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    Icefields Parkway

    4.8 (25 reviews)

    Icefields Parkway Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Icefields Parkway

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    Herbert Lake was nice and quiet.
    Seth A.

    Icefields Parkway Drive is what dreams are made of. To experience this road is unlike any other in the world! For all you nature and park enthusiasts out there...actually, for EVERYONE OUT THERE, you MUST, MUST do this drive! For me...and I've traveled and driven through many a places...this right here, Icefields Parkway...was THE BEST and MOST SCENIC DRIVE I have ever witnessed! It's not just me...you can easily read on the internet... Icefields Parkway is considered one of the "Top 10 Best Drives in the World"! If you're headed north (like I was) from Banff to Jasper...which is a very common way of going, especially for American tourists crossing the Canadian border, Icefields Parkway begins just past the Lake Louise Village area. It ends 232 kilometers north or 144 miles in the town of Jasper, Alberta. Before I go into details for everything I experienced...I'll just say that there's nothing like snowcapped mountains and turquoise blue lakes. That's what you'll discover on this drive. The mountains grab you and smack you in your face with stunning beauty and the colorful turquoise blue and green lakes are sights to behold. Also great are some of the hikes trekking you high above the landscape for glorious views below. Interestingly, there were barely many waterfalls and there was only 1 worthwhile glacier to visit, and that was of course...Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefields. Still...there's more than enough to see and do here including plenty of campgrounds and rustic lodges. Also, wildlife...there were bears walking alongside the road! Yeah, they are not shy and you can grab some unbelievable pics and videos of bears while on the parkway! Also...this Icefields Parkway pretty much runs near 4 Canadian National Parks...Banff, Kootenay, Yoho and Jasper. So coming here, and basically the entire Canadian Rockies area...there is so much to see and do. I needed 2 weeks along my summer road trip to accomplish all the sights, attractions and landmarks on my To-Do List. But for this Icefields Parkway...I used about 3 - 4 days to drive it. Lets get started! These are the stops I made just after departing from Lake Louise Village... - Herbert Lake - quick pullover to see a quiet lake with mountains in the backdrop. - Crowfoot Glacier - side stop off the road where the rugged mountains hover on top of you! - Bow Lake - pull into this stop and park your car. Walk on a short pathway for incredible sights of a colorful lake with ice particles floating in the waters and mountains all around! - Peyto Lake - 6/10's of a mile walk to an overlook platform for impeccable views. This vista point spot was fantastic! Then if interested you can hike the Bow Summit Lookout Trail for 3 miles each way to and from the peak. I was here in mid-June and this trail was accessible but still covered in snow. - Waterfowl Lakes - greenish looking lakes when the sun's shining. I only visited the Lower Lake from Icefields Parkway. But you can turn into the parking lot and hike to the Upper Lake. There's camping as well. - Mistaya Canyon - walk over a bridge and along a canyon gorge with a river running through. People were climbing on the rocks for their best photo opps. - Saskatchewan Crossing - middle of the parkway where you can stop for food, supplies, a restaurant, gas and souvenirs. I got some popcorn and hot chocolate here. They have lodging too. - Before crossing into Jasper, the road will wind up and around the mountains. There'll be areas to pull off to the side of the road and appreciate the setting. I stopped a few times before eventually reaching Parker Ridge Trail. - Parker Ridge Trail - I had read great things about, but too early in the season for me to hike. You encounter snow at the trailhead of the 4.8 kilometer hike. - Jasper National Park Sign - good for a picture. - Wilcox Pass Trail - I heard wonderful things, but it was closed this June 2022. - Columbia Icefield and Tour - you must do the Tour of Athabasca Glacier along with the Skywalk Overlook. $100 - Canadian but worth it. The Glacier Lodge was great as well. Camping available too. I ate dinner at the restaurant, Altitude. Also, hike to "The Toe" of the glacier. - Tangle Creek Falls - just past Columbia Icefields. A beautiful waterfall off the side of the road. - Sunwapta Falls - decent. Popular with tour buses. Walk along a paved pathway. - Athabasca Falls - another popular area to walk around and take pics of a river flowing through a canyon within a mountainous background. - Valley of the Five Lakes - terrific stop to hike around and view pristine, reflective and colorful lakes! Loved this spot and one of the most popular! - Whistlers Campground - offered by Jasper National Park - this campground had everything! Affordable and one of the best campsites I have ever stayed at! - Town of Jasper - explore the area and that's it. You've successfully completed Icefields Parkway Drive. What a journey! What memories! So blessed!

