Icefields Parkway: A Scenic Highway You Must Drive at Least Once in Your Lifetime

The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) connects Banff and Jasper National Parks and spans 232 kilometers. It is no ordinary highway—it has been named ”one of the most beautiful roads in the world” by National Geographic, and features a concentration of the Rocky Mountains’ most spectacular scenery: glaciers, waterfalls, emerald-green lakes, snow-capped peaks, and countless wildlife.

Someone asked, “How long does it take to drive 232 kilometers?” If you don’t stop, it takes about 3 hours. But almost no one can make it without stopping—because every few kilometers there’s a scenic overlook that makes you instinctively hit the brakes.

Columbia Icefield: The Largest Icefield in the Rocky Mountains

The Columbia Icefield is the most iconic attraction along the Icefields Parkway.

The Columbia Icefield covers an area of approximately 325 square kilometers, with an ice thickness of up to 365 meters at its deepest point—enough to bury the Empire State Building with room to spare. It straddles the Continental Divide of North America, and meltwater flows from here in three directions: west into the Pacific Ocean, east into the Atlantic Ocean, and north into the Arctic Ocean. For this reason, the Columbia Icefield is also known as the ”Hydrological Apex.”

There are six major glaciers on the icefields, three of which are accessible by road. The most famous is the Athabasca Glacier—one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, located just a few minutes’ drive from the visitor center.

Ice Field Explorer: Journey onto a Millennia-Old Glacier

The Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer Tour is a one-of-a-kind experience among its kind worldwide. You’ll ride in a specially customized Ice Explorer—a six-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with massive low-pressure tires measuring over 1.5 meters in diameter, designed specifically for travel on ice.

The vehicle departs from the visitor center and first travels up a steep, gravel ramp—with a maximum gradient of 32%—one of the steepest sections of road in the world traversed by commercial vehicles. It then reaches the surface of the Athabasca Glacier, where you’ll have about 20–30 minutes to explore the glacier at your leisure. The ice beneath your feet was formed from snowfall about 400 years ago, which has been compacted over centuries to become glacial ice. Take a sip of glacial meltwater—it’s one of the purest waters on Earth.

Important Notice: The Ice Field Explorer operates only from May through October each year; specific operating dates depend on weather conditions. We strongly recommend booking online in advance, as daily capacity is limited during the summer, and popular time slots often sell out.

Skywalk: A glass observation deck suspended 280 meters above the ground

The Glacier Skywalk, located directly across from the Icefields Adventure Center, is a curved glass observation deck suspended at the edge of a cliff in Sunwapta Valley. Standing on the glass floor, with the valley floor 280 meters below and the Sunwapta River cascading over the falls beneath, this spot is not for those afraid of heights—but for those brave enough to take on the challenge, it offers the most thrilling view along the Icefields Parkway.

The Skywalk’s design is also quite sophisticated—the entire structure is cantilevered, with no vertical support pillars, minimizing visual disruption to the natural environment. The observation deck also features interactive display panels about the geology of the Rocky Mountains, glacial hydrology, and wildlife.

Must-See Stops Along the Way

1. Bow Lake

About 40 kilometers north of Lake Louise lies Bow Lake. Bow Lake is the source of the Bow River, with Bow Glacier and Crow’s Claw Glacier as its backdrop. On windless days, the lake’s surface is as smooth as a mirror, and the reflections of the snow-capped mountains are incredibly clear. Nearby stands the historic Simpson Cabin (Num-Ti-Jah Lodge), which serves as a classic foreground for photographs of Bow Lake.

2. Peyto Lake

Lake Peyto is perhaps one of the most photogenic lakes in the Rocky Mountains and a strong contender for the title of ”Canada’s Most Beautiful Lake.” It’s shaped like a wolf’s head (or a fox’s head, depending on your imagination), and its color is an unreal, bright blue—due to the exceptionally high concentration of glacial rock flour in Lake Peyto.

The view of Lake Peto from the Bow Summit overlook is the most iconic vantage point. It’s just a 10- to 15-minute walk from the parking lot to the overlook—a virtually effortless hike—but the reward is a photo that will make everyone green with envy.

3. Mistaya Canyon

A hidden gem often overlooked by tourists. Here, the Mistaia River is squeezed into a narrow limestone canyon, where the swirling currents have carved circular potholes into the rock. It takes just 15 minutes to hike to the bottom of the canyon, but the canyon’s unique formations and the power of the water will keep you there for a long time.

4. The Weeping Wall

A 100-meter-high cliff along the Icefield Highway; in summer, countless trickles of water cascade down its face, resembling a giant weeping wall. In winter, the area transforms into a mecca for ice climbing, with the entire cliff frozen into a series of icefalls.

5. Sunwapta Falls

About 50 kilometers from the center of the ice field, the Senwaputa River plunges into a narrow canyon here, forming two waterfalls—an upper and a lower one. The upper waterfall is right beside the road, while the lower one requires a hike of about 1.5 kilometers. There are far fewer visitors here than at Athabasca Falls, allowing you to quietly experience the power of the water.

6. Athabasca Falls

As detailed in the previous section on Jasper, I’d like to add one more point here: Athabasca Falls is located near Jasper at the northern end of the Icefields Parkway and serves as the perfect ending to a trip north along the Icefields Parkway.

Driving Guide for the Icefields Parkway

Go for it!: There is only one gas station along the entire Icefields Parkway—located at Saskatchewan River Crossing—where gas prices are extremely high and fuel is sometimes in short supply. Be sure to fill up in Banff or Jasper before setting out.

Cell Phone Signal: There is no cell service on most sections of the route. Download offline maps in advance.

Weather: Even in July, snow is possible on the high-altitude sections of the Icefields Parkway. Check the 511 Alberta road conditions before you leave.

Wildlife: Wild animals often appear on the road, especially at dawn and dusk. Slow down and drive carefully; do not stop suddenly to take photos.

Winter Driving: Although the Icefield Parkway remains open during the winter, road conditions can be challenging; snow tires are required, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. Some sections may be temporarily closed due to avalanche control measures.

Geology 101

The Columbia Icefield is a remnant of the last Ice Age (approximately 20,000 years ago). At that time, most of Canada was covered by an ice sheet. The glaciers we see today have actually been retreating steadily—the Athabasca Glacier has retreated more than 1.5 kilometers over the past 125 years, and the rate of retreat has been accelerating in recent years. At the entrance to the center of the icefield, there is a marker indicating the glacier’s position in different years, which is a visually stunning sight.

BetterWay Travel: Let our professional drivers and guides take you on a journey along the Icefields Parkway

The beauty of the Icefields Parkway lies in the surprises that await at every kilometer. However, the 232-kilometer mountain road can be quite a challenge for tourists unfamiliar with the terrain. The team of drivers and guides at BetterWay Travel (Yujia Travel) knows the Icefields Parkway like the back of their hand—they know which bend hides a breathtaking waterfall, the best time of day to spot black bears, and which viewpoint offers the best lighting for photos. Leave the driving to us, and just sit back and enjoy every frame of the scenery outside your window.

👉 Contact us to customize your Icefields Parkway & Columbia Icefield tour!