The Northern Adventure Series
Part 1: Northern Alberta | Dawson Creek, BC, to Cold Lake, Alberta
Part 2: Northern Saskatchewan & Manitoba | Cold Lake, Alberta, to The Pas, Manitoba
Part 3: Southern Saskatchewan | The Red Coat Trail
🍁Part 4: Southern Alberta & British Columbia’s Kooneays (this article)
🎥 Video version coming soon on Trackless Lady Dee
This Southern Alberta road trip through Cypress Hills and British Columbia’s Kootenays is the final chapter of my Northern Adventure.
After crossing the forests of northern Alberta, exploring the remote communities of northern Saskatchewan and following the historic Red Coat Trail across southern Saskatchewan, it was finally time to head home.
But rather than taking the fastest route back to British Columbia, I chose one more adventure.
This final chapter of The Northern Adventure leads through the rolling hills of southern Alberta, the fascinating hoodoos of Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, the mountain scenery of the Crowsnest Pass and the familiar roads of British Columbia’s Kootenays.
Along the way, I revisited places filled with memories, met more friendly people, discovered hidden gems, and slowly traded wide-open prairie skies for mountain peaks and cedar forests.
Sometimes, the journey home is every bit as rewarding as the journey out.
The final chapter of my 5,000-km Northern Adventure.
Route
Maple Creek (SK) – Medicine Hat – Elkwater – Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park – Milk River – Cardston – Crowsnest Pass – Cranbrook – Creston – Kootenay Pass – Salmo – Ymir – Sandon – New Denver – Lumby (BC)
Distance
Approximately 1,350 km
Driving Time
Around 16–18 hours (without sightseeing)
Recommended Time
4–7 days to enjoy the attractions, hiking trails and small communities along the route.
Highlights
Follow my route through southern Alberta and British Columbia’s Kootenays. Click the map to zoom in and explore the stops along the journey.
Leaving Maple Creek behind, I headed west towards Medicine Hat, a city filled with memories from earlier travels. It had been many years since I was last here, and I could hardly believe how much it had grown. The quiet prairie town I remembered had become a busy city with heavy traffic. After a quick drive through, I was ready to leave the crowds behind once again.
Instead, I backtracked south to Elkwater, the Alberta side of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, about 45 minutes from Medicine Hat.
What a difference.
After days of open prairie, the forests, hills and cool mountain air felt refreshing. I wandered along lakeside trails and climbed into the hills overlooking Elkwater Lake. Memories came flooding back from more than twenty-five years earlier, when I had explored these same roads on the back of a small motorcycle.
Standing here again, I couldn’t help wondering where all those years had gone.
🚙 My Tip: If you’ve been driving across the prairies, Elkwater is the perfect place to slow down for a few hours. The change in scenery is remarkable, with shady forests, hiking trails and peaceful lakes.
From Elkwater, I continued south through Foremost towards Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, a place that had been on my bucket list for years.
Finally, I had arrived.
Nothing quite prepares you for the landscape. Strange sandstone hoodoos rise from the valley floor, shaped by thousands of years of wind and water. Hidden among them are ancient Indigenous rock carvings and pictographs, making this one of Canada’s most important cultural landscapes.
I picked up the excellent self-guided Hoodoo Trail brochure at the Visitor Centre and spent several hours exploring the fascinating rock formations and learning about the area’s rich history. With more than ten interpretive stops, the trail brings the landscape to life and helps you appreciate why this UNESCO World Heritage Site is so special.
I had hoped to spend the night here in my little RAV4 camper, but soon discovered there were no suitable overnight options for my style of travel.
Before leaving, I chatted with one of the staff members at the Visitor Centre. We had an interesting conversation about park management and camping. It wasn’t quite the answer I had expected, but it reminded me once again that every park has its own priorities and way of operating.
Even without staying overnight, visiting Writing-on-Stone was one of the highlights of my entire journey.
🚙 My Tip: Allow at least half a day to explore the Hoodoo Trail and Visitor Centre. If you plan to camp nearby, make your arrangements before arriving.
After leaving Writing-on-Stone, I continued east through the southern Alberta prairies towards the small town of Milk River, about a 40-minute drive away.
The landscape was familiar yet subtly different from Saskatchewan. The rolling farmland stretched to the horizon, but the crops had changed, and the open spaces somehow felt even quieter.