    Niki B.

    One word: glacier. We did The Colombia Ice Field adventure and it was one of our favorite parts of the trip. Tickets aren't cheap, but it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime-type experience. A bus takes you to a GIANT ice vehicle that has the ability to drive down steep inclines and over the massive ice field. Our tour guide, Lexie, was super fun and informative. She gave us a bunch of interesting facts about the glacier, the area, and the vehicle. We learned that each of the vehicles' huge ice tires are $6000 and also... the only other glacier with these vehicles is in Alaska - cool! Once you reach the glacier, you can go on the ice and explore for 25 minutes. What do you do there? There's flags from various countries you can take pictures with, you can taste the water of the melting ice, and you can slip/slide around on the surface. The drive to the ice field was gorgeous and we loved being in Jasper Park. We barely grazed the surface of exploring the park, but we'd love to come back one day!

    So much wildlife on this drive
    Tim L.

    Amazing scenery on this drive. This stretch of highway between Lake Louise and Jasper is blessed with one great view after another. There are so many stops along the way it's a matter of how much time you want to spend. Overall, this is a relaxing drive with great scenery from the 1st kilometer to the last. Highly recommend!

    View from the road
    Daniel C.

    Ah the famous Columbia Icefield Parkway, aka known as Highway 93 connecting Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. Its a very long, 3.5-hour drive (assuming nonstop), but definitely one of the most memorable and scenic drives you'll ever have in your life! And you should make a few stops, since you may want to stop to do some hiking, check out a waterfall or lake, or just to stare in awe at all nature throws at you. The drive itself is on a perfectly smooth, mostly 1-lane freeway that has gentle turns and curves. The landscape in front of you seem to alternate colors from all seasons as does the weather. Cloudy here, then sunny, and then some rain occasionally. You're continuously surrounded by mountains, trees, and sometimes water - and the view is never boring. Some of my personal tips for making this journey are below. 1. Rent a comfortable vehicle, preferably with a GPS. You won't get cell service past Lake Louise, so for the directionally-challenged like us, a GPS still works especially if you take a lot of side trips. We rented a Ford Flex from Avis with seat warmers, GPS, and USB charging ports - super comfortable. 2. Travel on a full tank of gas, since there are only stations at Lake Louise, Saskatchewan Crossing, and Jasper. 3. The speed limit is 90 km/hr mostly, but does fluctuate at times especially near construction zones. There are plenty of passing lanes, and never be offended if someone behind you wants to pass. When safe to do so, you should also pass since you will find that slow-moving vehicle at time that blocks your view. Passing is not about racing, its about making sure there's nothing in front of you in case wildlife pulls out or if the vehicle ahead of you slams on the brakes for whatever reason. 4. Our favorite stops were Peyto Lake, Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls, Waterfowl Lake, and yes the essential stop at the Columbia Ice Fields Discover Center. They have the best restroom options, additional tours to experience glaciers, a museum, and cafeteria that serves decent Chinese vegetarian soy-sauce chow mein.

    Sunwapta Falls
    Lynn N.

    Ice fields parkway (Hwy 93) is 146 miles of mountain paradise. It's consistently chosen in the top ten lists of the best drives to take. It would definitely be number one on my list. Look around you and you'll easily see why this area became the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage site. It winds its way through Banff and Jasper National Park. You're surrounded by a hundred ancient glaciers, mountain waterfalls, and turquoise lakes. Signs along the highway clearly mark every place to stop including viewpoints, hiking trails, and campgrounds. There's only one gas station on this highway, so fill up first at Jasper's townsite or at Lake Louise. My favorite stops: Moraine Lake, Herbert Lake, Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Waterfowl Lake, Weeping Wall, Sunwapta Falls, Columbia Icefields, Athabasca Falls, and the areas surrounding the Jasper townsite. Take your time on this drive. If you drive straight through, it will take you 3 hours. It took me a full day because of all the amazing activities along the way.

    Amit P.

    We spent Labor Day weekend in Banff and planned to take a day trip out to do the glacier walk. You will not be disappointed. We had to wait just over one hour after purchasing tickets as we had a group of 10. We initially boarded a charter bus that took us to the boarding area for the monster bus that took us to the glacier. We boarded the monster bus and made the trek up to the glacier from the welcome center. It's about a 15-20 minute ride from the boarding area. We got super lucky and it actually snowed earlier in the morning. As such, it made for some awesome scenery and nice white snow on the mountaintops. I won't talk much about the Skywalk as that was slightly underwhelming. Really glad we did the glacier walk as that made this trip a huge success!

