The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) is often called the most scenic highway in the world. Named for the tremendous glaciers, which flank its westward side, the 230-kilometre (143-mile) Parkway weaves up and around the mountains between Banff and Jasper National Parks as it parallels the Great Divide.
The drive provides picnic areas, campgrounds, interpretive viewpoints, easy access hiking trails, breathtaking scenery and excellent chances for spotting wildlife, including mountain goats, moose, caribou, black bears, elk and even grizzlies.
Although the route can be travelled safely in three and a half hours, most visitors take a full day or more to enjoy the many sights and trails. Gas, accommodation and other services are available in few places and many services close from October to May, so plan your trip accordingly. Prepare for varied weather conditions, even in mid-summer, as snow can fall year-round in the higher passes. Stay alert for animals appearing suddenly on the road—especially at dawn and dusk.
As you start out from Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier dominates the view until reaching Herbert Lake, which sits under the 3,544-metre (11,626-ft) peak of Mt. Temple. A little farther along, Hector Lake has a great view of the Waputik Mountain Range and Crowfoot Glacier, with its two talon-shaped extensions of ice. The emerald colour of Hector Lake comes from rock particles suspended in the water.
Surrounded by alpine fields of wildflowers, Bow Lake is the source of the Bow River, which flows through Banff and Calgary. From the waterside picnic area at the southeast end, take in the views of Crowfoot Mountain, Mt. Thompson and Bow Glacier. From Bow Lake the Parkway climbs to Bow Summit, the highest point of the journey, at an elevation of 2,068 metres (6,785 feet). Follow a short access road at the 40-kilometre mark to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking Peyto Lake (named for “Wild Bill” Peyto, one of the first game wardens in the Park). The bright blue glacial water of the lake and the wide view of the Mistaya Valley make this one of the most scenic spots on the tour.
The Parkway descends from the Summit into the Mistaya Valley, passing Snowbird Glacier and Mt. Chephren—a 3,000-metre (9,843-ft) pyramid of dark rock that towers over the Waterfowl Lakes. At the junction to the David Thompson Highway (Hwy 11), Saskatchewan River Crossing offers a chance to fill up before continuing toward the Columbia Icefields. This stretch offers some of the best chances to spot wildlife. Look for moose wading in Rampart Ponds, a marshy area beneath Mt. Saskatchewan and Mt. Amery.
At the 105-kilometre mark, melting snow above Cirrus Mountain seeps through fine cracks in the rock, creating the Weeping Wall, where waterfalls spring magically from the cliff face. From here the Parkway becomes steep as you climb up toward Mt. Athabasca, passing viewpoints of Nigel Creek Canyon and the North Saskatchewan River before entering Jasper National Park and coming in sight of the Columbia Icefields.
The Columbia Icefields are composed of eight glaciers and encompass an area of 325 square kilometres (202 square miles). The ice mass is one of the largest south of the Arctic Circle and one of the most accessible in North America. Saskatchewan Glacier, the source of the Saskatchewan River and the longest glacier in the Columbia Icefields, is best viewed from the alpine heights of Parker Ridge. This cold and treeless meadowland is easily attained by a short hike from the parking lot at the 117-kilometre mark. Athabasca, The Dome and Stutfield Glaciers can be seen from the Parkway.
A short side trip from the highway takes you right to the “toe” of Athabasca. Unguided travel any further onto the glacier is not recommended. Plan to include a visit to the world-famous Columbia Icefield Centre, which is open from May to mid-October. The centre is a beautiful chalet-style stone building, which houses many services and informative resources, including a scale mode of the Icefields themselves. Here you can book a Columbia Icefield Glacier experience. This is a fully-escorted, 90-minute interpretive excursion on the Athabasca Glacier aboard a Brewster IceExplorer Snocoach. These tours depart from the centre every fifteen minutes and ice walking tours are available in the summer. Another exciting way to see this area is via Icefield Helicopter Tours. Located in Nordegg, which is about a 30-minute drive east of the Saskatchewan River Crossing along Highway 11, this company offers many sightseeing opportunities of this vast and beautiful area.
Leaving the Centre, the Parkway follows the Sunwapta River, as it braids through the flats of sand and gravel left behind by retreating glaciers. Stop at the viewpoint of Mount Kitchener, which has a gentle slope that reaches 3,505 metres (11,500 feet) before dropping to a sheer cliff on the highway side.
Or, stretch your legs along the thrilling boardwalk suspended over Sunwapta Falls before the Parkway enters the forested lands around the Athabasca River. The viewpoint at the 192-kilometre mark is famous for mountain goats, which come down from the red cliffs of Mt. Kerkeslin to lick mineral deposits along the road.
Just 31 kilometres (19 miles) from Jasper, follow the turnoff at Highway 93A to reach Athabasca Falls, where the Athabasca River funnels into a narrow gorge to surge out right beside the parking lot. From the Falls, you can follow the 93A to hike the trails of Mt. Edith Cavell, a 3,363-metre (11,033-ft) peak capped by the wing-shaped Angel Glacier. Or, enjoy the view of the mountain from the Parkway and continue the short drive through stands of aspen trees to the resort town of Jasper.
