Driving advice - Calgary to Kimberly BC

[taco.vidal]

Im driving out to Kimberly this long weekend. Ive never been out this way so I need help planning the best route. Google Maps gives me two options:
1. Head south from Calgary and then take the #3 through Crowsnest pass and then through Cranbrook to Kimberly
2. Head west from Calgary on the #1 then south on #93, then #95 through Invermere to Kimberly

Any thoughts on which route is better given long weekend traffic? I suspect weather (snow) shouldnt be a major worry. Or is it a toss up?

[burn_this_city]

The south route should have less traffic. A lot of people from Calgary have properties in Invermere.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I believe they are literally the same amount of time either way, but I'd agree with burn_this_city that the south route is likely to be faster, especially since you don't have to go through to 20-30kms of 90KM/H you have to do through Banff Park, and with a heavy consortium of campers and cabin folk heading West, plus a likely increase in police presence heading that way, and south seems the way to go.

[Canehdianman]

#1 will have a lot of slower traffic on it this weekend (RVs, people towing big boats, whatnot).

The south route will likely be faster, but longer.

[Northendzone]

i'd say that generally speaking, the south route has more roadway that is one lane each way - but it is likely to have less traffic.

I'd assume that all things being equal, I bet both ways are about the same amount of time.

[undercoverbrother]

Will you be leaving from the north or south of YYC.

If it is the south, take the cowboy trail to #3, turn right @ cranbrook.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Will you be leaving from the north or south of YYC.

If it is the south, take the cowboy trail to #3, turn right @ cranbrook.

Agree with this - any route from the south to Hwy 1 is a gong show nowadays.

You used to be able to slip around traffic on Hwy 8, but it's crazy now, and then you needed to take 22 the entire way, but that is bonkers now as well - not to mention the resulting log jam at 1 and 22 that is created from all this traffic nonsense.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Madman

Agree with this - any route from the south to Hwy 1 is a gong show nowadays.

You used to be able to slip around traffic on Hwy 8, but it's crazy now, and then you needed to take 22 the entire way, but that is bonkers now as well - not to mention the resulting log jam at 1 and 22 that is created from all this traffic nonsense.

to be specific:

Drive south on on #2 to Nanton, turn right at the south edge of Nanton, turn right onto 533, follow 533 (turn LEFT when you get to the dirty road and collee), continue till you hit 22 south (@ spray lakes) turn LEFT (south), when you hit #3 turn right (west), Drive west till you see the sign that says kimberly. turn right (north on Kimberly hwy) drive till you get to Kimberly.



Now pay attention, keep going till you hit Grub Steak Pizza, stop. Order a pizza, take it to your hotel/condo/home, eat and drink beer.

Have fun.

[sparky69]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

to be specific:

Drive south on on #2 to Nanton, turn right at the south edge of Nanton, turn right onto 533, follow 533 (turn LEFT when you get to the dirty road and collee), continue till you hit 22 south (@ spray lakes) turn LEFT (south), when you hit #3 turn right (west), Drive west till you see the sign that says kimberly. turn right (north on Kimberly hwy) drive till you get to Kimberly.

Now pay attention, keep going till you hit Grub Steak Pizza, stop. Order a pizza, take it to your hotel/condo/home, eat and drink beer.

Have fun.

Fixed

[Northendzone]

be warned, if you take this magical southern route, you will get to avoid the pure awesome fun that is the merge from hiway 22 north to hiway 1 west.......it was so awesome that the designer of this gave you about 200 feet to merge onto a a major hiway and deal with those who are going to that husky......

[T@T]

I always take the south route,and I live in the north

[NinePack]

Ive done both a lot, maybe experiment and take one way there and one way back and find out which one you like better. Ive had great experiences and bad experiences both routes. Highway 93 is my choice i like scenery.

[Jimmy Stang]

I used to do this annually, and typically I would drive there the South way (highway 22 is nicer than highway 2, for sure), and come home the other way. Keeps it interesting.

[jeffh]

Either way is decent. Highway 93 and #3 are both single lane roads with minimal passing lanes. Cowboy trail is pretty wide open for safe passing. And of course the #1 is a divided highway. The south way may have a bit more semi traffic. The north way may have more RV traffic. Careful on cowboy trail as the RCMP enjoy patrolling that highway too. The south way has a bit more fast food stops along the way. One more piece of advice is to buy your fuel in Alberta, i.e. Blairmore or Canmore.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

to be specific:

Drive south on on #2 to Nanton, turn right at the south edge of Nanton, turn right onto 533, follow 533 (turn LEFT when you get to the dirty road and collee), continue till you hit 22 south (@ spray lakes) turn LEFT (south), when you hit #3 turn right (west), Drive west till you see the sign that says kimberly. turn right (north on Kimberly hwy) drive till you get to Kimberly.

Hwy 540 just before Cayley is now fully paved. It's quicker, I've been told. Haven't tried it myself.

[trew]

I would drive both: take Invermere route on the way down, and Fernie/Crowsnest on the way back. Always drive the circuit.

Always.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

be warned, if you take this magical southern route, you will get to avoid the pure awesome fun that is the merge from hiway 22 north to hiway 1 west.......it was so awesome that the designer of this gave you about 200 feet to merge onto a a major hiway and deal with those who are going to that husky......

Merge??

It's even awesomer than that and is a Yield - weeee!

[driveway]

I prefer the scenery on the Crowsnest route. Really screams "Southern Alberta". It's like all the Anthony Hopkins scenes from Legends of the Fall without any of the other crap.

[j_j]

Originally Posted by bossy22

Hwy 540 just before Cayley is now fully paved. It's quicker, I've been told. Haven't tried it myself.

Just took this "new" route the other day. Everything about it is better than 533. It's quicker, straighter and flatter. This makes it easier on the gas, brakes and allows greater visibility to pick out deer.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

As someone who will be biking along highway 93 this weekend I'm gonna say go the southern route.

There is actually a pretty big cycling event going along highway 93 leaving first thing saturday morning, so if you'd like to avoid a couple hundred people on bikes, don't take that route.