How Should I Plan My Trip From Yellowstone National Park to Banff National Park in Canada?

First of all, you can enter Canada with very little hassle but you will need your passport to re-enter the United States so don’t forget to carry it with you. That said, here’s the route I suggest you take. From Yellowstone take either 191 through West Yellowstone or 89 through Gardiner north to I-90. Go west on I-90 then take 287 north to Helena. In Helena, take I-15 north into Canada. You will enter Canada at the Sweetgrass border crossing where I-15 becomes Hwy 4. The speed limit signs also change from “miles per hour” to “kilometers per hour” so watch your speed. 80 KPH is approximately 50 MPH. If renting a car check with the rental agency for any special requirements for taking the car into Canada. Some agencies require additional paper work. After you cross the border, follow Hwy 4 north until you get to 3 at Lethbridge and follow 3 west until you get to 2 near Fort Macleod. Follow 2 north into Calgary. Stay on 2 until you get to TC-1 in Calgary then follow it west to Banff Township in Banff National Park. You will have to pay an entrance fee to enter Banff. The fees can be found on this web page – http://www.canadianrockies.net/banff/bnpfees.html. The drive is approximately 650 miles long and will take about 10 hours not counting rest stops.

I’m no expert on Banff and I went there pretty much just to go hiking. I did go as far north as the Columbia Icefield in Jasper NP but in my opinion it wasn’t worth the drive. It’s a typical roadside tourist attraction on a very large scale. Walking around on the Athabasca Glacier can’t be compared to walking on the Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park, Alaska. However, it is much easier to get to the Athabasca Glacier than the Ruth Glacier.

While in Banff we hiked the following trails.

Lake Louise area – “Lake Agnes and the Beehives” and “The Plain of Six Glaciers” together as a loop. Moderately strenous hike of about 10.5 miles with total elevation gain of approx. 3,150 feet. This is a great hike overlooking the beautiful Lake Louise. Good views from the top of both beehives. Teahouses at Lake Agnes and Plain of Six Glaciers. Had some good homemade apple pie and coffee at the Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse. We got hit by rain on the way back down to Lake Louise in the late afternoon but I always carry an insulated rain jacket when hiking in the mountains.

Moraine Lake area – “Wenkchemna Pass” out and back. Moderate difficultly, approx. 12 miles roundtrip with total elevation gain of 2,360 feet. Gorgeous hike through the Valley of Ten Peaks. This hike is in a restricted area requiring that you hike in a close group of 4. This requirement is due to the presence of grizzly bears. If you don’t have 4, hang around at trailhead and ask to join others. Carry bear spray if you can afford it – $50 for a 9 oz can. I picked up a can at Bob Ward Sporting Goods in Bozeman. You can’t fly with this stuff so I had to give it away before flying home. I didn’t see any grizzlies, just blacks. But, I rather drop $50 and not see a grizzly then save $50 and run into one. I don’t recommend bear bangers unless you’ve had some experience with them. Carry warm clothing and a rain jacket. We were there in early July and got hit with sleet and near white out conditions on the approach to the pass. Fortunately it let up after an hour so we could enjoy the views.

Johnston Canyon – Easy out and back trail. 1.7 miles one-way to upper falls. 3.6 miles one-way to Inkpots. This is a beautiful hike up to the upper falls. Continue to the Inkpots if you have nothing better to do.

We took the tram to the top of Sulphur Mountain overlooking Banff Township – good views, worth the cost of a ticket. Also did a lot of walking around in town checking out the many shops.

If for some reason you can’t make it to Banff you can go to Glacier NP instead. In my opinion it’s the most beautiful NP in the US park system. I would go so far as to say that it’s even more beautiful than Banff (my opinion). But, like Banff, to really enjoy the beauty you have to get out on the trails. My favorite day hikes in Banff include Hidden Lake, The Highline, Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier.

I hope this information helps. Enjoy your trip.