You have stumbled upon this Icefields Parkway road trip guide, but I must warn you: The Icefields Parkway is not, as some would have you believe, a scenic drive to be enjoyed by people who like lovely mountains and sparkling blue lakes. It is, in fact, a long, winding, and almost entirely unavoidable path between Lake Louise in Banff National Park and the town of Jasper in Jasper National Park – a path that is paved with a great deal of trouble and disappointment.
As you read further, you will find a catalog of what others might call attractions. You will learn of glaciers that are dying; of waterfalls that are weeping; and of lakes of such an improbable blue that they seem to be filled not with water, but with the very essence of a sad, forgotten hope.
So, if you are a person who seeks a perfectly safe and delightful journey, you are in the wrong place. This Icefields Parkway road trip guide is for those with a proper appreciation for the precarious nature of existence, and for the kind of prolonged, scenic misery that only a truly unfortunate road trip can provide. I can only hope to prepare you for what awaits you on this peculiar and sorrowful highway.
For those who prefer the comfort of surrendering control, consider a bus tour with Sundog Tours.
To aid in your navigation and to ensure you do not miss a single enchanting detail, a convenient link to Google Maps is provided for each captivating stop. Be sure to safely pull over and observe the wildlife, which often includes large, surly animals who have a very low opinion of tourists.
This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase using the links at no additional cost to you.
Where to Start
Here’s more information about Banff: how to get there, getting around, where to stay, where to eat, and more information about what to expect. And here’s more information about Jasper: how to get there, getting around, where to stay, where to eat, and more information about what to expect.
The route I will provide begins in either Banff or Lake Louise and concludes in Jasper. You may be tempted to attempt the journey in reverse, and that is an option. I must, however, inform you that the experience you will have on this highway is in no way dependent on your direction of travel, for a dreadful road trip, you see, is dreadful no matter which way you are going. Plan to dedicate an entire day to this trip, though the actual drive should only take about 3 hours. If you decide to do any of the longer hikes along the way, you may even want to break the trip up into two days.
1. Lake Louise
Lake Louise is one of many lakes in Banff National Park known for its peculiar, and some might say suspicious, turquoise color. The lake is consistently and bitterly cold, a fact that should discourage anyone from stripping down to their skivvies and going for a frivolous swim. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, a large hotel of sorts, overlooks the lake, and the entire area is a popular destination for those who enjoy the outdoors.
For those who like to wander about while being cold, damp, and surrounded by things that can kill them, such as bears, there are paths leading from the lake to a pair of tea houses. The first arduous journey, to the Lake Agnes Tea House, is a trek of about 6.8 kilometers round-trip, which gains an elevation of 383 meters, leaving one breathless. The other, the Plain of Six Glaciers, is a longer and more despairing journey, about 13.8 kilometers round-trip, though with a slightly more gradual ascent. Both of these establishments are without the modern conveniences of electricity, running water, or credit card machines, making them ideal for people willing to go to great lengths to avoid a simple afternoon in a civilized building with a decent espresso machine.
2. Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint
From this roadside pull-out, one is afforded a view of Crowfoot Glacier, a lump of ice perched on the side of a mountain, which was so-named for its resemblance to a crow’s foot – a resemblance that, it must be noted, has largely vanished.
3. Bow Lake Viewpoint
Bow Lake, nestled along the Icefields Parkway, is not merely a lake; it is the very source of the Bow River, that relentless waterway that winds its way south through Calgary, eventually emptying into Hudson Bay. Its notorious turquoise hue is not due to underwater blueberries but rather to rock flour. Imagine, if you will, mountains being meticulously, excruciatingly pulverized into fine, silty dust, which then floats in the water, scattering light in a way that can be both breathtaking and vaguely unsettling.
This lake, situated as it is, makes a perfect, if somewhat chilling, place to pause and contemplate the sheer scale of this planet. From its shores, one can gaze upon the Crowfoot Glacier, a melting mass of ice once shaped like a crow’s foot. Beyond that, the colossal Wapta Icefield and its offspring, the Bow Glacier, which tirelessly feeds the lake itself. And, as if to underscore your own minuscule presence, the towering Crowfoot Mountain and Mount Thompson loom overhead.
While one can observe this watery spectacle from the roadside, a mere glance scarcely captures the full scope of its desolate grandeur. For the more adventurous, or perhaps those merely afflicted with a desperate need to get out of the car, trails beckon. Indeed, Bow Lake offers a variety of experiences, from a simple, chilly picnic to a challenging trek towards the source of its very being.
4. Peyto Lake Viewpoint
One finds this particular liquid marvel nestled beneath Bow Summit, which holds the dubious distinction of being the highest point along the Icefields Parkway. This lake, you see, is not merely blue; it is a shocking, almost offensive turquoise, a color so vibrant it suggests a secret, unnatural dye, rather than the innocent workings of nature. The cause, as with so many unfortunate truths, is quite simple: rock flour, the pulverized remnants of ancient mountains, suspended in the glacial meltwater.
