Calgary Travel Answers

It's doable, the most direct route to Mammoth Hot Springs inside the Park will take you about 10 hours via Alberta 2 south to US 287 south, so with stops for food and viewing other areas your looking at 12 to 14 hours. Three days should be plenty of time in Yellowstone. As an ex tour bus driver from years ago, we would give three day bus tours of the park and our guests would see just about everything and that included a day trip to the Tetons. For the return you could exit the park at NE exit and go to Red Lodge and from there home, giving you a different road to travel. Take a look at google maps for small and interesting towns along the way

Great reply. Many thanks.

2 weeks ago we did Mammoth to Glacier in 6 1/2 hours. Waterton National Park was another hour from there and I believe Calgary is 2 hours further? It's very doable and a great ride. I'm estimating you can easily do this in under 10 hours!

Many thanks - really helpful.

I would say about 1 day driving each way with stops along the way. The whole drive is pretty scenic. The border crossing wasn't too bad either way (compared to like say Vancouver). It is okay to go different ways. In Canada I visited Yoho National Park and loved it. Hopefully you are also visiting Glacier National Park and Waterton in Canada. There is a cute small German themed town in Canada called Kimberly which may be on your route if you went from Banff down to the US. Really good cute ice cream shop there. There is also Cardston in Canada which has a changing of the guard and is a cute town.

Many thanks. As an expert on the park, could you tell me how best to navigate round the park - best sights etc - in three days. Want to see Old Faithful and not miss Grand Tetons. Many thanks, Peter

Thanks very much - could you tell me which entrance of the park i'll be going into. many thanks, Peter

You'll be coming in on the North entrance of the park, by Gardiner, it is also the original entrance to the park and has a historic marker at the entrance. From there you will continue to Mammoth. I was just recently in Mammoth and sadly, much of Mammoth has dried up. The terraces are barely recognizable even to what they were since I was last in that area 4 years ago. The thermo features are changing drastically. If I was you, I'd do the following schedule. I would overnight in Mammoth if you've completed a straight through 10 hour drive from Calgary. Following morning, I would head to Canyon, see Canyon and continue around the outside Eastern edge of the park towards Lake Village - it would be worthy stopping for lunch here as it is a pleasant lodge. From here continue to Grant Village and on to Old Faithful and overnight in Old Faithful area for 2 nights (if you're planning on a 3 day visit). You will have the opportunity this way to visit and get the most out of lower and upper geyser basin as well as taking early morning/evening strolls throughout the boardwalk area of Old Faithful or taking in the regular eruptions of the geyser at your leisure. So now you have 1 night Mammoth and 2 nights at Old Faithful having caught sight seeing along the way in between including Lake region. Head to Tetons for additional 4 nights lodging outside park in Jackson Hole proper or if you wish, at one of the many lodges. Tetons is a fairly small park so you can easily make the daily trips in/out of Jackson and still access the park providing you're willing to drive (which I suggest to see the most of the animals). Homer

Many thanks, Homer. Could you suggest a nice town to stop in between Calgery and Yellowstone? Thanks, Peter

Stop as in overnight or stop as to eat/rest a few? I have to admit - Montana - other than the general sights/landscape was not my favorite as to cities. I found them very limited at best and "odd". Keep in mind that we've traveled a lot throughout the US and are, ourselves, from a large city. Great Falls seemed to have the most as to places to eat, shop, etc. Bozeman - a little closer to Yellowstone was small but also semi well equipped. I am just being honest - no insult intended towards anyone. We didn't really care for Montana. I much prefer Idaho, Wyoming & Utah. Homer