The Canadian Rockies is an area that is synonymous with grand superlatives and the Icefields Parkway is no exception - this may just be the most beautiful road we’ve ever driven. After a great deal of thinking about the 60+ countries we’ve been to, we can’t think of anywhere that competes with this 233km stretch of road.
There are so many amazing natural attractions along the Icefields Parkway that your toughest choice will be deciding which ones you can squeeze in. There’s just a single road through these incredible mountains and you’ll find yourself among glaciers, stunning lakes and spectacular scenery at every moment. Even if you have bad weather as we did much of the time the mist which swirls around the mountain peaks is as dramatic and atmospheric as it gets.
A drive along here has to be on every Rockies itinerary and we promise it won’t disappoint. It would be easy to spend a full week exploring all that the Parkway has to offer but given most people just have the drive to and from Banff we’ve split our Icefields Parkway itinerary accordingly making sure you hit all the best spots.
Icefield Parkways itinerary: The Athabasca Glacier
Icefields Parkway itinerary: the best stops
These are the places you must include on your Icefields Parkway itinerary:
Planning your Icefields Parkway itinerary
The Icefields Parkway is a destination in its own right, but due to time restraints most people see it as the most spectacular commute between Banff and Jasper. This road is 233km long and takes about three hours to drive if you did it in one go, but to see a fraction of what’s on offer you’ll need at least two days.
There are a couple of places to stay along the Parkway if you have the luxury of more time, but they sell out quickly in the summer and we weren’t able to book anywhere. If you do want to stay along the way, then book as early as you possibly can. You can camp, but even in August the Parkway can get pretty cold at night, so make sure you have the right gear for cold weather camping.
Assuming that you’ll drive the Parkway in both directions, we’ve put together 2 itineraries for your trip: the first from Lake Louise, the second from Jasper. This will cover the best stops and the distance from Lake Louise and Jasper.
Icefields Parkway Itinerary Map
Click on the map, or this link here to be taken to our customised google maps to plan your itinerary!
Icefields Parkway Itinerary Map: the essential stops
Lake Louise -> Jasper
This itinerary starts from Lake Louise and heads north (assuming that most people start their trip in the Banff area and then head to Jasper). We recommend an early start as some of these stops take a while, especially if you like taking photos like we do!
Stop 1: Peyto Lake
45 km (35 mins) from Lake Louise
188 km (2 hr 30) from Jasper
Time suggested: 45 mins - 1 hour
Peyto Lake is one of the most famous lakes in Canada and when you see it, you’ll understand why. This incredible lake’s bright blue colour is created by rock flour from the glacier and it’s stunningly beautiful. The viewpoints present this lake at its best angle: high up with all the surrounding mountains. It’s the kind of place you dream about, but don’t expect to be real.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: Peyto Lake from the main viewpoint
The first viewpoint for the lake is a 10 minute uphill walk on a paved path. There are a couple of other viewpoints we’ve included in our guide to the Peyto Lake hikes if you want to escape the crowds and see some more.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: the second viewpoint at Peyto Lake
Read next: 12 things you have do on Vancouver Island
Stop 2: Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre
130 km (1 hr 50) from Lake Louise
105 km (1.5 hrs) from Jasper
Time needed: At least 2.5 hours
A tour with the Columbia Icefield centre is probably the easiest way in the world to set foot on a glacier. There’s no long expedition or expensive helicopter, you simply take the bus! The specialist Ice Explorer buses have been kitted out for these conditions (they look like industrial mining vehicles) and you’ll take on a ridiculously steep road which got some people’s nerves jangling before getting onto the glacier itself.
You can book your tickets online through Get Your Guide (which was sometimes cheaper than booking direct) by clicking this link .
Icefields Parkway itinerary: The bus to the Columbia Icefield
Once there, you can hop out and take in the views for 20 minutes. You’ll be surrounded by ice and the mountains overhead with glaciers on top. It’s a magical experience, especially if you’ve never been on a glacier before.
Wear your grippiest shoes because you are not given traction devices and some parts of the ice are slippery - having said that don’t be put off because no one fell! If you want to get a pair of traction devices, you can pick up a pair of Yak Trax for between $20 - $30 on Amazon or REI.
If you’re looking for indepth glacier exploration this isn’t it and we’d recommend checking out one of the guided Ice Walks instead but if you want to just set foot on the glacier and see some cool crevasses then this is your best bet. Please don’t walk on the glacier alone without a guide, it is riddled with crevasses and incredibly dangerous even if it doesn’t look it. There can be fresh snow covering drops which are hundreds of metres deep. We saw quite a few people merrily walking along the glacier without any specialist gear and it made us shudder.
Tours run every 15 minutes and tickets include entry to the Sky Walk (which is something we don’t recommend paying for on its own).
Read next: The most photogenic places near Banff
Icefields Parkway itinerary: walking on the glacier
Icefields Parkway itinerary: The Athabasca Glacier
The Glacier Skywalk
Next to the Columbia Icefield is the Skywalk, a walkway which isn’t worth seeing in its own right if you haven’t done the Icefield tour (in which case the Skywalk is included in the price). This viewpoint is essentially bolted onto the side of the road and overlooks a nearby valley, surprisingly you won’t see any glaciers!!
There is a glass platform which has a huge drop, but the views are actually not as good as the nearby Wilcox Pass Lookout or any of the hiking trails you can do for free. The view is of course still beautiful, as they are along the whole Parkway but if you aren’t doing the Columbia Icefield tour then we recommend saving the $34 and heading to the Wilcox Pass Lookout instead.
Read next: The top Lake Louise hikes you need to do!
Stop 3: Sunwapta Falls
177 km (2 hr 20) from Lake Louise
56km (45 mins) from Jasper
Time needed: At least 20 minutes
At this point you are now getting to the places to stop that are closer to Jasper than Lake Louise. In this area there are several waterfalls to check out and Sunwapta is a pretty dramatic one that is well worth stopping to see.
The falls are characterised by mountains in the background, an island on the top and a narrow but incredibly powerful waterfall that flows into a deep canyon. The viewpoints are only a five minute walk from the carpark and you can cross the bridge and head through the forest to get to the shore of the falls. Be careful as the rock here is pretty slippery, but the views are unbelievable. It’s one of Jasper’s top photography spots.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: Sunwapta Falls
Icefields Parkway Itinerary day two: Jasper -> Lake Louise
Stop 1: Athabasca Falls
32 km (30 mins) from Jasper
202km (2 hr 35) from Lake Louise
Time needed: At least 30 minutes
Athabasca Falls is the closest stop to Jasper and is another dramatic waterfall. These falls flow into a narrow canyon which makes for some pretty incredible photos. We had seen a few people heading out white water rafting around here, but the majority were there to take in the spectacular views.
The falls are only a five minute walk from the car park and there are a few different viewing platforms so it’s worth giving yourself at least half an hour to see the falls from different angles.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: Athabasca Falls
Stop 2: Wilcox Pass Lookout
106km (1 hr 25) from Jasper
127km (1 hr 40) from Lake Louise
Time needed: 1.5 hours
If you want to see the Athabasca Glacier, but don’t want to take the tour, then this lookout is the place to go. The short hike heads through the forest and up to a lookout which shows the glacier from high up.
There are a couple of national parks red chairs to sit down and take it all in. You can hike this 3km return trail in 1-1.5 hours (including time for the views). If you want a longer walk you can continue from the lookout to the Pass which adds on another 3km.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: Wilcox Pass
Stop 3: Parker Ridge
115 km (1.5 hr) from Jasper
118 km (1.5 hr from Lake Louise)
Time needed: At least 2 hours
Halfway along the Icefields Parkway you’ll reach one of the highlights of this road. The Parker Ridge trail was our favourite hike on the Icefields Parkway, taking you to a spectacular view of a glacier that you just won’t get to see unless you hike. It’s not that long (6km return), but it is pretty steep and exposed, so give yourself a couple of hours to do the hike and take in the outstanding views.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: Parker Ridge
Be mindful of the weather as this isn’t a hike you ideally want to do when it’s excessively windy or raining as you will feel the full brunt of it on the ridge (we’re talking from experience although we wouldn’t have missed it for the world)! If you have reasonable weather, put this hike at the top of your list.
You can read up more about the hike on our post all about the Parker Ridge Trail.
Stop 4: Bow Lake
37 km (30 mins) from Lake Louise
194 km (2.5 hrs) from Jasper
Time needed: At least 15 minutes
One of the closest stops to Lake Louise, Bow Lake is another stunning glacial lake. It is also one of the biggest we saw and like the others in the Rockies, shines with a blue colour that looks like someone poured a lot of food colouring into it!
You can choose to stop by and see it from the shore, or you can see it from the hike to Bow Summit, a trail very few people do.
Icefields Parkway itinerary: the view from the summit of the Bow Lake hike
Essential information about the Icefields Parkway Itinerary
Weather
The weather on the Icefields Parkway is the most unpredictable we’ve ever seen. On one journey, we were in torrential rain/snow and then one minute before Peyto Lake it all disappeared to clear skies and sunshine. Then an hour later the same cycle happened again.
The Icefields Parkway can be incredibly cold, even in the summer, so bring warm clothes with you. Always try to keep an eye on the weather and spot oncoming storms as they can happen quickly. You wouldn’t want to be stuck on Parker Ridge in gale force winds and snow as there is nowhere to hide!
Gas
You will want to fill up at either Jasper or Lake Louise as there is only one (very expensive) gas station on the Icefields Parkway!
Bear & wildlife Safety
The Icefields Parkway is teeming with wildlife and most people see bears alongside the road. There are also elk and other Canadian icons here, so keep an eye out for these animals! Whatever you do, do not feed (you’ll get an eye-watering fine) or try to get out for a closer look. These animals are wild and it is best to give them space and time to move along.
We love wildlife encounters as much as anyone, but trying to interact with these animals could at best land you with a fine, at worse get the animals killed (they can’t digest human food properly, and bears that have human interactions are put down).
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Are you planning a trip to the Rockies? Which stops would you make on your Icefields Parkway itinerary? Let us know in the comments below!
