Alberta: Prairies to Peaks

The Transition Province

Alberta is where the Trans-Canada transforms. You enter from Saskatchewan on flat prairie under big sky, and you leave through the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains at the continental divide. The change happens gradually at first — rolling foothills replace flat farmland somewhere around Calgary — and then suddenly you're driving into a wall of mountains west of the city.

This is the section of the Trans-Canada that looks like the postcards. The approach to the Rockies, the drive through Banff National Park, and the climb over the continental divide into British Columbia — it's the payoff for the thousands of flat kilometres behind you.

Saskatchewan Border to Calgary

The eastern half of Alberta's Trans-Canada is still prairie, but it's subtly different from Saskatchewan. The land rolls more. You start seeing coulees and eroded badlands topography. Medicine Hat, about 65 km past the border, is the first major stop and bills itself as "The Gas City" because it sits on top of massive natural gas reserves. Rudyard Kipling visited in 1907 and said the city had "all hell for a basement." Fuel is usually cheap here.

From Medicine Hat, it's 300 km to Calgary through Brooks and Strathmore. Brooks is near Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where some of the richest dinosaur fossil beds in the world have been excavated. It's about 45 minutes off the highway and worth it if paleontology interests you at all.

Calgary to the Rockies

The 130 km from Calgary to Banff is one of the most popular drives in Canada. The Trans-Canada climbs from Calgary's 1,045-metre elevation through the foothills into the front ranges. You'll see the Rockies long before you reach them — they appear as a jagged line on the western horizon from about Cochrane, 30 km west of Calgary.

Canmore, 20 km before Banff, has become a destination in its own right. Originally a coal mining town, it hosted events during the 1988 Calgary Olympics and has since developed into an upscale mountain town. It's also cheaper for accommodation and food than Banff itself.

For the detailed breakdown of this drive, see the Calgary to Banff route guide.

Banff National Park

The Trans-Canada runs through Banff National Park for about 85 km. You need a Parks Canada pass to stop anywhere in the park. Day passes cost $10.50 per person, or you can get a Discovery Pass for $72.25 that covers all national parks for a year. If you're just driving through without stopping, technically you don't need a pass, but enforcement is active at pullouts and trailheads.

The highway through the park is divided four-lane with wildlife fencing and overpasses — Banff has been a leader in wildlife corridor management. You'll see the famous wildlife overpasses (grassy bridges over the highway) that allow elk, bears, and other animals to cross safely. Despite the fencing, stay alert — animals occasionally get onto the highway.

Over the Continental Divide

Past Lake Louise, the Trans-Canada climbs to the continental divide at the BC border. The summit sits at about 1,640 metres at the Kicking Horse Pass. In winter, this section can be closed or require chains. In summer, it's a spectacular drive with views of the Great Divide and the beginning of the Columbia Valley on the BC side.

For the onward journey, see Banff to Kamloops and the British Columbia corridor guide.

Fuel and Services

Alberta fuel is typically the cheapest in western Canada thanks to lower provincial fuel taxes. Fill up in Calgary or Medicine Hat. Banff and Lake Louise have fuel but at premium prices. Canmore is slightly cheaper than Banff. Once you cross into BC, prices jump significantly.