Driving to Banff

[spencers45]

Hello fellow RVers,

We will be pulling our GD Reflection 5th wheel up to Banff this July and considering entering Canada through Idaho on U.S. Route 95, then traveling up CAN 93 to Golden where we will pick up Route 1. Has anybody traveled this route? Would you recommend it?

Thank you in advance!
Spencer

[Castlerock]

@spencers45

Actually you would exit Hwy 93 at Radium Hot Springs, taking Hwy 95 to Castle Junction, then join Hwy 1 eastbound to Banff. That will save you about 90 minutes.

Make sure you get fuel before leaving Radium. Nothing between there and Banff, also no cell service. Its only about 100 kms from radium to Castle Junction and a great drive.

Enjoy the trip!

[Castlerock]

@spencers45

Actually you would exit Hwy 93 at Radium Hot Springs, taking Hwy 95 to Castle Junction, then join Hwy 1 eastbound to Banff. That will save you about 90 minutes.

Make sure you get fuel before leaving Radium. Nothing between there and Banff, also no cell service. Its only about 100 kms from radium to Castle Junction and a great drive.

Enjoy the trip!

Sorry, I led you astray.

Once you cross the border, you will be on Hwy 95. Stay on that until Cranbrook, then turn on Hwy 93/95 to Radium Hot Springs. At Radium, tune onto Hwy 93. This will take you to Castle Junction and Hwy 1.

At Cranbrook you will have the option to travel though Kimberley or Fort Steele. The route through Fort Steele is shorter and there is less traffic.

Sorry for any confusion.

[spencers45]

Thanks Castlerock,

Your input has been VERY helpful. Is it a good highway overall to pull an RV?

[Castlerock]

Thanks Castlerock,

Your input has been VERY helpful. Is it a good highway overall to pull an RV?

The highways are all in good condition and no problem pulling an RV on. You will have no problems with your setup.

For the most part, they are 2 lane with several passing lanes along the route. You're traveling through the western slopes of the Rockies in the Columbia and Kootenay river valleys, so great scenery.

The best part is Radium to Castle Junction. Great climb out of Radium then down into the valley, then one big climb up Storm Mountain before meeting up with Hwy 1. Hwy 1 is 4 lane divided all the way into Banff.

Watch your speed as you will be in 2 national parks where the limit is 90 km/h. Keep an eye out for wildlife, bears, elk and sheep/goats.

[Ynot4me2]

I was there 1 1/2 yrs ago and what a beautiful place. The hardest part as a driver is keeping your eyes on the road. Like others said, you won't have issues with your setup but no fuel or cell from Radium to Banff. But that's only 100km. We stayed in Radium for 2 days. Wild life everywhere. Turkeys, mountain goats, elk, deer, bear. The hot springs was also nice and relaxing. I loved the road into Radium. It's cut right through the mountains.

[MikeRC]

Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park is heavily traveled by RV's of all sizes and even tandem magnesium ore carrying trucks hauling from the mine near Radium to the processing plant near Canmore, AB (https://www.baymag.com/about/). So lots of passing lanes. If you are staying in Banff you will need a Canadian National Park Pass for whatever length of time you will be in Banff or visiting any of the National Parks (https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/admission). You could pick it up at the new entry gate for Kootenay National Park just past the Hot Springs Pools (https://www.columbiavalleypioneer.co...n-this-summer/), but I'm not sure how easy it would be for your unit to get in. Or you can get your pass at the Banff or Lake Louise Information Centre after you have checked in to your campground and unhooked.

Make sure you fill up with fuel in Bonners Ferry, ID. Fuel in Canada is 20 to 35% more expensive than in the US. There are at least 3 gas stations that you can get your truck & trailer into along Main Street (Hwy 2/95). The Google Earth street level view even has a picture of the fuel truck pulled into the Chevron as a guide

Getting fuel in Cranbrook, Fairmont, Invermere or Radium is a bit trickier with a long unit so research them well if you plan to fuel up in BC. I stand to be corrected, but I think the only fuel station in Banff where you could fill with your trailer attached would be the Husky at 601 Banff Ave.

Mike C

[Tom Traveler]

Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park is heavily traveled by RV's of all sizes and even tandem magnesium ore carrying trucks hauling from the mine near Radium to the processing plant near Canmore, AB (https://www.baymag.com/about/). So lots of passing lanes.

Make sure you fill up with fuel in Bonners Ferry, ID. Fuel in Canada is 20 to 35% more expensive than in the US. There are at least 3 gas stations that you can get your truck & trailer into along Main Street (Hwy 2/95). The Google Earth street level view even has a picture of the fuel truck pulled into the Chevron as a guide

Getting fuel in Cranbrook, Fairmont, Invermere or Radium is a bit trickier with a long unit so research them well if you plan to fuel up in BC. I stand to be corrected, but I think the only fuel station in Banff where you could fill with your trailer attached would be the Husky at 601 Banff Ave.

Mike C

Upon turning east in Radium and entering Kootenay National Park, you go through Sinclair Canyon. It's like a Utah slot canyon, but for vehicles. The road is narrow and the sides slope in as they rise above the road. It's probably a couple of 100 meters long. We pulled our 380FL through there with a dually while staying on our side of the center line but when you first hit it, it's a bit daunting at 8'5" wide, 13'6" high, and 61' long. It appears, at first glance, to be worse than it actually is, but be prepared and go slow.

The easiest fill in Bonner's Ferry, ID is at the truck stop at the top of the hill about 3 miles north of Bonner's Ferry where US 2 from the east meets US 95.

It's about 260 miles from Bonner's Ferry to Banff, so depending upon your tank size and mileage, you may not need to fill again. If you do, we found Cranbrook to be tricky, especially with our 43' 380FL. We did find a Mobil station down next to a shopping center parking lot in the east end of town (north side of the road) that had good room at the end pump assuming the parking lot next to it isn't too crowded at the time. I've got to believe there's a truck stop somewhere in Cranbrook, but it is certainly not along the main road. If it a fueling looks iffy, I've found that a quick unhook, fill, and hookup is less stressful than worrying about getting stuck.

[MikeRC]

..........

The easiest fill in Bonner's Ferry, ID is at the truck stop at the top of the hill about 3 miles north of Bonner's Ferry where US 2 from the east meets US 95.

It's about 260 miles from Bonner's Ferry to Banff, so depending upon your tank size and mileage, you may not need to fill again. If you do, we found Cranbrook to be tricky, especially with our 43' 380FL. We did find a Mobil station down next to a shopping center parking lot in the east end of town (north side of the road) that had good room at the end pump assuming the parking lot next to it isn't too crowded at the time. I've got to believe there's a truck stop somewhere in Cranbrook, but it is certainly not along the main road. If it a fueling looks iffy, I've found that a quick unhook, fill, and hookup is less stressful than worrying about getting stuck.

You are absolutely correct. That station at the US95/ US2 intersection is the easiest to get in/out with a long unit. But I was reluctant to recommend it since Exxon sold it and it become a 3rd party station in the last couple of years. However, with more research I found it listed on the 76 site (https://www.76.com/station/U76-THREE...5?refer=psx_76).

There is a new Esso Station with diesel in Invermere, BC at the intersection of Cooper Rd and Hwy 93/95 (https://crossroads-market-esso.business.site/) that looks to have lots of space and direct in/out for a large unit.

Mike C

[Towingdude]

the wildlife can be dangerous on the roads, but the tourists slamming on the brakes in middle of highway, making U-turns in front of you is more dangerous! We travel through there every summer going down to Spokane and the roads are fine!
Enjoy the trip