The Icefields Parkway is along Alberta Highway Route 93 and is not to be missed if you're on your…read moreway to visit Jasper from either Banff or Canmore. The 288-kilometer route through the Canadian Rockies is one of the most scenic routes in the world when it comes to stunning mountain ranges and lake backdrops. I've witnessed this firsthand and am guilty of doing the same but resist the urge to take photos or videos while driving. Use a GoPro or have someone else capture the footage. The beautiful views are distracting and I've seen people swerve while driving trying to get that Gram worthy photo. It's not worth getting into an accident or even worse, lose your life over it. There is one lane for traffic going in and outbound. I guarantee you will encounter a slow poke during your travels through this stretch of road. Oftentimes it's a slow RV or camper. Just overtake when appropriate and use caution. If you run into wildlife, also proceed with caution. Lastly I'll leave you with a few tips... #1) Make sure you have gas. Fill up your gas tank at Lake Louise before entering through the Icefields Parkway a.k.a. Alberta Route 93. There is a second opportunity if you still have about 150km left in your tank to fill up at the Crossing Gas station near the Saskatchewan River Crossing. This will be your last opportunity to get gas. You will be sorry and stranded if you don't do this. If you're ultra paranoid, carry an extra portable fuel tank and fill that up too. #2) There is no cellphone service for a good portion of this highway. Your phone will go dead for the most part and only Emergency SOS calls are allowed with very limited signal. The reason being is due to Parks Canada restricting infrastructure development. Also the Canadian Rockies are protected wilderness. Google maps will still work and get you to your destination but that's pretty much it. #3) Prepare to make unexpected stops and allow for a few hours on top of your expected commute to make it to your destination. As mentioned earlier, there are several breathtaking points of interest along the way that will lure you out of your car and satisfy your wanderlust. Thankfully there are a bunch of overlook rest stops along the way where you can park your car and enjoy the views.

Pretty decent mode of travel; sometimes it can be annoying to be stuck in a slow moving group and…read moreunable to pass. If that happens, pull over at an overlook and take a break.

Driving the Icefield Parkway from Banff to Jasper is an exciting, lake filled, waterfalls…read moreeverywhere, giant glaciers experience. Peyto Lake pronounced (PEE toe) was one of our first stops on the drive. Although we did not have time to hike down to the lake which I would have preferred we did stop at the look out. It was not crowded thank goodness so we could take lots of photos. The lake is fed from a glacier that you can see over the lake. The color is a striking turquoise blue from the rock dust carried by the melting glaciers. Some say the shape looks like a wolf. I didn't see any shape as I was too mesmerized by the lakes beauty. So glad we stopped and I can't wait to return to hike it and be out there alone.

Same thought with Peyto Lake; too many tourons that only want an Instagram picture and climbing…read moreover railings and acting a fool. 3rd world country stuff here. If you take the trail off the beaten path, you can hike for miles without another person and get some peace and quiet to yourself! The overlook is a 2/5 for me, the trail is a 5/5!

Five waterfalls from the top merged into one on a multilevel view. Able to see it from the highway…read moreonce you slow down. We saw some people observing from the roadway. While some determined to hike and see what's at the top. Neat spot to check out if in the area.

We happened upon these falls after the Glacier Adventure tour nearby and we were stunned at how…read morebeautiful these were! They are right there off the road side, and so close, so beautiful! I was surprised it was not marked on the map it was so pretty! You can kinda take a picture of it from the car gliding by but the best is to stop and take a good picture of it, as it is really good!

A short excursion from the highway to see some raging waters from a bridge or from rocks, it's a…read morefree attraction. Busy tourist attractions and way too many people trying to get themselves too close to the edge. Besides that, watching the water go is quite interesting.

Mistaya Canyon is a quick and popular roadside stop around the midpoint area along famed Icefields…read moreParkway. It lies 5 kilometers south of the Saskatchewan River Crossing, which many people consider as the "official" halfway point between Jasper (158 km) and Banff (130 km). From the parking lot, it's a short walk to Mistaya Canyon. You'll first confront a bridge/overlook viewpoint that showcases the raging Mistaya River zigzagging through the rugged rock canyon walls. And best of all from this bridge vista point, you're afforded scenic sights of the forest trees around you with beautiful snowcapped mountain peaks set in the distance. I recommend capturing a photo or two from the bridge. Then...you have the chance to go and explore at your own accord, sort of like choosing your own adventure. Although there is a trail pathway you can follow, most people were climbing on the rocks beside the river and taking their best family photo moments. When I was here for the middle of June, it wasn't too crowded, so you're able to get some decent alone time among the picturesque setting. Since there's so much to see and do along Icefields Parkway and if you're managing your activities throughout the day....I'd just mention that you only really need 30 - 40 minutes while here. But...if you're in no rush, you can sit down and enjoy a picnic lunch and spend 1 or 2 or 3 hours. Point is...to witness Mistaya Canyon, you don't have to work hard to get a real feel glimpse of the surroundings. Overall, this place is another worthwhile attraction within the Canadian Rockies and should be taken advantage of because its conveniently located right off Icefields Parkway.

