Glacier National Park with a side trip through Canada

[DakotaRob]

I know a lot of folks have done the ride through Glacier National Park. I've been there a couple times but never on the bike.

We plan to start the trip in Great Falls, MT then head north west to Waterton Lakes NP in Canada. From there, we plan to continue north to Pincher Creek, AB and take route 3 west to Elko, BC where we can catch route 93 south to Eureka, MT. Then we'd go through Glacier National Park on the way back to Great Falls.

I've not been any further than Wateron Lakes NP in Alberta, does anyone have any input on that loop I plan to make through Canada?

My wife enjoys riding, but is not wanting to spend 10 days riding. She only wants to see that little bit of Canada and Glacier National Park. I get to do the ride solo from Eastern South Dakota to Great Falls and back. I'll pick her up and return her to the airport in Great Falls. So instead of a "fly and ride" it's more like "ride and get your bride then ride some and return your bride and ride some more"... not nearly as catchy of a phrase.

It works for us, she gets to do her dream ride and I get a few days of solo riding which I absolutely love to do. If time permits, I plan to do the Bear Tooth Highway on the way home.

Planning all this for mid-July.

 

[DakotaRob]

And if it helps... here is the overview map of the route. According to Google maps, it's a 640 mile trip.

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

My wife enjoys riding, but is not wanting to spend 10 days riding. She only wants to see that little bit of Canada and Glacier National Park. I get to do the ride solo from Eastern South Dakota to Great Falls and back. I'll pick her up and return her to the airport in Great Falls. So instead of a "fly and ride" it's more like "ride and get your bride then ride some and return your bride and ride some more"... not nearly as catchy of a phrase.

This formula worked for me in a different way last October. My wife doesn't even enjoy riding much so I left on a Saturday with JDPEagle and AJPanda (forum members) and took 3 days to ride from north Georgia down to Key West. My wife flew in Monday and hung out in Key West with us until her flight home Thursday. Then we went home up the east coast, stopping off for Biketoberfest. She got to see Key West and I got to put 2000 miles on the bike with 2 of my best friends!

 

[marcus22]

go into the Waterton lakes NP. there is a really cool hotel on a hill overlooking a lake and the mountains. it name is "Prince of wales hotel". get some nice pictures and maybe see some wildlife. I stayed there on my honeymoon with the wife and the bike. one of the best trips I have ever been on. can't tell you much about anything north of there. I did not go any further north, but I hear Banff and Jasper NP are really cool. have fun! it is a wonderful ride out there.

 

[dbinbc]

The whole area is great country to ride, very scenic, always changing. Be prepared for Canadian gas prices, they'll be quite shocking, and the Pincer Creek area and west to the Crow's Nest Pas can be very windy. You'll love the trip.

 

[DakotaRob]

Thanks for the info guys! I'm hoping to only have to buy a tank and half of fuel in Canada, we'll see. If gas prices down here take off like they are saying, maybe Canada prices won't be so bad.

We are considering staying at the Prince of Wales hotel, it's a bit spendy, but we'd only be there one night.

Would love to head up to Banff, but time won't allow for that this trip. The wife's priority is to see Glacier. We lived in MT for 5 years, and she never had a chance to get up there. Didn't have a bike during that time anyway, too busy managing toddlers.

 

[ChiroRick]

looks like some gorgeous riding up there...wish it wasn't so far from me...it would take me 4 days just to get there!