The highest spot on the Trans-Canada is Kicking Horse Pass (on the Alberta-BC border, the continental divide) with an elevation of 1643 m, which incidentally is 316 m higher than the Rogers Pass. The Rogers Pass portion of the highway was paved in 1962, completing the coast-to-coast highway (see more complete history of the highway).
The Trans-Canada Highway (see Highway Map) links several provincial highways, some of which are 4-lane divided, but many stretches (much through isolated wilderness and agricultural land) are still 2 lanes. It connects Highway #1 in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba (where #16 is the northern Yellowhead Route, and #3 is the southern Crowsnest Route), with #17 in Ontario (#69, #12, #7 in the southern route), #40, #20 and #85 in Quebec, #2 in New Brunswick, #104 and #105 in Nova Scotia, and #1 in PEI and in Newfoundland.
There is no Trans-Canada Highway through the Yukon, Northwest Territories, or in Nunavut (nor in Newfoundland’s Labrador). And there is not Trans-Canada Highway through Toronto (but we have routes to take you to/from there!) . See our travel itineraries for “everything-you-can-see” details of each section of the highway.
We’ve also compiled our list of top “must see” attractions along the way. This list has 14 items that we feel characterizes Canada and the Canadian experience. The mid-point of the highway is at Batchwana Bay, just north of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, on the Sault to Wawa segment, which was opened in 1963. We appreciate your feedback.
For detailed maps for each province, click on its name at the TOP OF THE PAGE. Or you can click on the MAP to view specific route itineraries.