    Roger I.

    You have to go. I wouldn't compare it to the Amalfi or Oregon Coasts, to the Oslo-Bergen drive, to Grossglockner High Alpine Road, the Great Ocean Road or anywhere else in the world because they are all different. But IF you happen to be in Southwestern Alberta then go. The BIG TRICK on this drive is not spending $125 to feed your family HAMBURGERS. Unlike the other drives I've mentioned, the Icefields Parkway, or at least most of it, is pocketed with chic, boutique hamlets, or as we call them in the States, Tourist Traps. So instead of letting yourself become mesmerized by the amazing scenery, darling storefront signs, cute chocolate bear paws and the dimpled smile from the cute Canadian feline taking your money, pack a picnic. Window shopping is fun but remember to stay on the sidewalk where you can better enjoy gawking at the couple leaving the "museum quality art house" with an outrageously expensive, one-of-a-kind bear statue in the palm of their hand. To fight the fascinating trance that the Icefields Parkway blankets over your better judgement, repeat after me, "Picnics are my friend. Picnics are my friend. Picnics are my friend..." Then, Get Into The WILD !!

    Carrie P.

    the Icefields Parkway is my favorite drive. I drive to Jasper about once a mobnth through the spring,summer and fall season, simply to enjoy the drive and the scenery. I have my own little routine that I like to enjoy, which includes a quick stop at Peyto Lake, Bow Glacier/NumTiJah Lodge, and then on to South Crossing for a quick softdrink and browse through their 2800 sq ft gift shop to shake off the drive. Then... on to Columbia Icefields, check out the markers and to admire the glacier. Back on the road, a quick stop at Athabasca Falls to have another quick walk to stretch and take in the beautiful waterfall. I love hearing the sound when I first open up the door to my truck to step outside. Its never goodbye when I get off of Highway 93. Its always, "see you later". For some reason, this drive helps me leave the hustle and bustle of Calgary behind. We are so lucky to have such a world-class attraction right in our back yard. We have paradise a two short hours away.

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    11 years ago

    The most beautiful drive ever! Definitely a must see! Great places to stop and view the enormous glaciers!!

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    Icefields Parkway Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Icefields Parkway

    Travel on a full tank of gas, since there are only stations at Lake Louise, Saskatchewan Crossing, and Jasper.

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    Jasper SkyTram - The tramway entrance...

    Jasper SkyTram

    3.9(36 reviews)
    102.3 km

    To reach the SkyTram's lower terminal, you drive a couple of miles south from Jasper townsite and…read moreturn off onto a side road that leads up to the parking area. The lot can fill up so you may end up parking on the road's shoulder. I think you can reserve tickets online, but we just did walk-up (as we were not sure when we'd arrive on our first day after the 4-hour drive). When we got there (a bit before 2 p.m. on a Sunday), they were selling tickets for a tram just before 4 p.m. They also want you to book a rough return time. We opted for 2 hours. We then drove back to Jasper to explore the town for an hour before returning to wait at the terminal. If you can, you should schedule your ticket in advance to avoid a long wait. This area also has a café of some sort (outdoor seating), a gift shop, and the ticket office. There are also restrooms here. The trams run every 7 - 8 minutes (there are 2 operating in tandem). They call your time slot and you queue up awaiting the tram. It soon arrives and your group is herded in. Then you have a 7-minute ride to the top. There is a similar terminal at the top, but with a sit-down restaurant also. The main attraction here is hiking. You are above the tree line, so the trails are all just dirt among barren ground and stones. You do notice the air being a bit thinner here also. If you have hiking poles, they will be helpful. It is a bit desolate (other than all your fellow hikers) but still pretty in its own way. If you aren't interested in hiking up to the nearby summit, then you may want to question whether the tram rides and strolling a bit are worth the ~ $60 CDN price (per person). When you want to return, you can either wait for your agreed slot or inquire with the staff whether there are known extra spaces on earlier trams. We were lucky and got 2 spaces 25 minutes or so early, which was good. Also, it is colder at the top, especially if you are waiting in the shade. You may want to bring a light jacket (even in summer). The visit here is definitely better on a really clear day. There was lingering smoke from wildfires earlier in the summer when we visited, which degraded the views of more distant mountains.

