Glacier National Park to Banff (and Banff to Glacier)

How Far Is Glacier National Park from Banff?

The drive from Glacier National Park to Banff is about 325 miles (523 km) from West Glacier, or 6 to 7 hours of driving before stops and the border. The exact distance depends on which side of Glacier you start from: the east entrances at St. Mary and Many Glacier are closer to Banff, around 260 to 285 miles, because the fast road runs through Calgary. Plan a full day either way.

This pairs with our 5-day Banff itinerary and our Glacier National Park itinerary, and many travelers do one and then drive to the other.

Distance from Glacier National Park to Banff, by entrance

So the short version of the Glacier National Park to Banff distance: about 260 miles from the east side, about 325 miles from the west side.

The Three Route Options

There is no direct road between Banff and Glacier; you cross the Canadian Rockies and the international border. Three routes work:

Route 1: Highway 93 South via Kootenay and Radium (Most Scenic)

• Distance: about 325 miles (523 km) to West Glacier
• Drive time: 6 to 7 hours without stops
• Border: Roosville, BC to Montana

Banff to Castle Junction, then south on Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park to Radium Hot Springs (about 86 miles). South through the Columbia Valley past Invermere to Cranbrook (another 89 miles), then to the Roosville border crossing (63 miles). In Montana, Highway 93 runs through Eureka to Whitefish, and West Glacier is 26 miles beyond. This is the most scenic option: three national parks (Banff, Kootenay, Glacier) plus the Columbia Valley.

Route 2: Highway 1 East to Calgary, then South on Highway 2 (Fastest to Glacier's East Side)

• Distance: about 260 miles to St. Mary; about 345 miles to West Glacier by continuing on US 2
• Drive time: about 5.5 hours to St. Mary
• Border: Carway, AB to Piegan, MT

Banff east on Highway 1 to Calgary (79 miles), south on Highway 2 through Fort Macleod and Cardston, cross at Carway, and you are on Glacier's east side at St. Mary, with Many Glacier and Two Medicine close by. This is the quickest way between Banff and Glacier if you want the east side, which many people think is the prettier half of the park.

Route 3: Highway 93 to Cranbrook, then East over Crowsnest Pass (Long Scenic Loop)

• Distance: about 430 miles to East Glacier Park
• Drive time: 9 hours or more
• Border: Carway, AB to Piegan, MT

Banff south on Highway 93 to Cranbrook, east on Highway 3 over Crowsnest Pass through Sparwood and Pincher Creek, then south to Carway. It combines Kootenay and the Columbia Valley with Glacier's east side, but it is much longer than either route above, so it only makes sense as a two-day drive.

Border Crossing Practicalities

• Documents: Passport required for everyone, including kids. NEXUS or an Enhanced Driver's License also accepted.
• Best border to use: Roosville (south of Cranbrook on Highway 93) is usually the quietest crossing. Carway (south of Cardston on Highway 2) is also quick. Avoid Sweetgrass/Coutts on I-15, which is the busiest.
• Hours: Roosville is open 24 hours. Carway/Piegan is not open overnight (roughly 7 AM to 11 PM), so check the current hours before a late crossing.
• Currency: US dollars in Montana, Canadian dollars in Alberta and BC. Cards work almost everywhere, but carry some cash for small towns.
• Speed limits: km/h in Canada, mph in the US. Easy to forget right after a border crossing.
• Cell coverage: Patchy through Kootenay National Park and on Highway 2 in southern Alberta. Download offline maps before you leave.

Where to Stop (Route 1 Recommended)

In Canada

• Marble Canyon (Kootenay NP): 20-minute walk through a slot canyon carved by Tokumm Creek. Just off Highway 93, about 30 minutes from Banff.
• Paint Pots (Kootenay NP): A 1.5-mile walk to ochre-stained mineral springs traditionally used by First Nations for paint.
• Radium Hot Springs: Worth a soak in the hot pools if you have 2 hours.
• Invermere/Windermere: Lakeside towns in the Columbia Valley, a good lunch stop.
• Cranbrook: Last major town before the border. Gas, food, lodging.

