Driving the Icefield Parkway in Canada
If packing up the car for an epic road trip filled with unreal scenery — towering peaks, turquoise lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, and bucket-list adventures — is your style, then you need to drive the Icefield Parkway in Canada!
This 144-mile (232 km) route winds through the heart of the Canadian Rockies, connecting Banff National Park and Jasper National Park in Alberta. Often rated as one of the most breathtaking drives in the world, it’s not just a road — it’s a journey through some of Canada’s most iconic natural wonders.
There are no towns, only one gas station, and no cell service for long stretches, allowing you to fully disconnect and immerse yourself in the wild beauty that surrounds you. The drive can be completed in one or two days, depending on how often you stop to hike, take photos, or simply soak it all in.
We completed the drive in a single (very full!) day — leaving Calgary early in the morning and arriving in Jasper around midnight — so if you plan to do it all in one go, be prepared for an all-day adventure!
If this sounds like the epic drive you’ve been craving, keep reading for our Icefields Parkway itinerary, or check out our Driving the Icefields Parkway video for a glimpse of the journey!
Download this Smartphone Audio Tour
If you want to be sure not to miss any of the unique stops along the Icefields Parkway, we highly recommend downloading this very affordable Audio Tour. This tour was so helpful for us in being sure not to miss any memorable must see stops, informing us of the history of each location, and most importantly – it worked when we didn’t have cell service!
Stops to make along the Icefield Parkway
Bow Lake
Bow Lake was our first stop along the Icefields Parkway and what a gorgeous stop it was! Bow Lake is surrounded by several glaciers and can be very cold and windy – so come prepared with a jacket. Luckily, we visited while it was pretty warm (in mid June) and were able to break out our nice camera to get some epic reflective water shots. Note: there were a few pull offs along Bow Lake with the water still being very icy along one pull off and thawed in another.
Peyto Lake
This is a very popular destination along the parkway – for good reason. Peyto Lake is located north of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake sitting between Yoho National Park and Jasper National Park. This shockingly-gatorade blue water is a stunner and if you are up for a short hike from the parking lot (1.5 miles roundtrip), then you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the glaciers to the west, Peyto Lake, and the Canadian Rockies! Be aware that the hike can be pretty steep in parts and also easily gets covered in snow. We visited in June and there was still some snow and ice along the trail.
- Peyto Lake Trail:
- Length: 1.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 344 ft
- Difficulty: Moderate
Waterfowl Lakes
Waterfowl Lake is the last of the major lakes before hitting the River Crossing. We made a quick stop here taking some cute photos, and enjoyed a quick snack while sitting on a rock and taking in the view. This would be a great stop for a picnic to break up your drive!
Saskatchewan River Crossing
Not only is this the most scenic gas station we have probably ever been to – or will ever be at – it’s also the only gas station between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, so be sure to gas up before hitting the road – or you may find yourself stranded with no gas station in sight! This crossing also has a place to stay if you are planning to split your drive into two days, although we found it to be quite expensive so we opted for a cheap camping spot in Jasper National Park instead.
Weeping Wall
We didn’t manage to get any photos of this spot, but did feature it in our Driving the Icefields Parkway Video! This spot is a unique cliffside where the walls appear to be weeping, with multiple points where water is cascading down the rock wall.
Columbia Icefields
A drive along the Icefields Parkway isn’t complete without a stop at the Columbia Icefields! If you are short on time, you can make this a quick stop by taking a short walk to the base of the glacier and checking out just how far it has receded over the years. However, we highly recommend making this a feature of your drive, and booking a ticket to explore the Athabasca glacier on one of the few Ice Explorers in the world! Our tour covered both a drive up onto the Athabasca Glacier, and the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. We also spent quite a bit of time in the gift shop here – and possibly way too much on souvenirs as well! If you are in need of a pick me up along the drive, there is also a Starbucks here!
Tangle Creek
This multi-layered waterfall is right off the side of the road, and honestly if you weren’t looking for it – you may just drive right past it! We are so glad we spotted it and decided to stop.
Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Falls may just be one of the most picturesque waterfalls we have ever seen, with the river flowing downstream from the Athabasca Glacier, Sunwapta Falls curves right around a little island of trees before cascading down into a canyon with a view of the Canadian Rockies in the background. Our photo does not do this gorgeous work of mother nature any justice! This stop is a must see along the parkway in our opinion. There are also a few walking/hiking trails that allow you to get closer up to the waterfall, as well as see a second waterfall as well, so it’s worth walking the trails at this stop.
Athabasca Falls
As we were nearing the very end of our drive, we made one last stop at Athabasca Falls! This waterfall is powerful (and loud) and a great way to end your day. If you want one last adventure, we also followed a little trail through a small tunnel which led to the most gorgeous view of the turquoise colored river – we got to watch the sunset here, and we luckily had the entire trail to ourselves making for a magical end to our drive!
Pro Tip: Follow the trail through the little tunnel and down the stairs for a gorgeous view of the turquoise river!
We were lucky enough to spot several bears along the Icefields Parkway. Please keep your own safety and the wildlife’s safety in mind. Keep a safe distance away from wildlife, never feed the wildlife, and stay in your vehicle if spotting an animal while driving. This photo was taken with a zoom lens from the safety of our vehicle!
Places to eat:
There are no true restaurants along the Icefields Parkway, so be sure to pack some food to bring with you for the drive! There were some snack items at the Saskatchewan River Crossings gas station, as well as a Starbucks at the Columbia Icefields Visitor Center, but other than that – make sure that you are prepared for a full day or two worth of food for your adventure!
General Icefield Parkway Information:
- Distance: 144 miles
- Estimated time to drive: 1-2 days if stopping to enjoy the scenery (highly recommended) or 3-5 hours with no stopping
- Plan Your Lodging: Depending on which way you are driving, we recommend staying in Banff, or Jasper – although we made the drive from Calgary to Jasper work as well – although it was a very long day. If you prefer to break up your drive in two days, you can stay at The Crossing Resort, although we personally found this to be out of our budget so we opted to stay at a campsite in Jasper.
- There is only one gas station along the 144 mile stretch of road – make sure you embark on your roadtrip with a full tank of gas, or you may just end up stranded – with no cell phone service either!
- There are no towns or restaurants along the way so be prepared with snacks or picnic items and plenty of water. The only places we found that you could get food along the drive were the Saskatchewan River Crossing and the Icefields Parkway visitor center (Starbucks inside the Icefields Parkway visitor center).
- Wildlife spottings: The Icefields Parkway is a great place to see wildlife – people often spot moose and bears along this drive – but please be mindful of how powerful and dangerous these animals can be. We recommend checking out the Parks Canada website for the most up to date safety information when it comes to the animals. Please help to keep the wildlife wild!
- Due to a massive fire in Jasper National Park in the summer of 2024, some locations may be closed. Be sure to check to the Parks Canada website for the most up to date information about destinations and hiking trails.
Considering spending time in Calgary?
Be sure to check out our One day in Calgary blog and vlog for more information!