Banff to Kamloops

Route Overview

This is the Trans-Canada at its most dramatic. The highway crosses the continental divide at Kicking Horse Pass, descends into the Columbia Valley through Golden, climbs back over Rogers Pass through the Selkirk Mountains, and then follows river valleys through Revelstoke and Salmon Arm before reaching the dry interior at Kamloops. You cross two mountain ranges, pass through two national parks, and the scenery shifts from alpine peaks to semi-arid grassland in a single day of driving.

This section demands more attention than anything since Northern Ontario. The grades are steep, curves are tight on the pass descents, and weather can change within minutes. In winter, chain requirements and pass closures are common. Even in summer, construction and heavy RV traffic can slow things down.

Banff to Lake Louise (55 km)

The first section follows the Bow River through Banff National Park. The highway is divided four-lane with wildlife fencing. Lake Louise village sits at the junction with the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North), one of the most scenic roads in the world running 230 km to Jasper. The lake itself is about 4 km off the highway and the parking lot fills by 9 AM in summer. If you want to see it, arrive early or take the Parks Canada shuttle.

Kicking Horse Pass to Golden (80 km)

Past Lake Louise, the highway climbs to Kicking Horse Pass (1,627 m) at the Alberta-BC border and the continental divide. The descent into BC is steep, with grades up to 8% on some sections. The old 10-km descent has runaway lanes for trucks. This section is being upgraded to four lanes — the Kicking Horse Canyon project — but expect construction delays for several years.

Rogers Pass (150 km: Golden to Revelstoke)

The Trans-Canada climbs from Golden through Glacier National Park and over Rogers Pass (1,330 m) in the Selkirk Mountains. This section features snowsheds (concrete tunnels over the highway to protect from avalanches), steep grades, and tight curves. The Rogers Pass Discovery Centre, near the summit, explains the history of the pass and the avalanche control program.

Parks Canada operates the most active avalanche control program in the world here. They use howitzers and Gazex exploders to trigger controlled avalanches. When control operations are underway, the highway closes. In winter, delays of 1-4 hours are possible. Check DriveBC before heading out.

Revelstoke to Kamloops (210 km)

From Revelstoke, the highway follows the Columbia River south through the Eagle Pass to Sicamous, then runs along Shuswap Lake through Salmon Arm to Kamloops. The landscape transitions dramatically — from mountain forest to the dry grasslands and sagebrush hills of the Thompson Plateau.

Continue to Vancouver on the Kamloops to Vancouver route through the Fraser Canyon.