    Mid Sept with warm sun so we lucked out. Arrive before 11am and the ride up will be full be 1pm…read morecoming down wasn't crowded. The hike is moderate to advanced but you can take your time to the lookout and enjoy the beautiful panoramic Rocky Mountains. Highly recommended

    Photos
    Jasper SkyTram
    Jasper SkyTram
    Jasper SkyTram

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    Sunwapta Falls - Exploring beyond the falls

    Sunwapta Falls

    4.3(12 reviews)
    103.6 km

    Like many of the falls in the area, you will find a breathtaking view if you just go a little bit…read morefurther than the average tourist. Do yourself a favor and hike to the lower falls! A little bit farther and a little bit more of a work out, the lower falls offer a crowd-free experience. My husband and I visited shortly after visiting Athabasca falls and pretty much had the entire place to ourselves. It was an overcast day, but that did not take away from the beauty of everything we saw. There is plenty of parking as well as a public restroom when you get to Sunwapta Falls.

    The falls are located about 42 miles south of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway. At the road is a…read more'resort' / motel and a restaurant, I think. You turn there and go less than a half mile to a loop / parking area near the falls. When we went (early afternoon on a Monday in the summer), it was a bit challenging to find a parking space. Overflow appeared to be along the approach road. We did find a space that was being vacated by another car, but later it appeared this was likely a less-than-legitimate parking space. Oh well. The falls are quite close to the parking area (maybe 100 yards?). There are actually two falls connected by a narrow / deep canyon of about 100 feet in length. There are several viewing areas and it pays to visit all 3 - 4 of them, to get the best overview of both falls. I'd recommend visiting in the afternoon for better lighting. Also, if you are visiting both, I'd recommend coming here *before* going to Athabasca Falls (which is further along the road towards Jasper), as the latter is more impressive. That is not to say that Sunwapta is not worthwhile; I just think you'll be more impressed with it if you see it first and are not comparing it at the time with Athabasca. The trails to overlooks are fairly short. Seeing the whole place took on the order of 30 - 45 minutes, for us. YMMV. Definitely a worthwhile stop, though.

    Photos
    Sunwapta Falls - Just above the first falls.

    Just above the first falls.

    Sunwapta Falls - Another perspective of Sunwapta Falls.

    Another perspective of Sunwapta Falls.

    Sunwapta Falls - The first falls.

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    The first falls.

    Mount Robson Park - Playing Around...

    Mount Robson Park

    5.0(3 reviews)
    174.4 km

    Must stop place. Not only it's beautiful location but also have all the things that a road trip…read moreperson would need. Gas, food, drinks, picturesque views, washrooms, drinking water, clothing n hats , huge parking for RV's , park trail to walk n stretche a bit, dog walk area, kids slides ... Museum gives you very educational tour of the times of summit. You can actually register here to climb the mountain, watch videos of the previous climbers, find some artifacts or just enjoy the view of spectacular robson mountain. Cafe has vegetarian and vegan choices. Fresh fruit , yogurt n cheese also available but little more pricey then regular drive throughs. N why not? Its in the middle of nowhere. I mean far away but definable reachable and accessible from highway. All staff at the museum, cafe n gift shop are nice and friendly. As a single traveller i had my time here. Enjoyed the views over a cup of soup. Freshen up quickly n on my way to edmonton.

    Whenever I come out to Mount Robson Provincial Park, I always stop and take a gander through the…read moregift shop. This is a family owned and operated business for more than 40 years. In many tourist areas, the souvenirs are pretty similar. This shop also has the regular garb - pens, mugs, knick nacks, tshirts, books on the area, etc. However, it also has some unique items that in the past, have motivated me to purchase. A few years ago, they had a bunch of hoodies that are a bit more expensive, and they were artistically inspired. They were not logo'ed from the area. I remember talking to the gal who was working, and she mentioned it was someone local. I paid about $45 for the hoodie, and I have not seen another one anywhere, so needless to say, I'm pretty pleased. When I headed back there today, I saw a few more of these unique hoodies, but sadly, there were none on my size. However, there was a large rack of unique scarves, that were selling for only $10. Game on! Definately check out this little shop. I know that tourists are inundated with the same old stuff everywhere you go. Just be advised that this shop does offer a few reasonably priced, unique items.

    Photos
    Mount Robson Park
    Mount Robson Park - Wow... BC and Alberta are BIG.

    Wow... BC and Alberta are BIG.