The viewpoint itself, perched precariously atop Bow Summit, is a place where one is less likely to find quiet contemplation and more likely to encounter a throng of bewildered tourists, all striving for the identical, perfectly framed photograph. It is a testament to the lake’s undeniable allure that such crowds persist, despite the often-chilly air and the slight incline one must navigate to reach the prime viewing platform.
For those whose primary goal is maximum payoff for the least amount of effort, this is precisely the grim destination. A mere 0.6 kilometers one-way, culminating in a 30-minute round trip of easy exertion. One simply walks, ascending a short distance from the designated parking area.
5. Saskatchewan River Crossing
This place, less a bustling metropolis and more a desolate landmark on the long, winding Icefields Parkway, is where the North Saskatchewan River makes a particularly important crossing with the Howse and the Mistaya Rivers.
It is, in essence, a junction, a point of decision where the Icefield Parkway meets the David Thompson Highway, offering travelers a momentary reprieve, or perhaps, a fleeting opportunity for regret. Here, one finds the bare necessities of civilization in the form of wifi, a motel, a restaurant, and, for those with a desperate need, a gas station – a truly crucial outpost in this vast, indifferent wilderness, especially since services are as scarce as truthful politicians along this particular route.
6. Weeping Wall Viewpoint
The Weeping Wall. A name, one might imagine, bestowed upon it by a particularly melancholic poet or a weary traveler caught in an unexpected deluge. This is not, however, a place for quiet despair, but rather a 100-meter-high, dramatic rock feature along the fabled Icefields Parkway.
Imagine, if you will, a colossal rock face, so immense it seems to scrape the clouds. From its formidable heights, a series of waterfalls, like liquid tears, cascade down its imposing facade. In the warmer months, it’s a shimmering, moist spectacle, thanks to melting snow and ice.
In the winter, the cascading water transforms into a vast, vertical sheet of ice. This frozen wall becomes a magnet for ice climbers, with their peculiar tools and an admirable, if somewhat alarming, disregard for gravity.
7. Big Hill and Big Bend Viewpoint
Big Bend and Big Hill are names that, with a certain unsettling precision, tell you exactly what you’re in for. This is not a subtle landscape feature, you understand, but a dramatic, almost theatrical ascent along the Icefields Parkway. You will know, with an almost immediate and visceral certainty, when you arrive. On a dramatic ascent, you will be faced with expansive views that might cause a sensitive individual to grip the steering wheel with undue ferocity.
And then, the Big Bend. This is not merely a turn, but a truly audacious hairpin curve. It is a moment, truly, where the road itself becomes the spectacle, a winding ribbon against an overwhelming backdrop.
Should you be so bold as to stop and exit your vehicle, a brief moment of respite in this exhilarating descent, you are sternly advised to be completely off the road. For this is a place where nature’s grandeur meets the unyielding physics of a moving automobile, and a misplaced car can lead to utterly regrettable consequences.
8. Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls is a name that suggests delicate lace and joyful celebration, but in the unforgiving embrace of the Canadian Rockies. This particular watery display is a brazen roadside attraction, encountered by those traversing the Icefields Parkway.
It is estimated to have a cumulative drop of a staggering 265 meters, a truly dizzying plunge. And yet, the peculiar nature of this spectacle is that what you observe from the comfort (or discomfort) of your vehicle is merely halfway down the falls!
Should one possess a truly insatiable curiosity, or simply a stubborn refusal to be satisfied with a partial view, a short walk is required. This brief excursion to the North Saskatchewan lookout promises a glimpse of the upper tiers, revealing the full height of the falls. It is a reminder that even in nature’s grand performances, a bit of effort is often required to truly grasp the extent of its impressive, and often chilling, magnificence.
9. Parker Ridge Trailhead
Parker Ridge is a rather strenuous hike for those who seek to elevate their misery, or perhaps merely their vantage point. This particular activity offers a proposition: a must-do for those who desire a bit of elevation in exchange for a dizzying panorama.
The journey is approximately two hours, during which one ascends a considerable 250 meters. This is not a gentle stroll, you understand, but a consistent upward trajectory, a deliberate defiance of gravity, all in the pursuit of views that stretch across a multitude of mountain ranges. And among these majestic mountains, one can behold the Saskatchewan Glacier, notably the longest of its kind in the area.
However, a word of caution, for even the most determined hikers are sometimes thwarted. Parks Canada, in a rather unfortunate display of protective bureaucracy, has been known to close the trail from late spring to early summer. This, they claim, is to preserve the landscape, a euphemism, perhaps, for preventing the delicate alpine flora from being trampled by a relentless parade of enthusiastic tourists.
10. Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefield Centre
The Columbia Icefield is a name that perfectly describes a vast, bleak expanse of frozen water. These are not merely patches of ice, you understand, but veritable fields of it, straddling the arbitrary, invisible lines that divide Banff National Park from Jasper National Park.
This chilling behemoth is, to put it succinctly, the largest glacier south of the Arctic Circle. Its measurements are as disheartening as a long division problem: a sprawling 325 km2 in area, and 100 meters to 365 meters in depth. And each year, as if to spite any lingering warmth, it is deluged by up to seven meters of snowfall.
During the brief, fleeting summer months, visitors, rather than braving the elements on foot, are shuttled onto the glacier in the peculiar comfort of large, unwieldy snowcoaches. Or, for the less intrepid, one can simply marvel at them from the roadside parking lot, a safe and perhaps more sensible distance from such overwhelming, frozen indifference.
For those with a thirst for knowledge or merely a desire to escape the biting wind, the Columbia Icefield Centre stands as a beacon of human inquiry amidst the desolation. Within its walls, one can explore a natural history museum, a collection of exhibits designed to illuminate the very forces at play outside. Here, a large, meticulously crafted three-dimensional model of the Icefield clearly illustrates its vast size and, most fascinatingly, its three meltwater drainages: the Arctic, the Atlantic, and the Pacific. Other displays, with a certain academic precision, delve into the fleeting lives of wildlife in the alpine zone and, for the truly dedicated, explain the cycle of how glaciers form, grow, and inevitably, retreat.
Like a deceptive advertising campaign, the Glacier Skywalk promises a stroll through the heavens but delivers a rather more precarious form of tourism. Imagine, if you will, being propelled onto a platform with a glass floor, suspended a dizzying 280 meters above the Sunwapta Valley. It is, to put it mildly, an ordeal, offering an uninterrupted view of the abyss below – a view that may cause a sensitive individual to question the very solidity of the ground beneath their feet.
For the privilege of the All-In Odyssey Experience, which includes an ATV ride to and walk on the Athabasca Glacier, admission to the Skywalk, and a lunch buffet, a sum of $325 per adult is charged, a price that, like many things in life, seems both exorbitant and entirely unavoidable for those who desire such peculiar thrills. Advance booking is recommended.
Of course, for those who find the very notion of an elevated walk deeply unsettling, or for those afflicted with a sensible aversion to spending great amounts of money, an alternative is available. One can still view the Sunwapta Valley from a nearby lookout point, a solid, reassuring patch of ground that offers a more conventional, and perhaps less stomach-churning, perspective on the world.
11. Tangle Creek Falls
Precisely 7.4 km north of the Columbia Icefields, one encounters Tangle Falls – a multi-tiered cascade, not a singular plummet. Though a modest 48 meters with four drops, its peculiar charm lies in its wide, intricate descent, reaching up to 30 meters across. Mercifully, this roadside waterfall makes it remarkably easy for one to set up a tripod for long exposure photographs or even, heaven forbid, selfies.
12. Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Falls. A name that means “turbulent water,” which, like many straightforward translations, hints at a truth that is both accurate and utterly insufficient. This is no placid trickle, you understand, but a Class 6 waterfall, a designation that, were you to Google it, suggests a force both powerful and, perhaps, a little alarming.
The falls are fed directly by the Athabasca Glacier and plunge a respectable, if not entirely terrifying, 18 meters. However, it is in the late spring and early summer that Sunwapta Falls truly reveals its capacity for watery melodrama. During these fleeting months, when the snowpack runoff reaches its peak, the falls become particularly impressive, a roaring, churning spectacle that reminds one of nature’s formidable, and often deafening, power.
13. Athabasca Falls
Among the most powerful falls in the Canadian Rockies, located approximately 30 kilometres south of the Jasper town site, these falls are less remarkable for their height than for the sheer volume and force of water that plunges over the unforgiving rocks. The resulting thunderous roar drowns out polite conversation, as the water descends with spectacular, reckless abandon into a churning abyss. Fortunately, and perhaps surprisingly, this disquieting spectacle can be safely viewed and photographed from various platforms and walking trails. Proceed with caution.
14. Town of Jasper
Your road trip ends in the town of Jasper. Jasper is a town that one could, with some effort and a great deal of squinting, almost describe as charming. It is a place where every corner holds a new, almost-pleasant surprise, every conversation a fresh idea, and every moment a subtle reminder that even in the most frigid of circumstances, one can always find a slightly less dreadful way to exist. Here’s a complete guide to the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park.
I can only hope that, as you look back on your journey, you see not a collection of beautiful sights, but a long, slow-moving reminder of how vast and indifferent the world truly is. Your Icefields Parkway road trip, you see, is now over. If you’re looking for more, here are all of my posts about Banff, Jasper, and Canada.
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