Tour the Canadian Rockies

Driving to and from Alaska offers you a wide variety of options when crossing Canada. One of the best of these is stopping to explore both Banff and Jasper national parks, both on the Alberta-British Columbia border. On our last visit a couple of years ago, we saw dozens of elk, deer, black bear, mountain goats and bighorn sheep right next to the roads running through the parks. These are great parks for wildlife viewing.

But, the real treat when visiting these parks is to drive along the spine of the Canadian Rockies on the Icefield Parkway between the cities of Banff and Jasper, about a 160 miles on a road also known as Highway 93. The views are absolutely stunning, and you'll find yourself pulling over frequently just to soak it all in. Best to allow a full day for this drive. Be aware, though, there are a couple of long, steep stretches on this road. Otherwise it is a first class highway in all respects.