Canada Dryve
October 28, 2023 6:35 PM Subscribe
Thinking about driving from Denver to Fairbanks via Banff next summer. Accompanying me will be Marley (anticipated tax)
Looking for any advice or suggestions but some specific things:
What do I need to bring a dog into Canada?
Do I need proof of my Covid vaccinations (I am fully vaxxed)?
I prefer decent hotels/motels, so any recommendations along the route are appreciated.
I would be in no hurry and would not want to turn the drive into a grind, so suggestions about places to stop a couple days are welcome.
Also the return route might be more western, a target being to go by Mt. Shasta in northern CA but avoiding Seattle/Portland along the way.
Looking for any advice or suggestions but some specific things:
What do I need to bring a dog into Canada?
Do I need proof of my Covid vaccinations (I am fully vaxxed)?
I prefer decent hotels/motels, so any recommendations along the route are appreciated.
I would be in no hurry and would not want to turn the drive into a grind, so suggestions about places to stop a couple days are welcome.
Also the return route might be more western, a target being to go by Mt. Shasta in northern CA but avoiding Seattle/Portland along the way.
What do you like to do? Are you looking for outdoor things (what kinds, at what level)? Town things? Sightseeing? Adventure? Food? Culture?
posted by ssg at 7:48 PM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ssg at 7:48 PM on October 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
To bring an adult dog from the U.S. to visit Canada requires only a rabies vaccination certificate adequately describing the dog and the vaccination dose--your vet will probably have a suitable form. You must declare the dog at your port of entry (but good luck trying to hide that handsome devil anyway!), as well as any dog food/treats you are bringing with you. They will look at the certificate and glance at your dog to verify that he is not visibly unwell/being transported unsafely. Straightforward compared to the requirements of many other countries.
And, while you definitely want to have your paperwork in order, my experience is that when driving across a land border they don't typically actually check your dog's paperwork.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:00 PM on October 28, 2023 [2 favorites]
And, while you definitely want to have your paperwork in order, my experience is that when driving across a land border they don't typically actually check your dog's paperwork.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:00 PM on October 28, 2023 [2 favorites]
The Milepost is a good recommendation.
If you're plannning a round trip (as it sounds like you are) you might want to take the ALCAN one direction and the Cassiar the other. The Cassiar Highway is less well known and less traveled than the ALCAN.
If you want to really mix things up on the return leg (and still make it a goal to avoid Seattle & Portland) you could travel the Cassiar on your southern trip and when you reach Kitwanga you could turn west towards Prince Rupert instead of east towards Prince George, allowing you to drive the western end of the Yellowhead Highway through the beautiful Skeena River Valley. From Prince Rupert, with planning you could catch a BC Ferry to Port Hardy (double-check this - my last travel on this route is not recent) and then could continue your southern drive down the length of Vancouver Island rather than well into the interior of BC. As a bonus this would allow you to skip Prince George, which is always my recommendation for travelers.
From the southern end of Vancouver Island you could take a short Victoria to Port Angeles ferry sailing across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and continue your trip southward on the Olympic Peninsula rather than I-5 through the Seattle / Tacoma / Portland corridor.
This'd also give you some proper ferry time but not too much of it - I'm a big fan of ferry travel along the Inside Passage but you will want to limit how much you take on because you're traveling with an animal companion and a multi-day ferry trip, while wonderful for humans, is not fair to a dog. Prince Rupert to Port Hardy is still about 15 hours and dogs must remain in vehicles with only occasional visits and sanitation breaks so maybe that's too much. If you do opt for a ferry sailing make your reservations WELL in advance.
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:25 PM on October 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
If you're plannning a round trip (as it sounds like you are) you might want to take the ALCAN one direction and the Cassiar the other. The Cassiar Highway is less well known and less traveled than the ALCAN.
If you want to really mix things up on the return leg (and still make it a goal to avoid Seattle & Portland) you could travel the Cassiar on your southern trip and when you reach Kitwanga you could turn west towards Prince Rupert instead of east towards Prince George, allowing you to drive the western end of the Yellowhead Highway through the beautiful Skeena River Valley. From Prince Rupert, with planning you could catch a BC Ferry to Port Hardy (double-check this - my last travel on this route is not recent) and then could continue your southern drive down the length of Vancouver Island rather than well into the interior of BC. As a bonus this would allow you to skip Prince George, which is always my recommendation for travelers.
