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Iconic drive · British Columbia & Alberta
Trans-Canada Rockies
Four national parks in a single mountain crossing on the Trans-Canada.
Overview
Highway 1 — the Trans-Canada — crosses the Rockies through four national parks in a single day, but rewards a full week of stops. Calgary to Revelstoke covers 530 km of mountain highway, four Continental Divide-adjacent parks (Banff, Yoho, Glacier, Mount Revelstoke), and some of the country's most-photographed viewpoints.
The eastern half runs through Banff National Park — Canmore, Banff townsite, Lake Louise — before crossing Kicking Horse Pass into Yoho National Park in BC. Yoho holds Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge, and the Takakkaw Falls spur road. The valley town of Golden marks the halfway point and the drop into the Columbia Trench.
West of Golden, Highway 1 climbs through Glacier National Park's Rogers Pass — a snow-avalanche battleground with the country's most active winter closure program — and then into Mount Revelstoke's cedar-hemlock rainforest. The Meadows-in-the-Sky Parkway above Revelstoke closes the trip with a wildflower drive to 2,000 m.
Distance
530 km
Calgary → Revelstoke
National parks
4
Banff, Yoho, Glacier, Mount Revelstoke
Highest point
1,330 m
Kicking Horse Pass
Park pass
Required
Parks Canada Discovery Pass
The route
From start to finish
An approximate path through 7 key waypoints along the drive.
Driving times
Leg by leg
425 km across 5 legs. Times exclude stops, ferries, and weather contingencies.
| # | From → To | Distance | Driving time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Calgary → Banff | 130 km | 1h 30m | East Gate + Cascade Ponds |
| 02 | Banff → Lake Louise | 60 km | 0h 45m | Moraine Lake detour |
| 03 | Lake Louise → Field | 30 km | 0h 25m | Kicking Horse Pass |
| 04 | Field → Golden | 55 km | 0h 45m | Emerald Lake spur |
| 05 | Golden → Revelstoke | 150 km | 1h 50m | Rogers Pass |
| Total | 425 km | 5h+ | Drive time only |
Day by day
The itinerary
A suggested route designed to balance driving time with the stops that matter.
Calgary to Banff
Enter the park via the East Gate, stop at Cascade Ponds, and overnight at the Fairmont Banff Springs or downtown Banff.
Banff to Yoho
Detour to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake at dawn, then cross Kicking Horse Pass to Emerald Lake and overnight at Emerald Lake Lodge.
Yoho to Golden
Takakkaw Falls spur, hike to Wapta Falls, and drop to Golden for a Kicking Horse River evening.
Rogers Pass & Revelstoke
Cross Glacier National Park, visit the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre, and continue to Revelstoke for a Powder House Café dinner.
Meadows in the Sky
Drive the Meadows-in-the-Sky Parkway to the summit of Mount Revelstoke; wildflowers late July through August.
When to drive
Month by month
Best window: June – October. Plan around shoulder months for fewer crowds at the cost of variable weather.
Budget
Three ways to drive it
Smart
$260–$380/ day
- Drive days
- 4–5
- Lodging
- HI hostels, park campgrounds
- Food
- Bistros + groceries
- Experiences
- Self-drive + free viewpoints
Mid
$480–$780/ day
- Drive days
- 5
- Lodging
- Emerald Lake Lodge, Prestige Revelstoke
- Food
- Cedar House Golden, Terra Firma's
- Experiences
- Rogers Pass Centre + Meadows drive
Premium
$1,300+/ day
- Drive days
- 5–6
- Lodging
- Fairmont Banff Springs, Post Hotel Lake Louise
- Food
- 1888 Chop House, Walliser Stube
- Experiences
- Heli-tour Rogers Pass + private lake guide
Editorial picks
Where to stop, sleep, and eat
Lodging
Emerald Lake Lodge
Yoho NP
1902 log lodge on a private island in a turquoise lake — the classic Yoho stay.
Stop
Takakkaw Falls
Yoho NP
254 m waterfall reached by a 15-minute road spur — Canada's second-highest.
