
Mountain Towns of Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise
After an hour’s drive you pass through and by Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise before hitting the British Columbia border
Banff National Park is a major vacation destination, and many visitors take an extra day or two to drive north up the Icefields Parkway into Jasper National Park. *see below)
Crownest Route in Alberta Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 3)
Here is the route of the Crowsnest Highway (#2) from east to west:
The Crowsnest Highway starts at Medicine Hat, Alberta and moves west in the southern part of the province, moving to Lethbridge (connecting south to US Interstate 15), and then Fort MacLeod (connecting to Highway 2 to Calgary and Edmonton). From there is moves through Pincher Creek and the Pikani Reserver, past a wide swath of wind turbines generating power for the province’s utilities, and the meandering past Crowsnest Mountain and through the Crowsnest Pass before entering BC.
Edmonton is the gateway to the North, and has been for many years. First during the Klondike Gold Rush, then during the bush plane era, and then as the start of the Alaska highway. Edmonton’s 1,300,000 residents (2017) are in the middle of the bulk of Alberta’s oil & gas fields.
Yellowhead Route in Alberta Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 16)
Here is the route of the Yellowhead Highway (#16) from east to west:
The Yellowhead Highway enters the province of Alberta at Lloydminster (noted not only for its oil industry, but as the only city in Saskatchewan that is taxed as if in the province of Alberta). The highway meanders through the gentle and lush farm lands of eastern Alberta. About 150 kilometres from the border, you pass through Vegreville, the heart of the Ukrainian community in Alberta. You then pass through Elk Island National Park, with a herd of wood bison before arriving in Edmonton.
Edmonton is the gateway to the North, and has been for many years. First during the Klondike Gold Rush, then during the bush plane era, and then as the start of the Alaska highway. Edmonton’s 1,300,000 residents (2017) are in the middle of the bulk of Alberta’s oil & gas fields.