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Dad · 11-08-2016, 11:43 AM

So next year the fam is going to Glacier, yellow stone. In Glacier we will be about 30 mins from a nice park in Canada. We all have passports but my question is crossing the line in to Canada and back in to the USA with a 40 foot Pusher. Is their anything I need to know before I do that?

luckyd · 11-08-2016, 11:46 AM

Answer all the questions truthfully and......do not bring guns.

kenandterry · 11-08-2016, 12:01 PM

Dad....

We RV back and forth all the time from home to the USA. In fact we're Snowbirding as I type this now. Never any problems. Just like luckyd said, answer all questions truthfully, hand your passports over as soon as you stop to chat with customs. Remove your sunglasses if you're wearing any.....they like to see your eyes.

Both ways.

For Canada, no guns, no mace, no pepper spray....basically nothing you wouldn't leave at home if you were attending church.

Both countries have rules about transporting fresh meats and vegetables across the border, so you're best to be empty of those items. Buy them in the country you're heading into both ways.

It's as simple as crossing the street.....maybe simpler.

loafguy · 11-08-2016, 12:02 PM

Read up on what foods will be prohibited. As I understand it you may end up having quite a lot of food confiscated when you enter. Not sure if it is veggies and fruits or meats etc.

Skip426 · 11-08-2016, 12:45 PM

Waterton Lakes National Park , is a great place for a visit .
JMHO: Summer time with schools out it can be very crowded , weekends for sure reservations required.

Also, It's been years since I traveled the area , but with your length , I'd stick to the main route through Cardston AB, rather than Montana's route #17 into the park, I towed a 24' 5er with a short box P/u on 17 and it was tight.

This site may help with border crossing questions.

Government of Canada - Be Aware and Declare! - What Can I Bring Into Canada in Terms Of Food, Plant, Animal and Related Products?

Smitty77 · 11-08-2016, 03:48 PM

X's 2 on Cardston crossing. Pull up, turn off your engine, hand them your passports, and then answer any questions they ask. (Don't offer more then what they ask you.) If you have pets, have all of their papers ready, and tell them you have pets and a folder with the paperwork. (Once they asked to see it, the next time they did not.). I found the experience to be very positive. I respect that they have job to do, and sincerely appreciate it when they're polite to me and my wife when crossing. Our two times, that has been the case. Felt very welcomed.

Lee Creek Campground was a good stay for us in the Cardston area. We used it for the beatify drive and visits into Wateron Lakes. (Note: This year many of the campground RV areas were closed for various reasons, so we could not get in. But we knew we liked Lee Creek Campground from 2014 trip to Alaska, so were very happy to revisit with them.)

Coming back to the USA, both times out of British Columbia at the same crossing, the agriculture inspection was more then the Customs conversation

! So read up on what not to bring back in, and that will speed things up.

If staying in West Glacier area, we found Apgar to be great!! Crowed, but well worth the crowds, due to the location.

Travel safe, have fun,
Smitty
S

Bigd9 · 11-08-2016, 04:10 PM

We crossed into Canada and then back out with our 35 foot coach, +toad, wife, two cats and a puppy two months ago. The one question I was not prepared for was "can I see your motorhome registration paperwork and insurance card please"? That threw me. I told him the registration for the toad was in the toads glovebox and he said I trust you, just give me the one for the coach please". I did and he compared mine to one in a notebook he had and gave them back to me with a smile. Then he asked "how much alcohol do you have onboard"? I told him we had two 750 m-liter bottles of wine and they were next to me in a box. He said "Sir, you need to keep good wine cooler than that and two bottles are not enough for a 3 week stay in our country. Please feel free to buy some Canadian wine to make your visit memorable" again with a nice smile.

Getting back into the USA was a bit harder. Both times we were lightly searched. That is once he just poked his head in and looked around, and the next time the border guard came inside and looked in the rooms and the refrigerator.

Bob&AnnaMari · 11-08-2016, 04:28 PM

Dad,

You did not say which side of Glacier you were going to be staying on. We did the East side on our way back from Canada. We went North into Canada on Interstate 15 and I cannot say enough nice things about the Canadian guards there.

Reading all the posts about traveling into Canada had me on pins and needles fearing I was going to say something wrong or have some issue. I could not have been more wrong. As stated previously, go to the site that tells you the rules. Follow them. Listen carefully to the questions the guard asks you and answer them truthfully. It is really that simple. The Canadians are just wonderful. (I do understand from converstations with others that other crossing points are not as nice as Sweet Grass.)

We had a tad bit more difficulty getting back. With all this "9/11" crap they really treat you like you are trying to do something illegal when you come back to the U.S. Again, just listen carefully to the questions and answer them truthfully. I think the border agent wanted to confiscate one of our tomatoes for his lunch until we told him we had already cut it and there was only a half of one left. You just don't get the warm welcome feeling from the U. S. guards that you do from the Canadian guards.

One other thing, unless you are headed up to Banff, the Waterton Lakes National Park really does not have much to add to what you will have seen at Glacier. And just know there is another fee for that park as well. We bought an annual pass when we stayed at Banff (which was cheaper than 8 day passes) so we drove up there just to see what it was like. Again, not much to add to the Glacier experience.

Banff, on the other hand, is much grander than Glacier and really worth the extra effort since you are that close. Again, we were on Interstate 15 which merges into Canadian Highway 4 and others, and we could not have asked for a better roadway all the way to Banff with our 40ft DP and toad. Fuel stations are more of a challenge, but that is another story.

Just relax and enjoy. As I mentioned above, the Canadians are wonderful and you will really enjoy yourself there.

Bob

eprman1 · 11-08-2016, 06:15 PM

just did it a month ago. Crossed into CAN in NY and stayed outside Montreal. Lot of questions, the same questions several times. Don't get upset, they are just trying to catch liars. Only one case of beer or bottle of wine/liquor per person. Check the border crossing web site. It tells you everything you need. The customs lanes were VERY narrow. They had cement posts that you have to navigate through. They are wider than the coach, but were mirror high. I had about two inches clearance each side. No inspection, just a lot of questions.

Superslif · 11-08-2016, 06:30 PM

They will ask ya. #1 Got any guns? "No sir".... #2 Alcohol "yes I have 10 cans of beer". Made a mistake on entering Canada in June on my way to Alaska. He asked any alcohol "O' I'm under the limit". He asked, do you know what the limit is. "O it's either 24 or 30 cans of beer". So he goes, so you don't know what the limit is...OPPPPS....