Proposed Route - Banff to Winnipeg

2010 Cycle Tour Across Canada Route

For my route across the Canadian Prairies to Winnipeg, I'm avoiding the direct, but heavily trafficked, Trans-Canada Highway (Route #1) for obvious reasons. I've decided to track eastwards between the Trans-Canada and the Yellowhead (Route #16), on a near parallel less travelled route that roughly bi-sects these two major roads.

After a short stretch on the #1 from Banff to Canmore, I'll take the Bow Valley Trail (#1A) to Cochrane and then skirt just north of the city of Calgary, before arriving at Drumheller. Drumheller is the self-proclaimed "Dinosaur Capital of the World" (!) in the heart of the Canadian Badlands. Just before Drumheller I'll pass the dramatic geological feature of Horseshoe Canyon. After that excitement, my route continues across the prairies for 1,300 km and doesn't visit a major town or city until Winnipeg!

On this leg of my journey, I'll cross two further province borders (Saskatchewan and Manitoba), travel along plenty of horizon spearing straight roads (the #15 to Nokomis appears straight for over 100km!) and probably experience some ridiculous headwinds (and maybe the occasional tailwind if I'm lucky). I'll also see quite a lot of evidence of farming.

Elevation Profile

Incidently, my route across the prairies is based on the route suggested in a book I have owned for many years - Cycling Canada: Bicycle Touring in Canada (ISBN 0933201702) by John M. Smith. Although this book was published in the mid-90's (and may be somewhat out of date), I'm using the author's broad suggestions for routing away from certain parts of the Trans-Canada Highway both on this leg across the prairies and the next leg, when I'm planning to go south of Lake Superior and spend a few days across the border in the United States.

Placename or POI	Dir.	Road	Highway Name	Next POI	Total Km
Banff	SE	#1	Trans Canada Hwy	23	1,418
Canmore	SE	#1A	Bow Valley Trail	73	1,441
Cochrane	NE	#22	Cowboy Trail	8	1,514
	E	#567	Big Hill Springs Rd	21	1,523
	N	#772	Symons Valley Rd	3	1,544
	E	#567	Airdrie Road	11	1,547
Airdrie				29	1,558

Alberta Highway #9

	N	#9		12	1,587
Beiseker	E	#9		63	1,599
Drumheller	N	#9		77	1,662
Hanna				53	1,738
Youngstown				31	1,791
Cereal				58	1,822

Alberta / Saskatchewan Province Border

Alsask	NE	#7		60	1,880
Kindersley				83	1,940
Rosetown	S	#4		5	2,023

Saskatchewan Highway #15

	E	#15		67	2,028
Outlook				56	2,095
Kenaston				87	2,151
Nokomis	S	#20		10	2,238
	E	#15		33	2,248
Raymore				85	2,281
Ituna				55	2,366
Melville				57	2,421
	SE	#16	Yellowhead Hwy	24	2,478
Langenburg				32	2,502

Saskatchewan / Manitoba Province Border

Russell	E	#45		106	2,534
Erickson	S	#10		39	2,640
Minnedosa	E	#16	Yellowhead Hwy	128	2,679
Portage la Prairie	NE	#26		68	2,807
St François Xavier	E	#1	Trans Canada Hwy	27	2,875
WINNIPEG					2,902