From the southern end of Vancouver Island you could take a short Victoria to Port Angeles ferry sailing across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and continue your trip southward on the Olympic Peninsula rather than I-5 through the Seattle / Tacoma / Portland corridor.
This'd also give you some proper ferry time but not too much of it - I'm a big fan of ferry travel along the Inside Passage but you will want to limit how much you take on because you're traveling with an animal companion and a multi-day ferry trip, while wonderful for humans, is not fair to a dog. Prince Rupert to Port Hardy is still about 15 hours and dogs must remain in vehicles with only occasional visits and sanitation breaks so maybe that's too much. If you do opt for a ferry sailing make your reservations WELL in advance.
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:25 PM on October 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
I’d suggest staying in Canmore, not Banff, since there’s typically better availability and lower prices, for both hotels and restaurants. And trying to get all the way to Grande Prairie in a day means not stopping much on the Icefields Parkway, which would be a shame.
As for the return, I’ll second the Cassiar as an option. Used to be gravel, but a quick Street View spot check seems to indicate that it’s paved now. Supremely lonely road in beautiful countryside. When you get further south, just pick an interesting route through the BC interior — I highly recommend Wells Grey for the waterfalls and Nelson because it’s Nelson.
posted by irrelephant at 9:27 AM on October 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
As for the return, I’ll second the Cassiar as an option. Used to be gravel, but a quick Street View spot check seems to indicate that it’s paved now. Supremely lonely road in beautiful countryside. When you get further south, just pick an interesting route through the BC interior — I highly recommend Wells Grey for the waterfalls and Nelson because it’s Nelson.
posted by irrelephant at 9:27 AM on October 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
In 2010 a friend joined me for a road trip and we drove the Cassiar from the Yellowhead to the Alcan and to the best of my ability to recall it is paved the whole way.
Wells Grey is further inland than I would probably swing but if you go by it I agree that it is worth a visit and you might wind up in that area - because on the BC mainland there is simply no long-distance route that follows the coast between (approximately) Whistler and Prince Rupert. It seems crazy that that's the case - until you fly over the Coast Range and see the mountainous coast cut by many fjords. Anyway, Wells Grey is a bit of a sidetrack from the main road but not hugely so by western Canada standards and its spectacular scenic falls are pretty accessible from the road within the park, making it a good visit candidate while on a through-drive.
I also agree that lodging on either side of Banff is probably easier than Banff itself. Jasper's not a bad place, either. I'm not sure if all of the campgrounds around Banff are like this but the one I remember was surrounded by electrified fences to deter bears. I didn't find it all that relaxing but it fit my budget and the surrounding area's scenery absolutely lives up to its world-famous reputation.
posted by Nerd of the North at 6:13 PM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Wells Grey is further inland than I would probably swing but if you go by it I agree that it is worth a visit and you might wind up in that area - because on the BC mainland there is simply no long-distance route that follows the coast between (approximately) Whistler and Prince Rupert. It seems crazy that that's the case - until you fly over the Coast Range and see the mountainous coast cut by many fjords. Anyway, Wells Grey is a bit of a sidetrack from the main road but not hugely so by western Canada standards and its spectacular scenic falls are pretty accessible from the road within the park, making it a good visit candidate while on a through-drive.
I also agree that lodging on either side of Banff is probably easier than Banff itself. Jasper's not a bad place, either. I'm not sure if all of the campgrounds around Banff are like this but the one I remember was surrounded by electrified fences to deter bears. I didn't find it all that relaxing but it fit my budget and the surrounding area's scenery absolutely lives up to its world-famous reputation.
posted by Nerd of the North at 6:13 PM on October 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
All dog food and treats need to be in their original packaging. Dog food containing lamb is not allowed to be brought over the border, although in practice they will often let you off with a warning. Other than that, just a rabies vaccine with paperwork from the vet and pup is good to go. Dog food is very expensive in Canada, roughly 2x US prices, so definitely bring enough fothw whole trip if possible.
All you need is your passport. From Denver I would 100% stop at Devil's Tower on the way north. It is truly incredible. I stayed at the Hulett Motel which is about 15 minutes from the park and it was really nice.
posted by ananci at 6:15 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
All you need is your passport. From Denver I would 100% stop at Devil's Tower on the way north. It is truly incredible. I stayed at the Hulett Motel which is about 15 minutes from the park and it was really nice.
posted by ananci at 6:15 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by Johnny Assay at 7:29 PM on October 28, 2023 [2 favorites]