By the time I reached Milk River, my gas tank was nearly empty again. After filling up, I picked up a few groceries before looking for a place to spend the night.
I found exactly what I needed at 8 Flags Campground, tucked beside the Milk River and the town’s golf course. The campground was peaceful, with clean washrooms, hot showers and spacious sites.
After settling in, I was asked—very politely—to move to another campsite because the two tent sites had been reserved. As it turned out, no other campers arrived that evening, but I didn’t mind moving. It was another reminder of the friendly, easy-going people I had met throughout this journey.
After several long days on the road, a hot shower, a quiet campsite, and another comfortable night in my little RAV4 camper were all I needed.
🚙 My Tip: If you’re following this route, Milk River is a convenient overnight stop before exploring Waterton Lakes National Park or heading towards the Crowsnest Pass.
The next morning, I left Milk River on Highway 501, following one of the quietest roads of the entire trip.
The drive through Del Bonita was everything I love about southern Alberta—rolling hills, hayfields, large herds of black Angus cattle and hardly another vehicle in sight. It felt as though I had the whole road to myself.
Del Bonita is little more than a tiny hamlet and border crossing into Montana, but that’s exactly its charm. Sometimes the smallest places leave the biggest impression simply because of the landscape surrounding them.
Not far beyond, I stopped at Whiskey Gap, where an old prairie homestead sits against a backdrop of distant mountains. Unfortunately, smoke from nearby wildfires softened the views, but even through the haze I could see the Rockies slowly rising on the western horizon.
With every kilometre, the scenery became more dramatic.
By the time I approached Cardston, the endless prairie gave way to mountain views, winding rivers and sparkling lakes. It was a welcome sight after so many days crossing Saskatchewan’s open plains.
Although Waterton Lakes National Park was only a short distance away, I resisted the temptation to make another detour. I had visited before and wanted to keep moving west towards the Crowsnest Pass and home.
🚙 My Tip: If you have extra time, consider spending a day or two exploring Waterton Lakes National Park. Together with neighbouring Glacier National Park in Montana, it forms the world’s first International Peace Park and offers some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Canadian Rockies.
Leaving Cardston behind, I continued west towards the mountains. The scenery changed quickly. The prairie slowly disappeared behind me, replaced by rugged peaks, winding rivers and dense forests. After days of open skies and endless fields, it felt like I was finally coming home.
Rather than stopping in every community, I enjoyed the drive through Pincher Creek, Lundbreck, Bellevue and the historic Crowsnest Pass. I paused briefly at the Frank Slide, one of Canada’s most famous natural disasters, before continuing west along the spectacular Crowsnest Highway.
If you’ve never driven this route, it’s well worth taking your time. There are countless viewpoints, hiking trails and historic sites along the way.
🚙Travel Tip: If you’re planning to explore the Crowsnest region, I’ve covered the communities and attractions in much more detail in my article 19 Best Alberta Towns to visit.
Crossing back into British Columbia near Sparwood, I continued through Fernie and on towards Cranbrook. Familiar mountains surrounded me once again, and although I was getting tired, it felt good to be back among the forests.
Just beyond Cranbrook, I found a roadside rest area with an overnight parking limit of eight hours.
It was exactly what I needed.
I parked my little RAV4, closed the curtains and settled in for another night. Traffic gradually faded after dark, and I slept surprisingly well. By morning, several other travellers had quietly arrived during the night, all making use of the same convenient roadside stop before continuing their journeys.
Sometimes the simplest overnight stops turn out to be the most restful.
The next morning, I drove about 100 kilometres to Creston, where one thing was on my mind—a proper cappuccino.
A stop at Tim Hortons provided exactly that, along with a muffin and an unexpected conversation. An older gentleman struck up a chat and mentioned he had once lived in Enderby, not far from my home in Lumby. Before long we were reminiscing about familiar places and how much the Okanagan had changed over the years.
It’s conversations like these that make solo travel so rewarding. Even a simple coffee stop can become a memorable part of the journey.
About half an hour later, I reached one of my favourite places in southern British Columbia—Kootenay Pass.
Located high in the Selkirk Mountains, Kootenay Pass is the highest year-round highway pass in British Columbia. The cool alpine air was a welcome change after the prairie heat.
I laced up my hiking boots, grabbed my walking poles and headed into Stagleap Provincial Park.