In Montana

• Eureka, MT: First town south of the border. Quirky main street, decent diner.
• Whitefish: Mountain town 26 miles from West Glacier. Worth an overnight if you arrive late.
• Kalispell: Larger town with more services, 33 miles from West Glacier. Glacier Park International Airport sits between Kalispell and Whitefish.
• Lake McDonald (Glacier NP): Your first taste of Glacier, a pebble beach on a 10-mile lake reflecting the mountains.

How Long to Allow

• One driving day, no overnight: Doable but pushed. Leave by 8 AM and arrive by late afternoon with quick stops only.
• One overnight in Cranbrook or Radium: The civilized option. Split the drive in half and arrive rested.
• Two days, road-trip mode: Stop in Kootenay, soak at Radium, overnight in Cranbrook, spend a morning at Lake Koocanusa, cross the border at lunch and arrive mid-afternoon.

Glacier to Banff Drive: Going North

The Glacier to Banff drive uses the same roads in reverse, and the distances are the same: about 325 miles from West Glacier, or about 260 miles from St. Mary on the east side. Which way you go mostly comes down to flights. Glacier to Banff ends near Calgary International Airport (YYC), about 90 miles from Banff, which usually has more routes and lower fares. Banff to Glacier ends near Glacier Park International (FCA) in Kalispell.

Going north, take Highway 93 from Whitefish through Eureka to the Roosville crossing, then Cranbrook, Radium and Kootenay into Banff. From the east side, drive St. Mary to Carway and north on Highway 2 through Calgary.

Montana to Banff

If you are coming from elsewhere in Montana rather than from the park itself, the usual starting points are Whitefish, about 284 miles and 6.5 hours to Banff, and Kalispell, about 298 miles and just under 7 hours. Both use Highway 93 north to Roosville. From Great Falls or Browning, Highway 89 north to Carway and on through Calgary is faster.

Banff to Glacier National Park: Which Way First?

Most travelers do Banff to Glacier National Park rather than the reverse, because Banff and the Icefields Parkway are the bigger draw and the trip then winds down toward flights out of Kalispell. The case for going the other way: Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road often opens late, in late June or early July, so starting in Banff in mid-June and reaching Glacier later gives the road more time to open. Either direction, the Banff to Glacier leg is the same drive.

Best Time of Year for This Drive

• Mid-June to mid-September: All routes open and dry. Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier usually fully open by July. Peak time, peak crowds.
• Late September to mid-October: Larch season in Canada, fall color in Montana. Going-to-the-Sun starts closing in stages. Shoulder season weather.
• October to May: Highway 93 through Kootenay can close for snow and avalanche control. Going-to-the-Sun is closed to vehicles, and many east-side Glacier services shut from November to May. Plan winter trips around US 2 over Marias Pass, which stays open year-round.

Common Mistakes

• Underestimating drive time. 325 miles looks like 5 hours on a map; with mountain roads, the border and stops it is a full day.
• Crossing at the wrong border. Sweetgrass/Coutts on I-15 can have long waits in summer. Use Roosville or Carway.
• Forgetting passports for kids. Every traveler, regardless of age, needs one for the US-Canada border.
• Driving Highway 93 in winter without checking. Highway 93 through Kootenay closes during avalanche control. Check DriveBC (drivebc.ca) before you go.
• Arriving at Carway late. Unlike Roosville it is not open all night, so a late evening start from Calgary can leave you waiting for the morning.

Driving Through Waterton Lakes National Park (Route 4)

A fourth option runs south from Banff on Highway 93 to Highway 3, then south on Highway 6 through Waterton Lakes National Park to the Chief Mountain International Highway, which crosses into Montana and reaches Glacier's east side near St. Mary and Babb. From Banff townsite this is about 289 miles (465 km) and roughly 5 hours 15 minutes of driving, similar to the Calgary route, and it lets you see Waterton, the Canadian half of the joint Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, on the way.

The catch is the border. The Chief Mountain crossing is seasonal, open only from mid-May to the end of September, with shorter hours in the shoulder weeks (roughly 9 AM to 6 PM in mid-May and late September, 7 AM to 10 PM at the height of summer). It is closed completely from October through mid-May. Outside that window, or if you want a 24-hour crossing, use Roosville (Route 1) or Carway (Route 2) instead. Confirm current hours on the CBP and CBSA sites before you plan a late crossing.