The Icefields Parkway – One of the Most Scenic Drives on Earth

The Icefields Parkway

The Canadian Rockies boast some of, if not the most stunning mountain views in all of North America, and driving the Icefields Parkway is one of the best ways to experience them. This mountain road weaves its way directly through the most rugged, breathtaking mountainous landscape in both Banff and Jasper National Park. The Icefields Parkway, also known as Highway 93, is a 141-mile mountain highway that runs parallel to the Continental Divide, connecting Lake Louise in the south to the town of Jasper in the north. The entire drive takes about 3 hours one-way and there is not a single bad view for the duration of the drive…

Map

Assuming you’re starting in Banff and driving north, the drive begins when Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway) branches off to the right from Highway 1 (Trans Canada Highway) just north of Lake Louise. Immediately, you’l notice that there are no fences along the sides of the road to keep animals off the highway like they have on the Trans Canada Highway, so keep your eyes open for elk, bighorn sheep, deer, or bears. The Parkway is one of the best places in both Banff and Jasper to see wildlife from the road.

The two-lane highway runs parallel to the Bow River, and within the first 20-30 minutes of the drive you will pass Herbert Lake, Hector Lake, and Bow Lake on your left, all of which have designated parking areas from which to take in the views or to get out and hike.

Banff and Jasper are world renowned for the crystal clear blue water of their glacier lakes, and perhaps the most incredible of them all is Peyto Lake. If you only leave your car for one attraction along the Icefields Parkway, it should be Peyto Lake. It’s busy, but not nearly as swarmed with tourists as Lake Louise or Moraine Lake, and while it requires a short uphill walk to reach the overlook, it’s still highly accessible and makes for a quick pit stop along the drive…not that you’ll want to leave…

About 45 miles into the drive, you’ll arrive at Saskatchewan River Crossing. It is here that the North Saskatchewan, the Howse and the Mistaya River meet. The Crossing is the only stop along the 3-hour drive with a gas station, and also includes a restaurant and public bathrooms.

There are plenty of hiking trails along the Icefields Parkway, but if you have to chose only one, we would highly recommend Wilcox Pass. The views along this trail are some of the best we have ever seen anywhere on Earth and that is not an exaggeration. The full hike is 5.8 miles round trip, but if you want to do the abridged version, it doesn’t even take a full mile of hiking to reach a vantage point of the Columbia Icefield. The trailhead is located next to the Wilcox Creek Campground, about two miles before reaching the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center

The Columbia Icefield, for which the Icefields Parkway was named, is probably the most popular attraction along this scenic drive. These massive glaciers straddling Banff and Jasper National Park are the largest glaciers south of the arctic circle. Those visiting in the summer are able to explore the glaciers on “slowcoaches”. You can also enjoy the view from the road, the glacier skywalk, or from one of the nearby trails.

Once you pass the Columbia Icefield, you’re about 63 miles from the town of Jasper (a little over half way) and the remainder of the drive is in Jasper National Park. In addition to the endless mountain views, the most popular sites along the second half of the drive are Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls, both of which are worth stopping for. By the time you reach Jasper, you will have experienced the best of what the Canadian Rockies have to offer: mountains, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, and hopefully some wildlife. This drive is as beautiful as any you’ll find on Earth.

Interested in another amazing mountain drive? Check out the Denali Highway