The trail wound through ancient cedar forest before climbing into the alpine. Soon I was looking down on sparkling Bridal Lake, surrounded by mountain peaks. After weeks on the road, this was exactly the kind of hike I had been craving.
The mountains were welcoming me home.
After my hike over Kootenay Pass, I continued west to Salmo, a friendly little community known as the Hub of the Kootenays, where Highways 3 and 6 meet.
I have always liked Salmo. Maybe it’s the relaxed atmosphere or the mountain backdrop, but it feels like the kind of place where life moves at a gentler pace.
I stopped briefly at the quiet municipal campground, shaded by mature trees beside KP Park. It looked like a lovely place to spend a night, but with plenty of daylight left, I decided to keep driving.
Home was getting closer.
🚙Travel Tip: If you’re planning to explore this region, I’ve covered the communities, attractions and hiking opportunities in much more detail in my West Kootenay Road Trip Guide.
Only ten kilometres farther north lies Ymir, one of my favourite little communities in British Columbia.
Whenever I’m travelling through the West Kootenays, I make a point of stopping here. With its historic buildings, old mining heritage and laid-back atmosphere, Ymir is one of those places that never seems to lose its character.
I parked across from the historic Hotel Ymir, a landmark dating back to 1896, and spent a while reading the large information kiosk that tells the story of the village’s colourful mining past.
Even standing in the shade, the thermometer showed 33°C, and I could feel the heat radiating off the pavement. Summer had certainly arrived.
From Ymir, I planned to continue towards Nelson on Highway 6.
Instead, nature had other ideas.
Wildfires, which had followed me throughout much of this journey, had once again changed my plans. The road near Winlaw was closed, forcing me to turn around and take the longer route along Highway 3A.
By now I had almost become used to changing plans. Road trips rarely unfold exactly as expected, and some flexibility is simply part of travelling through western Canada during wildfire season.
The detour turned into another beautiful drive.
The road wound past Balfour, Ainsworth and Kaslo, hugging the shores of Kootenay Lake beneath forested mountains. Every bend revealed another postcard view.
Originally, I had planned to spend the night in Kaslo.
When I arrived, however, the little town was buzzing with visitors attending a festival. Parking was almost impossible to find.
Since I’d explored Kaslo on previous trips, I decided not to fight the crowds and continued north instead.
Sometimes the best decision is to keep driving.
Just before reaching New Denver, I passed the turnoff to Retallack, another historic ghost town tucked into the Selkirk Mountains.
But there was only one place I had been looking forward to revisiting.
Sandon.
Some places leave a lasting impression on you. Sandon is one of those places for me.
I never travel through the West Kootenays without making the detour to Sandon.
The turnoff is easy to miss—about 30 kilometres north of New Denver, followed by a 13-kilometre gravel road climbing into the mountains. Every time I drive it, I feel like I’m leaving the modern world behind.
Nestled deep in the valley, Sandon is one of British Columbia’s best-preserved ghost towns. Once a booming silver mining community of several thousand people, it is now home to only a handful of permanent residents and a remarkable collection of historic buildings.
But history isn’t the main reason I keep coming back.
It’s the people.
As soon as I arrived, it felt as though I had never left. Hale and Vida welcomed me with the same warmth and genuine hospitality I remembered from previous visits. Their passion for Sandon is contagious, and spending time with them always makes this remarkable little place come alive.
I parked my RAV4, settled in for two nights and simply relaxed.
There was no rush to go anywhere.
That evening I enjoyed another wonderful home-cooked meal at the 14th Mountain Bistro, where Vida creates delicious dinners that are worth the trip on their own. Sitting around the table, listening to stories about Sandon’s colourful past and chatting with other travellers, I was reminded that the best memories often come from the people you meet rather than the places themselves.
During my stay, I wandered the quiet streets, explored the historic buildings once again and soaked up the peaceful atmosphere that makes Sandon unlike anywhere else in British Columbia.
Just a short drive farther up the valley lies Cody, another abandoned mining town slowly being reclaimed by nature. Together, the two ghost towns offer a fascinating glimpse into the province’s silver mining era.
Leaving Sandon is never easy.
Every visit makes me wonder how long it will be before I find my way back again.
🚙 My Tip: If you’re travelling through the West Kootenays, don’t just stop for an hour. Stay overnight if you can, enjoy dinner at the 14th Mountain Bistro and take the time to experience Sandon after the day visitors have gone home. That’s when its real magic begins.
