Every single time I drive the Icefields Parkway Parkway Alberta, there’s always something new and beautiful that catches my eye. A snow-capped, jagged peak that’s taller than the sky, a glacial-fed lake that’s bluer than any ocean. I witness the raw beauty of Canada, and I want to help you find the same.

Driving the Icefields Parkway in Alberta is nothing short of magical. This three hour drive from Lake Louise to Jasper (or reversed) takes you through some gorgeous viewpoints. You don’t even need to exit your vehicle to be treated to towering snow-caps, ancient glacial-fed lakes of blue and green – it is honestly an unforgettable drive.

However you choose to explore the Icefields Parkway is up to you (I’ll go through the options below in detail).

Whether you want amazing hikes on the Icefield Parkway, things to do and see or just the best lakes along the way – the highway from Jasper to Banff definitely won’t disappoint (unless you get complete cloud cover and can’t see a thing!).

So let’s get into exploring the Icefields Parkway in Alberta!

 

Where is Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a small town, mostly known for the famous lake with the same name. Two hours east of Calgary in Alberta and an hour west of Golden in British Columbia, Lake Louise is a popular stop for many visitors.

While it is mostly known for Lake Louise, the area is home to a number of beautiful lakes and things to do like visiting Moraine Lake for sunrise and hiking.

 

Where is Jasper

Jasper, the smaller of the two towns in Alberta, is every bit as beautiful as Banff. Jasper National Park, that surrounds Jasper, wasn’t granted official status until 1930, links with the more southern Banff National Park to the south.

Jasper is located about 4 hours drive west of Edmonton, and almost the exact same distance driving east from Prince George in British Columbia.

Jasper National Park is a dark sky preserve and is an amazing place to just lay out and stargaze.

 

How long does the drive from Lake Louise to Jasper take?

Jasper to Lake Louise is 233km of natural beauty. Highway 93, from Jasper to Lake Louise is also known as the Icefields Parkway.

While driving this stretch of double laned highway takes 3 hours if you drive straight through, but chances are, you’ll want to take a whole day to stop at the lakes and viewpoints along the Icefields Parkway.

Trust me, you don’t want to rush and miss out on the scenery all around – it is stunning, all 200+ kilometers of it.

 

What is the Icefields Parkway in Alberta

The Icefields Parkway is a stretch of highway that leads from Jasper to Lake Louise.

The Icefields Parkway is less about the road itself, and more about the unforgettable viewpoints all around. While this highway through Banff National Park and Jasper National Park has “must-see” stops, there are plenty of views that you will be drawn to pull over are just stare at.

You will likely encounter wildlife, along with cascading falls from rocky peaks and lakes that appear way too bright and blue to be real that are fed from ancient glaciers.

Here is a short list of some of the sights along the Icefields Parkway you will want to spend some time at. These sights along the Icefields Parkway are from Jasper, heading south towards Lake Louise.

• Athabasca Falls
• Sunwapta Falls
• Glacier Sky Walk
• Columbia Icefields
• Parker Ridge
• Weeping Wall
• Saskatchewan River Crossing
• Peyton Lake and Bow Summit
• Bow lake

While these are the main attractions between Jasper and Lake Louise, you’ll find plenty more jaw-dropping sights as you drive along.

 

What is there to see along the Icefield Parkway in Alberta?

Above is a list of the best sights along the Icefields Parkway in Alberta. Below there is a little more detail on each of the “must-see” sights from Jasper to Lake Louise.

The reason why I decided to write in that direction? I’ve driven the Icefields Parkway both directions and Jasper to Lake Louise is my personal favorite.

 

Athabasca Falls – 30km south of Jasper

Located in Jasper National Park, Athabasca Falls is the first main stop driving south along the Icefield Parkway, around 30km south of Jasper.

While only 23 meters high, there is a huge amount of water constantly flowing through the gorge. This Class 5 waterfall is 18m wide, or 60feet at its widest point. The Upper Athabasca River is responsible for feeding this stunning display of raw, natural power.

It’s also important to note about safety, with Athabasca Falls claiming at least 5 lives in the last 20 years. Always keep safety in the back of your mind, as there are rarely second chances with forces such as the Athabasca Falls.

 

Sunwapta Falls – 56km south of Jasper

This magical set of falls is easily accessed from the highway by 600m of an access road. While the upper falls is easily accessed by walking, the lower falls is a longer but easy walk – most people don’t visit the lower section.

With the water coming from Athabasca Glacier, this Class 6 waterfall is most spectacular when it is most powerful – in springtime.

 

Glacier Sky Walk – Columbia Icefield Skywalk – 98km from Jasper

One of the Icefield Parkway’s most iconic sights, the Glacier Sky Walk gives an unparalleled view of the Rocky Mountains. It’s one of those things that kinda needs to be seen to be believed.

This glass-bottomed walkway stretches out 280 meters above the valley floor. Yeah, that’s right, there are no typos there.

This is something I have yet to do personally, as the lines can be incredibly long, but if you have the spare time and money, this is a perfect way to experience a bird’s eye view of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

This is one of the sights that aren’t free on the Icefields Parkway drive. You need to purchase tickets fro. The Columbia Icefields Glacier Discovery Center (literally across the road from our next stop), and this Jasper National Park attraction costs $34 CAD for an adult, ages 6-15 are currently $17 CAD and 5 and under are free.

You can also book your Columbia Icefields Skywalk ticket online so you don’t need to worry about it selling out!

