across canada routing
 

My wife and I just got done following the coasts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Gaspe region of Quebec. 3115mi ttl in 2 weeks on our klr650s.

Next years plan is the trans-labrador highway, and Newfoundland.

Following that we wish to do a cross canada trip, we would like to avoid major roads if possible, sticking to secondary highways under 90kph if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Sounds good, and not to hard to find great roads in Ontario, but I think the challenge will be the trans-Can. I dont know of any good alternates that wouldnt require alot of out of the way stuff, and limited fuel etc. Might wanna ask someone from the prairies. I can see whats on tyhe maps, but there are always roads locals know about that are good / bad.

Canada
 

Next year, consider taking the overnight ferry from Lewisporte in Newfoundland to Cartwright in Labrador....then ride down to Blanc Sablon and take the ferry across Saint Barbe. Enroute you can stop at Battle Harbour (need to get a short boat ride to get to it - but well worth it - one of the absolute amazing places), Red Bay, L'Anse Amour and Forteau....

After that...going across the Prairies has lots options - the key being to stay off #1 (Trans Canada).

In Alberta you can use the Red Coat Trail across the south - take in Cypress Hills - you can ride across them on a little used road - also Writing on Stone Park is amazing, as is Waterton Park. You can do some of the Forestry Trunk Road from the Crowsnest area up to Kananaskis, then run out to the Icefield parkway (Banff Jasper) - you can return on the Trunk Road back south ...or...if Canada isn't on your list, from Waterton you can head south to use the Logan Pass road in Glacier Park in Montana (pretty spectacular but lots of construction - maybe they'll be finished in 11 - then there are lots of options across the Northern US/Southern BC...

If you provide a little more detail on your year after plans further response can be more specific....

S

Not sure about goign through those provinces, but when you get to BC, you are pretty much stuck following the southern #3 from Lethbridge area in Alberta and then to the #1 Tran Can Hiway closer to Vancouver. I have gong the more northern route on the #1 and then headed south on it instead of the #5.

The Northern Route
 

I don't think that the #1 highway would exactly be what I would call the Northern Route. Without knowing how much of the country you want to see or how much time you have I would swing north at Winnipeg on the Yellowhead to Edmonton, North to Grande Prarie and then decide if you want to go up to the North West Territories or along the Alaska Highway through Northern British Columbia into the Yukon Territory and then back down the Cassiar Highway.

Now thats the northern route. Also beautiful landscape.

Rick

Try Mapsource with your GPS (yours or a friend's) or you local CAA/AAA.

Just check off/tell what/where you want-to go and how. Print everything and leave the electronics home. MUCH more fun to map as you go!!

Cheers

I agree on that. Maps are my choice as well!
And a ton more fun to spread out and dream over.

We just did a week trip up in Northern Quebec, some nice long gravel roads up there that you might want to consider, Trans Tiaga and the North Road. If you are coming down the trans Lab you can go north, go to Churchill and continue North on the train tracks (trains only run once or twice a week), then you can get a float plane arranged to drop you at the end of the Trans Tiaga. Would make an excellent route. We only found about the possibility of the "lift" from the TT to TL when we were up there and didnt have time to do it. Details can be found in a ride report I did for advrider

Northern Quebec Canada - ADVrider

Enjoy :thumbup1:

Sorry, but that's not even close. You can come into BC via Hwy 3 or Hwy 1. But, you can also head due west from Edmonton and Jasper and then onto Hwy 5. Alternatively, if you're further north, you could go NW from Edmonton, Alberta to Dawson Creek and then down to Prince George. Vancouver is an easy ride south to Vancouver from there. If you find your way over to Hwy 99 just north of Cache Creek, you can take the back door into Vancouver through Lillooet and Whistler. Much preferred.

Lots of back roads across Manitoba, Sask, and Alberta.

From Maine, I would suggest that you make your way to the north side of the St Lawrence River at Tadoussac. Then take the road on the north side of the Sagunay River and go around Lac St Jean. Head for Chibougamau, then make your way to Amos, and find your way into Ontario around Cochrane. Pick up Highway 11 and ride that to Rainy River, Ontario. You'll get back on Highway 1 the Trans Canada to get into Manitoba. Follow the back roads to Winkler, Manitoba and saty on the back roads through Estevan, Saskatchewan, Milk River, Alberta, all the way to the Waterton national Park in south west Alberta.

This will put you at the south east corner of British Columbia. from there if you're really adventrous, you can make your own route to the coast on the rat's nest of BC logging roads. Or you can stay on Highway 3 for all or part of the trip. You can get maps of logging roads from the BC Forestry Service.

Whew! There you go! Safe and sound across Canada!