After two relaxing days in Sandon, it was time to continue the final stretch home.
Driving back down the gravel road towards New Denver, I found myself glancing in the rear-view mirror more than once. Places like Sandon are hard to leave behind. The quiet valley, the old buildings and, most of all, the wonderful people had once again made this one of the highlights of my trip.
Back on Highway 31A, I rolled into New Denver before following the shoreline of beautiful Slocan Lake. The lake lay calm beneath the surrounding mountains, although the smoke from nearby wildfires softened the views and hid the distant peaks.
Even so, it was a beautiful drive.
About 30 kilometres beyond New Denver, I pulled into Summit Lake Provincial Park.
The small rest area beside the lake is one of those peaceful places that invite you to linger. Picnic tables sit among the trees, a small boat launch leads to the water, and apart from the occasional traveller, it is wonderfully quiet.
Unfortunately, overnight camping isn’t permitted here, so after stretching my legs and enjoying the fresh mountain air, I continued on.
The mountains felt cooler than the prairies I had crossed only a few days earlier, and with every kilometre I felt more at home.
Continuing west on Highway 6, the road climbed steadily through the Monashee Mountains.
I made another short stop at Lost Lake, a beautiful roadside rest area near Monashee Summit. Surrounded by forest, it looked like a wonderful place to relax. It appeared that some travellers occasionally spend the night there, although it’s always best to check the current regulations before doing so.
This stretch of Highway 6 has always been one of my favourite drives in British Columbia. The winding mountain road, dense cedar forests and quiet lakes are a world away from the endless prairie highways I’d been travelling for the past few weeks.
It felt good to be back among the trees.
Only 36 kilometres from Lumby, I couldn’t resist making one final stop at Gold Panner Campground, a place I’ve known for years.
Nestled among old-growth forest beside a rushing creek, the campground has a completely different feel from the prairie campgrounds I’d stayed at along the way. The cool mountain air carried the scent of cedar and moss, and for a few minutes I simply enjoyed being surrounded by familiar forest again.
The campground sits on active placer mining claims, and visitors can even try their hand at gold panning. The new owners have brought fresh energy to the place and have plenty of exciting plans for its future. If you’re travelling through the Monashees, it’s well worth stopping by.
A little farther along Highway 6, I made one last break at Shuswap River Recreation Site.
On a hot summer day, few places are more refreshing. A short trail leads down to the river, where, when water levels are low, you can wade across to broad, sun-warmed rock slabs beside the rushing water.
I paused for a while, listening to the river.
The adventure was almost over.
Late that afternoon, I finally turned onto the familiar road leading to my little cabin in Lumby, British Columbia.
After thousands of kilometres, countless backroads and weeks of living out of my Toyota RAV4, I was home.
The journey had taken me across four provinces, through northern forests, endless prairie landscapes, historic small towns, ghost towns and mountain passes. I had followed gravel roads into places I’d never heard of before, shared stories with remarkable people, and discovered that some of the best adventures begin when you leave the busy highways behind.
As I unpacked the car, I noticed the layer of prairie dust that still clung to almost everything inside. Instead of seeing a mess, I smiled.
It was a reminder of the roads I’d travelled.
Some trips are measured in kilometres.
The best ones are measured in memories.
If this journey inspires you to explore Canada’s quieter backroads, stop in small towns, and take the occasional detour, then sharing my adventure has been worthwhile.
Until the next adventure…
Thank you for joining me on The Northern Adventure. I hope our paths cross again on another backroad somewhere in Canada.
You’ve reached the end of my Northern Adventure!
If you missed the earlier chapters, you can follow the complete journey here:
Or continue exploring more adventures across Canada in the Backcountry Canada Travel Blog.
Need accommodation, tours, or transportation for your journey?
| Solo Journey across Northern Alberta | Saskatchewan Trip Planner |
| Top Road Trips in Western Canada | Travel Guides to Hidden Gems |
| Road Trip Planner for the Wilderness | RAV4 Camper Conversion |
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Yrene lives in the Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada, and is the founder of BackcountryCanadaTravel.com. She was born in Switzerland, lived and worked on different continents and has travelled the world. Yes, that's me, an Entrepreneur, wilderness nut and animal lover who prefers off-the-beaten-track places. I write about things I love. Mostely.