    Mount Robson Park

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    Valley of the Five Lakes - Lakeview

    Valley of the Five Lakes

    4.7(6 reviews)
    95.8 km

    The Valley of the 5 Lakes is a 3 mile loop trail near Jasper. It's considered a moderately…read morechallenging route, it takes an average of 1 1/2 hours to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, mountain biking & paddle sports, we encountered other friendly people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Dogs are welcome, but must be leashed. Before starting out on the trails, there's a trailhead sign listing hikes with information. The short hike took me past all 5 spectacular lakes. 4th Lake was terrific! Here the waters were clear, clear green and the reflection of the forest trees onto the waters was like a painting from some professional artist! I mean, really, I was loving this 4th Lake. Stunning! 3rd Lake - my favorite lake! The reflection here again...was this unreal, futuristic aspect where the mountainside surrounding the lake converged down towards the middle and the reflection was symmetrical. You got both angles of the trees coming at you from both sides. And while walking above this 3rd Lake, the center of it was dark green with a light blend of turquoise green on the outer sections of it. It was too good to be true! I was impressed! 2nd Lake was sort of a downer. Weird. Out of nowhere coming across this lake, it was like a pale brownish. But still, it was clean enough at the bottom to where you could still see the reflections of the trees. So, ultimately, it wasn't too colorful, but the reflections were good enough. And honestly, it was sort of a nice change of pace from the rest of the others. Finally 1st Lake. This had the best coloring in terms of real good turquoise blue but just unfortunately the trees overtook the perspectives from the trail. If they only did some maintenance around it...1st lake would be everyone's favorite, lol. 1st Lake is the biggest of them all and will take you the longest amount of time to navigate around.

    We put this hike off til last as the parking lot was packed on our previous passes. We stopped in…read morearound 7pm & there were only a few other cars. We took it slow in hopes of catching the sunset & ended up clocking about 3.6mi on our counters before exiting around 10pm. There were plenty of mosquitoes, you may want to take repellent if they tend to like you. (I get bitten but the hubs isn't as tasty, apparently.) Don't go in expecting a flat trail. While most of the trail is relatively level, there are some climbs (complete with signs to warn of steep hills), no matter which way you go. We logged 568ft of total elevation gain. We opted to go counterclockwise (going right at the loop) & would do it the same direction again, if we repeat the trail. What you will see for colors, reflections & water clarity will depend on lighting, wind & weather.

    Photos
    Valley of the Five Lakes
    Valley of the Five Lakes - From a distance

    From a distance

    Valley of the Five Lakes - Boardwalk crossing

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    Boardwalk crossing

    Sulphur Skyline Trail - On the way up

    Sulphur Skyline Trail

    4.5(8 reviews)
    117.2 km

    This was one of my favorite hikes that we did between Banff and Jasper…read more The trail starts to the left by the heated pool house. It's about a 4-5 mile hike and it took us about 3.5 hours to do. The hike up was pretty steep, but not unmanagable. You start out on a horse path for a bit before it turns into a dirt path. About half way to the top the path takes a turn to the right and then there are a bunch of switchbacks. Close to the top you get above the treeline and it starts to get windy. The trail turns into gravel there and gets a lot steeper. The climb is worth it though. The views at the top are amazing. You can see 360 degrees around you. It's incredibly windy at the top. We almost got blown over while we were taking a picture. It's about an hour drive from Jasper and definitely worth the trek to the top!

    STEPH JUDGEMENT: Tough but rewarding hike with some of best views of the area…read more This was the first hike of our trip so we were all excited and rarin' to go! The trailhead is right next to the Miette Hot Springs parking lot and very easy to find. We'd gone for a pre-hike dip at the springs and felt nice and relaxed. Which was good, because it was pretty much a straight uphill climb for 2.2 miles and the last quarter mile or so was pure agony, but you feel so good when you finally make it! We lingered at the summit with the other hikers, eating our packed lunch and taking in the breathtaking views. There were a lot of really cute chipmunks at the summit that were obviously used to being fed by people (which you're not supposed to do, and we didn't) and were bold enough to come right up to your feet to look for scraps. The other best part was rolling right into the hot springs again after our hike and soaking the aches away.