Operator
Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
Glacier NP
Free Parks Canada centre with the avalanche-artillery exhibit — the highway's essential stop.
Eat
The Woolsey Creek Café
Revelstoke
Farm-to-table finish for the drive west into the Columbias.
Signature stops
Don't miss
Lake Louise
Emerald Lake
Takakkaw Falls
Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
Meadows in the Sky Parkway
Before you go
The prep checklist.
Practical things to lock in before you leave the driveway.
- One Discovery Pass covers all four parks — buy online.
- Moraine Lake road is shuttle-only Jun–Oct; reserve tickets in advance.
- Rogers Pass sees frequent 1–4 hr closures for avalanche control in winter.
- Winter tires required Oct 1 – Apr 30.
- Meadows in the Sky Parkway opens roughly July 1 – early October.
Where this road leads
Related destinations
Good to know
Frequently
asked.
Practical answers from travellers who have driven this route.
- Is one park pass enough?
- Yes — a Parks Canada Discovery Pass covers all four parks on this route, valid for a full year.
- Best time for larches?
- Mid-to-late September in the Lake Louise area (Larch Valley, Sentinel Pass) — the window is about two weeks and cannot be predicted precisely.
- Winter driving?
- The Trans-Canada stays open year-round, but Rogers Pass sees frequent closures for avalanche control (typically 1–4 hours). Winter tires required Oct 1 – Apr 30.
Planning the bigger trip?
Read our full guide to Canadian road-trip itineraries.
Along this route
Parks, camps, and cities on the drive
Every place below is within a comfortable side-trip of the route waypoints — surfaced automatically from our national-park, provincial-park, campground, and city datasets.
Nearby national parks
Nearby provincial parks
Nearby campgrounds
Cities along the way
Travel styles
Related experiences
Adventure
Glacier hikes, sea kayaking, and heli-skiing across two oceans and three mountain ranges.
Explore →Luxury
Fairmont castles, wilderness lodges, and tasting menus framed by mountains and sea.
Explore →Family Travel
Wildlife safaris, island ferries, and lodges designed for shared discovery.
Explore →Food & Drink
Niagara wines, Atlantic lobster suppers, Montréal bagels, and Pacific oysters.
Explore →Plan smarter
Related travel guides
Getting Around · 8 min
Getting Around Canada
Flights, trains, road trips, and ferries — how to cross the world's second-largest country.
Read guide →Planning & Permits · 6 min
National & Provincial Parks Pass Guide
How to use the Discovery Pass, when to book ahead, and the lesser-known parks that rival Banff without the crowds.
Read guide →What to Pack · 6 min
Packing by Season
A season-by-season packing list for a country that swings from -40°C in February to +35°C in July.
Read guide →Money & Budget · 5 min
Money, Tipping & Daily Costs
How much to budget per day, how tipping really works, and where to get the best exchange rate.
Read guide →Keep exploring
Other road trips
Alberta
Icefields Parkway
Lake Louise to Jasper through a corridor of glaciers, turquoise lakes, and roadside grizzlies.
Explore →British Columbia
Sea-to-Sky Highway
Vancouver to Whistler along the Howe Sound fjord — waterfalls, granite walls, and ocean on one side.
Explore →Alberta
Cowboy Trail (Highway 22)
Waterton Lakes to Mayerthorpe along Highway 22 — cattle country, foothills panoramas, and rodeo towns.
Explore →Alberta
Kananaskis Country Loop
Canmore to Longview via Highway 40 and the Highwood Pass — alpine meadows, larch groves, and grizzly country half an hour from Calgary.
Explore →Time it right
Nearby events & festivals
Events along the Trans-Canada Rockies route — worth timing your trip around.
Vancouver – Banff, bc
Rocky Mountaineer Signature Season
Lake Louise, ab
SnowDays / Ice Magic Festival (Banff & Lake Louise)
Rotates (host CFL city), ca
Grey Cup Festival
Calgary, ab
Calgary Stampede
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