced it.
2. On one July 4th trip for a week, we found the high elevation lakes still frozen and with a lot of snow still around.
3. Bring your Texas winter clothes--they will work great in the summer in Banff!

MDKMDK
Explorer
Explorer
TxGearhead wrote:
Good info. I will likely take a tour bus for the GTTS road. I think going up the east side to Lake Louise and looping back down the west side on 95 will work for me.


Excellent idea. (just noticed the size/length of your setup - they won't let you drive GTTS while hooked up) :S
Mike. Comments are anecdotal or personal opinions, and worth what you paid for them.
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trigley
Explorer
Explorer
Lake Louise and the eastern part of Yoho National Park as far as Field or Emerald Lake are must sees. The Castle Mountain - Radium route is more scenic than the Golden -Radium section. Both are good roads.

TxGearhead
Explorer
Explorer
Good info. I will likely take a tour bus for the GTTS road. I think going up the east side to Lake Louise and looping back down the west side on 95 will work for me.
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Ed_Rana2
Explorer
Explorer
We arrived in Kalispell around the 20th of May and spent 10 days on the west and east side of Glacier then on to Waterton National Park in Alberta. It was great. We then drove through Calgary and up in to Banff. Agree with the earlier post about the drive from Calgary to Banff as just beautiful. Canadian schools donโ€™t close till near the end of June so not crazy busy but there were crowds. We found the campground at Lake Louise to be a bit quieter than Banff, more to my taste as well. Highway to the top in Glacier did not open until arond 4th of July, so we did miss that.
Consider making a loop, time of year will matter.
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MDKMDK
Explorer
Explorer
In fall 2015, we did GNP starting at Great Falls MT, we just dialed the St. Mary entrance into the Garmin and let it pick the route. Took us in through US89. From there we did GTTS road to Apgar/West Glacier. From there we dialed in Banff, and it took us west then north through Whitefish along US2/US93 to the Canadian border crossing at Roosville BC. It kept us on 93 north to Radium Hot Springs, and then we followed 93 through the mountains and wound up at Castle Junction. It was a nice drive, not a lot of traffic, and we could go at pretty much our own pace. From CJ, it was a back track down the TC (Canada 1) to Banff for a day/night, and then back north to Jasper NP with a stop at Lake Louise. It was worth the time to stop at Lake Louise just to see the color of the rock flour in the water. It's really picturesque. At that point, you can choose your route home. Like Wyoming/Montana/Colorado, the prairies in western Canada are notoriously windy. Heading in and back through the mountains would be my choice time permitting.
Also, if you choose this route, beware the bighorn sheep roaming the streets in Radium Hot Springs, and you might spot a moose by the side of the road along 93 between RHS and CJ. We did. ๐Ÿ™‚
Mike. Comments are anecdotal or personal opinions, and worth what you paid for them.
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GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
Speed limits in Canada and especially Banff park are low. Something to keep in mind.
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BB_TX
Nomad
Nomad
Agree with the avg speeds. Figuring in stops for food, fuel, restroom you will average 55 or maybe slightly more when traveling interstates or similar type highways. Unless you are one to run 70-75 you might get a little more. But less than 55 getting off on lesser highways and going thru towns with lower speed limits and traffic lights. Then you can decide how many hours per day you want to travel and get a pretty good idea of how long it will take to get between Point A and point B.

TxGearhead
Explorer
Explorer
ScottG wrote:
We are pretty efficient at traveling but can never do better than to avg about 50~55 mph (even though I'm going faster).

Same here.
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