GlennB
San Diego, CA
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In early July my wife and I will be towing our 30 ft. 5th-wheel from Cochrane, AB (near Calgary) to just south of Winnipeg where we'll cross back into the US. Tentative plan is to cross near Lake of the Woods.
A few days ago on this same forum I asked for suggestions on touring Kananaskis Country and several of you gave me some wonderful suggestions. So now I'm asking for suggestions for this next phase of our big trip. This will be our first visit to the central Provinces and I know very little about them.
In general, we tend to travel the smaller backroads instead of the major highways as we feel we see more of the countryside that way.
With that in mind, I ask for suggestions on routes to take, things to see, and places to camp. Boondocking is fine with us, as long as we're in a safe area and it's legal.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Glenn
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chipou
Alberta
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We are doing almost the same trip. Airdrie to Kenora. We are stopping just outside of Moose Jaw at Buffalo pound PP. Very nice campground. The drive can be a bit boring. Moose Jaw has some neat tours and a mineral spa. We've also stayed at Dinosaur PP campground and Kinbrook Island PP near Brooks. Also very nice places.
maybe we'll see you on the road.
Happy travels
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JMTTS
52.1122 N, 106.5625 W
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You might want to head south at Brandon and cross into the states at the International Peace Gardens.
J & M
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GeeksRUs
Sundre Alberta
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Unless you have a specific need to visit eastern Saskatchewan, Manitoba or western Ontario, you might want to consider heading south to Minot after you visit Moose Jaw. Then head east on #2.
This is the way I head when traveling east from Calgary... #2 is a great road... the TC highway thru Manitoba is a horror show, worse that I5 in California & I10 in Louisiana.
Have a great trip! EH!
GeeksRUs
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cruiserjs
Aurora, CO, USA/ Mesa AZ/ openroad
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Back roads and lots of time eh? OK then from Cochrane go north on 22and check ut Big Hill Springs PP, then continue to Cremona. East on 580 to 1A, south thru' Crossfield (my "ancestral home" then east on 72/9 to Drumheller. Several good places to overnight here, and tour the Tyrell Museum and badlands.SE on 570 to the Big Stone and S. on 884 to Suffield. E on the TCH through Medicine Hat to 41 and south to Elkwater in the Cypress Hills PP.
Then N to the TCH and E. into Saskatchewan. At Maple Creek south on 271 to Ft. Walsh Historic Site. Back to Maple Creek then S. on 21 to 13. East on 13 to Assiniboia. N. on 2 to Moose Jaw and the TCH to Regina (I suggest Dyer's Strait Rv Park at White City -just east of Regina). Regina has the RCMP headquarters and Museum plus the Provincial Museum. Tehn make your way into Manitoba. At Brandon go south to visit the International Peace Gardens, on the ND border. You could cross there but if not back towards Winnipeg and east to lake of the Woods country and pick your crossing.
You did ask for this did you not?? Enjoy!
John
Colorado Cruiser
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wonderful lifetime travelling companion/spouse
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bobofthenorth
Nipawin, SK
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The best advice to avoid terminal boredom when crossing Saskatchewan is to stay off of #1 Highway (the so-called TransCanada Highway). From Calgary if you go through Drumheller and then go north towards Hanna (#9 highway in Alberta; #7 in Sask.) that will take you into Saskatoon. At Saskatoon you can get on what we used to call the Yellowhead highway - its got some trendy new name now that I forget at the moment. Its a much more scenic route than #1 and not significantly more distance. And just a word of warning, the previous poster has advised travel in SW Sask - we're there right now and I'll agree - its scenic but most of the roads are worse than what we see in Mexico. And that's no exageration.
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Victor Benz
Stony Plain, AB
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Done this trip several times. A couple of "don't miss" spots are:
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (both provinces, but more choice on the Alberta side)
- Sherwood Forest Campground SE of Regina. Grear spot to spend a couple of days and see the area.
- Riding Mountain Provincial Park north of Brandon.
Vic
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lesmore49
canada
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I can't believe some of the stuff I'm reading here.
I love the trip across the prairies from Alberta to Manitoba. But I'm a prairie boy and obviously there are a few who don't know or enjoy the Prairies. It may be flat, but the waving fields of golden grain..it always does something to me.
Come to Winnipeg, you may want to see the Forks or go to Assiniboine Park Zoo to see the White Buffalo.Assiniboine Park Zoo Go to the Museum of Man and Nature and see the Nonsuch, a life size replica of an ancient British ship that searched the Hundson Bay area in 1668 for furs.Nonsuch Gallery.A little bit North of Winnipeg is Lower Fort Garry, an original British fort from the 1830's, where the Canadian West began. Lower Fort GarryThe Hudson Bay company had one of it's biggest fur trading centres . Lord Selkirk brought some of the first European settlers from Scotland in the early 1800's who were among the earliest settlers in Western Canada. The North West Mounted Police were here (Fort Garry) during their Western trek in 1873, when they were first established in Canada.
Stop off at Regina and see the RCMP training centre, with new recruits undergoing training and the fabulous RCMP museum.
There's lots more, I would suggest you check out the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Tourism centres for more info.
* This post was
edited 06/07/08 03:29pm by lesmore49 *
lesmore49
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The band guy
Saskatchewan
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I too am a prairie boy, but I understand that not everyone likes long stretches of straight highway with lots of visability. hee-hee
Other stops along the way.
-Saskatchewan Landing PP just north of Swift Current
-Cypress Hills PP south of Maple Creek
-Moose Jaw:the tunnels of Moose Jaw, the spa, Western Development Museum. Also look at camping at Moose Jaw River Park. In town, not the one on the highway.
-Regina: posters have already mentioned some of the highlights, but also check out the Saskatchewan Science Center
Just west of Brandon there is a town with a long swinging bridge. I've been there once and it seems like a nice little town. Just can't remember the name...
Winnipeg: The Forks is a must see
Happy travels
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lesmore49
canada
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The band guy wrote:I too am a prairie boy, but I understand that not everyone likes long stretches of straight highway with lots of visability. hee-hee
Other stops along the way.
-Saskatchewan Landing PP just north of Swift Current
-Cypress Hills PP south of Maple Creek
-Moose Jaw:the tunnels of Moose Jaw, the spa, Western Development Museum. Also look at camping at Moose Jaw River Park. In town, not the one on the highway.
-Regina: posters have already mentioned some of the highlights, but also check out the Saskatchewan Science Center
Just west of Brandon there is a town with a long swinging bridge. I've been there once and it seems like a nice little town. Just can't remember the name... Fellow prairie boy...the town is Souris. We took a boat trip (small boat) tour of the Souris River when there, a number of years ago. Very enjoyable.
Winnipeg: The Forks is a must see
Happy travels
Another place to visit that is well worth any airplane fan's time is the Western Canada Aviation Museum Western Canada Aviation Museumin Winnipeg. Everything from a Junkers flying Boxcar to early Bush planes and a lot more.
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