 

Columbia Icefields – Athabasca Glacier – 106km from Jasper

This is a two parter, the Columbia Icefields, or the Athabasca Glacier will be on your right, and on your left is one of the largest and most important buildings on the Icefields Parkway, the Columbia Icefields Glacier Discovery Center will be directly opposite on your left (assuming you’re coming from.Jasper).

There are two ways to visit Athabasca Glacier:

• You can walk to the toe, or the front edge of Athabasca Glacier. There is a trailhead just after the car park on the right hand side of the highway.
• Take a Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour onto Athabasca Glacier. A giant bus/truck vehicle drives you on to the glacier and you’re able to have a wander around on the ice. It is a pretty cool experience. You can book the Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour across the road at the visitors center, or online by clicking that link above.

The Columbia Icefields Discovery Center is home to a cafeteria and souvenirs that are decent, but in all honesty, a little overpriced. I guess it fits as a tourist place in the mountains. It’s a great place for a pitstop and to learn about the area, including Athabasca Glacier, with the information in the building.

 

Parker Ridge – 112km from Jasper

One of the best hikes on the Icefields Parkway,  the trek to Parker Ridge is challenging but worth the effort.

With 216m elevation gain over 5km of trail, the views of Parker Ridge hike gives beautiful views over the Saskatchewan Glacier and valley floor below.

This is definitely a challenging hike on the Icefields Parkway and shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you plan to hike to the ridgeline, be prepared for much colder conditions at the end of the trail than you first encountered.

 

Weeping Wall – 125km from Jasper

You’ll find Alberta’s Weeping Wall right alongside the Highway, at the base of Cirrus Mountain, just inside the border of Banff National Park.

The Weeping Wall contains a number of waterfalls, that cascade towards the roadway. In summer and spring, this is a popular stop for a short walk to the main falls a little further away from the road. This hike is short but it is quite uneven and steep. In the winter, the spires of ice that form are a popular ice climbing spot.

 

Saskatchewan River Crossing – 153km from Jasper

Saskatchewan River Crossing is historically the location where fur traders would cross the Saskatchewan River on the way to British Columbia in the 19^th century.

Today, it Mark’s roughly the midway point between Banff and Jasper. The rest stop is the landmark junction between Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway) and Highway 11 (David Thompson Highway) heading towards Nordegg.

This is a great spot for a rest and a warm lunch, coffee and a souvenir or two if you’re looking for something to remember your trip to Banff.

 

Peyto Lake and Bow Summit Lookout – 188km from Jasper

One of my personal favorite stops along the Icefields Parkway, Peyto Lake is one of those unforgettable sights – it looks like a wolf!

From the lookout of Peyto Lake you can easily make out the wolf outline easily and can be viewed in either summer or winter.

Bow Summit Lookout requires a short hike to reach and the trailhead can be reached from the Peyto Lake Viewpoint. This 2.9km one-way hike has an increased elevation of 245m and takes around 2.5 hours return. Bow Summit Lookout is the highest viewpoint along the Icefields Parkway drive.

 

Bow Lake – 195km from Jasper

While the last stop could give you views looking over Bow Lake, you can visit the shore of this glacial-fed lake. At an altitude of 1920m and located right on the highway just 40km north of Lake Louise.

 

What are the best ways to discover the Icefields Parkway?

Honestly, driving is hands down my favorite way to explore the Icefields Parkway. The freedom you get with your own set of wheels, it just can’t be beaten.

Whether you own a car, or need to hire a car in Canada, you will not regret making Jasper to Lake Louise a road trip.

If you’re still not wanting to drive from Lake Louise to Jasper, there are a number of tours available that cover many of the spots mentioned and make it easy to sit back and soak in your unforgettable surroundings.

 

Taking a guided tour through the Icefields Parkway in Alberta

If you want to take the driving out of your trip along the Icefields Parkway, you can always take a guided tour and spend your time concentrating on the beautiful surroundings rather than the road and other traffic.

There are plenty of guided tours of the Icefields Parkway and even more incorporating stunning areas in the area of the Albertan Canadian Rocky Mountains.

If you’re new to driving in Canada (on the right-hand side of the road) or never driven in icey conditions, this might be a good option to only have to focus on the beautiful scenery around you.

 

What else should you know about the highway between Jasper and Lake Louise

• As usual in the mountains, the weather is super unpredictable. It could be hot and sunny one moment, snowing the next. Make sure you’re prepared for all weather conditions – from clothing to appropriate tires on your vehicle.
• This area of Alberta is home to bears. While encounters are rare, they do happen, and you should know how to act so the situation is a little more bearable.
• Don’t leave your trash behind. This is one that that always annoys me. The mentality that a little bit of rubbish left behind is okay, or that someone else will take care of your mess. Dispose of your litter properly.

 

Driving the Icefields Parkway Map – Jasper to Lake Louise in Alberta

Here’s a basic map of driving one of Alberta’s most scenic roads – the Icefields Parkway. The drive to Lake Louise from Jasper is one you’ll never forget – towering peaks and bright blue lakes make for a stunning road trip in Alberta.

 

Summary of the Icefields Parkway – Driving from Jasper to Lake Louise in Alberta

I hope this post has made you excited to get out and explore not only the well visited sights, but also the lesser known spots along the Icefields Parkway – and take the time to soak the beauty of the whole area in.

Having done this drive 3 times now, I can safely say that it never gets old. There is always something I haven’t noticed before, or a different perspective I come away with whenever I visit this stunning chunk of Highway through ancient giants and bright blue bodies of water.

So, what is your favorite stop along the Icefields Highway? Let me know in the comments below!

 

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Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown