Guide to Canada's Icefields Parkway

Introduction to the Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway is the stretch of highway between Lake Louise and Jasper National Park. Highly regarded as one of the most beautiful & scenic drives in North America, the 232 kilometer (145 mile) highway boasts sweeping views of glaciers, waterfalls, turquoise lakes, soaring mountains and lush valleys filled with wildlife.

Along the route you will see over 100 different glaciers, countless glaciers & pristine alpine lakes while also having and have plenty of opportunities to stop for photos, short hikes, or scenic picnics. The Icefields Parkway is more than just a drive, it is an adventure that should be experienced leisurely over the course of 8 – 12 + hours in order to ensure the best experience.

Quick Tips:

Spend a whole day exploring the parkway
- Plan ahead or wing it – make sure to stop for anything and everything that looks interesting. Most attractions along the highway only require a 15-30 minute stop so you can see a lot without having to pick & choose
Fuel up with both gas & food before making the drive
- Only one gas station located on the parkway & very limited food options. Pack a picnic & enjoy it at one of the hundreds of scenic viewpoints

Entrance Fee/Permits:

In the Parks Canada system each person has to pay a daily entrance fee to visit Canadian parks – unlike U.S. parks where the entry fee usually covers everyone in a vehicle for seven days. Also dissimilar to U.S. parks, day passes & permits are heavily enforced and checked frequently. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to avoid paying the daily entrance fee. The cost when we visited in August 2016 was about $9.80 CAN per adult per day.

There is also the opportunity to purchase the Parks Canada Discovery Pass which provides free entry to all Parks Canada managed national parks, reserves, conservation areas and historic sites. The Family/Group Discovery Pass covers the admission for up to seven people in a vehicle for one year and costs $136.40 CAN.

We were fortunate enough to be able to borrow a Family/Group Discovery Pass from a co-worker & didn’t have to pay any entrance fees for our time in Banff & Jasper. The Discovery Pass has a steep price tag for a short trip, but depending on the number of people in your group & the duration of your stay, it may be worth it.

Food & Supplies:

There are very few gas stations or restaurants located along the Icefields Parkway. Before setting out on your journey make sure to fuel up with both gas & food in either Jasper or Lake Louise. Pack a picnic & enjoy it at a scenic overlook somewhere along the wya.

Gas: There is one gas station located at the Saskatchewan River Crossing Resort, however, gas prices are usually much higher than in Jasper or Lake Louise.
Food: Like gas, there are few places to stop for meals along the parkway, so pack snacks and a picnic lunch to enjoy at a scenic overlook along the road.
Restrooms: One thing the parkway does have enough of is restrooms. Most viewpoints and stops along the Icefields Parkway come equipped with outhouses. However, the only running water facilities can be found at the Icefields Discovery Centre and the Saskatchewan River Crossings Resort.

Transportation:

A personal vehicle or guided tour is required to experience the Icefields Parkway. You can drive the highway in either direction, but the route from Lake Louise to Jasper is definitely the most popular.

The parkway is pretty straightforward, there are not very many side roads but there is a plethora of opportunities to stop for viewpoints, short hikes, and points of interest.

Highlights:

Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Glacier
Bow Lake
Bow Summit overlook of Peyto Lake
Crowfoot Glacier
Day Hikes
Glacier Skywalk
Herbert Lake
Icefields Discovery Centre
- Glacier Adventure Tour
Mount Edith Cavell Hike
Parker Ridge Trail
Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Valley
Valley of Five Lakes

Camping:

There are 11 campgrounds along the parkway, most of them are unserviced & filled on a first come first serve basis.

We stayed at the Columbia Icefields Campground in order to be close to the Icefields Discovery Centre for our tour the following morning. The site cost $15 CAD and was equipped with potable water and an outhouse. This campground is perfect for tenting & small campers. Its proximity to the glacial fields does make it colder than most other campsites in the area.