Driveway is next to Sunwapta Falls Rocky Mountain Lodge. Continue driving. Follow the signs and…read morethrongs of people. There's free parking on site. Easy walk and hike. Visit upper and lower falls. Powerful and turbulent! In awe of the multiple views.

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.

Most beautiful hike ever!! Just stunning! Highly recommend- pack layers and be prepared for natural…read morebeauty!

Stopping again in Jasper National Park a 2nd time during my North American travels, I finally got…read moreto hike and explore Mount Edith Cavell. Initially when I arrived here back in June, 2022, the road to the trailhead was blanketed in snow. Now for late September, I had a terrific opportunity to get a real feel perspective for what makes the surroundings here one of the most popular in all of Jasper. There are 2 pathways to hike... Of course, I couldn't decide which to venture along, so I just chose both! The Path of the Glacier Trail will take you to the foot of Cavell Glacier and the colorful turquoise green lake. It takes maybe 45 minutes to hike it. But, the real star to being at Mount Edith is hiking the Cavell Meadows Trail which you will lead you towards the top of the mountainous landscape for views from high above. This Cavell Meadows Trail goes for 6 - 7 kilometers roundtrip and 3 - 4 hours total. I highly recommend it! Regardless of which hikes and or trails you pick from, just being in such a snow-like winter setting made me feel far away from my realities of the South Florida palm trees. I couldn't have asked for a better day hiking and admiring the crisp and clear conditions. Lastly, Mount Edith Cavell is located right off Icefields Parkway...27 kilometers south of downtown Jasper, AB and is conveniently accessible to complementing the rest of the attractions in the area.

One of my tour guides at the Columbia Field Skywalk recommended I visit Athabasca Falls as one of…read moremy stops so on my return trip from Jasper back to Canmore, I spent some time here. Athabasca Falls is not a tall waterfall however the raw power of the falls is impressive. I was on a viewing platform at least 50 meters above the base and I felt like I was getting showered by the mist because the waterflows were that strong. The trail loop is doable and not strenuous of a walk if you're able bodied. It's definitely worth the visit.

Strong and powerful! Able to feel the force of spray and mist from Athabasca Falls on Upper Canyon…read more Explore and view behind the guardrails. Consider different vantage points, height, distance, and depth.

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.

This is a great hike in Jasper at Lake Maligne. It's somewhere around 6-8 miles depending on the…read moreroute you take. We started around 9 am and the trail was pretty empty on our way up. There were definitely more people on the way down but still not very crowded compared to trails in Banff. You start out on an old fire road. After about a mile and half, you can either stay on the fire road or take a steeper path. The fire road is about 1.5 km more, but it's a little more gentle of an incline. We took it on the way up and the steeper route on the way down. There's a bit of a view once the two trails meet up but continue on for half a kilometer before you start the climb to the summit. There's supposed to be a loop to get to the summit, but I'm not sure we ever did find it. There were a couple different branches that all led to the top. The climb was quite steep, but the views at the top were worth it. There are several good views of Maligne Lake as well as the valley and mountains on the other side of the summit. Overall, this was a challenging hike but not too bad. It took us about 4 hours and was definitely worth it.

This trail was one of the highlights of our trip in Alberta! It was challenging (because we took…read morethe shortcut, which was a lot steeper than the fire road route) but so worth it once you get to the top. I must admit I was getting a little bored the first half of the trial hiking up, but once you get past the hump and look back to see Maligne Lake- I wanted to keep going! The higher we want, the better the views. We eventually made it up the summit and enjoyed our sandwich. Such breathtaking views and surrounded by snow. It wasn't too cold at all! Overall it took about 4 hours round trip for us.

Peyto Lake is a glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lake itself is…read moreoff the Icefields Parkway. It was named for Bill Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff Park. The lake is turquoise it's just spectacular; It looks like it was just painted. It was a spectacular day. We went off the main trail and climbed around here. Unfortunately, they had a photograph of the glacier not too long ago, and we peaked through the window and saw how it is shrinking.

You've got to come to see peyto lake if you're in the area visiting…read more Peyto lake has a beautiful bright blue colour to it that is spectacular to see and makes for great photos. There's main parking lot at the base and then it's about a 10-15 minute hike uphill to the main viewpoint. Warning - some parts are a bit steep on the way up. Tourbuses and those with handicap parking can drive further up the hill for their designated parking lot for a shorter walk to the viewpoint. We opted to drop off older family members at the higher point and then park at the main base to make their hike a bit easier physically. The path is clear and it's a pretty popular place since it's quite short walk to the view point. Definitely recommend making a short stop there to see the beautiful peyto lake.