    Photos
    Sulphur Skyline Trail - View from the summit

    View from the summit

    Sulphur Skyline Trail - View from the summit

    View from the summit

    Sulphur Skyline Trail - On the way up

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    On the way up

    Cavell Meadows Trail

    Cavell Meadows Trail

    4.7(3 reviews)
    88.0 km

    The Edith Cavell hike overlooking Angel Glacier was breathtaking. The hike was a bit strenuous in…read moreparts but that was also due to the cold winter air blowing it. The hike is worth it! I could have sat on the rocks looking unto the glacier for hours had the temperature not dropped significantly and the snow fall. It is a beautiful area and didn't have many tourists so it was perfect!

    The meadows trail is a must-see and must-do for people who visit Jasper. It's a little challenging…read morebut not that difficult. Takes a couple of hours to get all the way to the top for someone like me who is not at all fit and is suffering from knee problems on both knees. The greatest thing about this trail is that it is completely rewarding. You climb up to point number 3 on the trail (which is roughly 4 km from the start and an elevation gain of 500 metres) and the views of the Angel glacier, lake and the Cavell meadows are beautiful. While climbing up, you'll have the opportunity to see some really pretty wild flowers that grow in this sub-alpine forest. It's totally worth half a day's work and the best part is, when you get back down, you can complete the Glacier loop and get really close to the glacier. Leave that for the end and you'll enjoy your day thoroughly. I would go on to recommend starting this trail a little early in the day. 9 a.m.m would be great. You'd reach the top with the sun shining nicely on the face of Mt. Edith Cavell and with a terrific color of the Angel lake.

    Photos
    Cavell Meadows Trail
    Cavell Meadows Trail

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    Wilcox Pass - The trailhead for Wilcox Pass.

    Wilcox Pass

    4.5(2 reviews)
    9.3 km

    This is Wilcox Pass Trail located in the Columbia Icefield section of Jasper National Park…read more It's an 8 kilometer (or 5 mile) moderate, roundtrip hike offering rewarding views of Athabasca and Snow Dome Glaciers set in the distance. Basically...if you'd like to capture a landscape/panoramic perspective of this ultra popular, Icefields Parkway area from high above...then you'll appreciate venturing along Wilcox Pass Trail. The hike ends when you have reached Wilcox Ridge, the "pinnacle of it all" where you'll have undisturbed, vista point sceneries. Here at Wilcox Ridge...some hikers were taking selfies as well as sitting and relaxing while having water and snacks. Btw, an added bonus midway through the hike was...passing by a family of bighorn sheep while they were lying and grazing in the grass right along the path towards Wilcox Ridge. Now...I highly recommend you proceed onto Wilcox Pass Trail in the morning to be afforded time with the sun at your back and making for worthwhile picture opportunities. Funny...unfortunately for me, the first time I arrived here, I stopped in the afternoon and the sun was staring me straight in the face. I was barely able to admire the setting because I was blinded by the sun and couldn't see. Welp...with a 2nd chance to make things right, lol, I woke up the following morning (at 6am!) and was the first hiker onto the trail. This made all the difference. With the sun's positioning in the sky exactly where I wanted it, I was now able to have wonderful moments breathing in the fresh Canadian air while enjoying the glacial surroundings. Overall, it made for a fulfilling morning and first half of my day. One extra note...right nearby here (just a few kilometers down the road) is another 1/2-day hike I'd recommend called - Parker Ridge Trail. And, of course, don't forget to spend time at the Columbia Icefield Lodge and taking a tour out onto Athabasca Glacier (which almost every tourist does). Alright, well, this is Wilcox Pass trail situated in the heart of Jasper NP, Alberta, Canada.

    This trail is probably the nicest short trail in Banff-Jasper area, especially when there are no…read moreforest fires or low clouds, so you get perfect views of mountains Athabasca, Andromeda, North Twin, and Columbia icefields. I don't think any other trail in the Rockies is that rewarding in terms of the views from the top. We didn't see any wildlife except for lone elk and some pikas, but people report seeing marmots and mountain goats. Someone told us that there are some fossils right at the top, we tried to find them but couldn't. I recommend starting your hike early in the morning as by 2pm the sun will be right behind the mountains and you would see anything. Also, by noon, the trail will be crowded, we met over 30 people on the way down.

    Photos
    Wilcox Pass - 1.5 kilometers away from Wilcox Ridge.

    1.5 kilometers away from Wilcox Ridge.

    Wilcox Pass - Appreciating the morning sunrise setting with the snowcapped mountain in the background.

    Appreciating the morning sunrise setting with the snowcapped mountain in the background.

    Wilcox Pass - The road sign for Wilcox Pass.

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    The road sign for Wilcox Pass.

    Icefields Parkway - hiking - Updated May 2026

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