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.

The Icefields Parkway took us through Banff & Jasper National Parks…read more The parkway links Lake Louise with Jasper is considered one of the most beautiful journeys on the planet, Alberta's Highway 93. Most of the scenic places that we stopped were along this parkway. Rated as one of the top drives in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, the Icefield Parkway is a 144 mile stretch of highway winding along the Continental Divide through soaring rocky mountain peaks, icefields and vast sweeping valleys. As we drove along the ice fields Parkway, we saw cars stopped on the side with cameras, sticking out the windows. We knew that that meant that there was an animal nearby to view. From our tour bus I saw sheep, moose, goats and marmot, and eagles.

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!

This is a scenic and attractive lake with an entrancing deep turquoise color. It is conveniently…read morelocated right off of the Icefields Parkway about halfway between Banff and the Columbia Icefield, so there's really no excuse for not stopping for a view. There are actually two parking levels and only tour buses are allowed on the top level closer to the Kodak viewing lookout. Private cars need to park on the lower level and folks need to do a modest hike upward to the lookout. This lake is fed by a receding Peyto glacier that is in view also. We saw quite a few lakes on this trip, but they are all worth seeing and all spectacular in their own individual way, and this one was no different in that regards.

As you're leaving the Columbia Icefields - Athabasca Glacier area heading north towards…read moreJasper...these Tangle Creek Falls are fantastic in terms of being a quick, efficient and beautiful roadside stop! You don't have to walk/hike at all to arrive here...or in fact...even exit your car! For me...this was a rewarding experience without having to work hard to get to. I would be cautious when driving... If you're going north to Jasper...Tangle Creek Falls are situated on the right hand side of the road and can easily be passed if you're not going slow because the road slopes downhill as you're driving, so that's where I'd keep my foot close to the brake. Worst case scenario you pass it and then just turn around. No big deal. Off to the left hand side parallel to the falls...there's a parking lot pullover area for you to leave your car. Then cross the street and you're standing in front of a 3-layer/tier waterfall that I found to be quite photogenic. In fact...among all the waterfalls I confronted throughout my Canadian Rockies adventure (which interestingly weren't too many)...I found these Tangle Creek Falls to probably be the best! I would say this stop is popular because it's so nearby the Columbia Icefield area...within just a couple of kilometers. So, for me, lol...I found it difficult to capture pictures of the falls without being "photobombed". Some strangers were occupying their selfie photos time too much and I did have to stand by the edge of the road and wait for them to finish. Lol, just so you know...you may encounter an issue like this. But me...I'm very, very picky about avoiding strangers in my picture moments. Also here at the falls, people were climbing the rocks and ledges to immerse themselves among the falls in a more optimal manner for photos. I was okay with standing by the edge of the road and snapping pics. I felt satisfied with how my photos appeared. You only need a few minutes hanging out here at this terrific roadside stop. I used 15 minutes before returning to my car. Overall, for what it is (being located right on the side of Icefields Parkway)... I found Tangle Creek Falls to be a memorable experience along my journey north towards the attractions of Jasper.

This is a pretty falls that's literally on the side of Icefields Parkway…read more You can look at it while driving by or stop to get a picture. The parking lot is across the street, so make sure to be careful when crossing the highway. The falls starts out wide at the top and narrows some at the bottom. You can climb up to get closer to the falls, but the best view is really from the roadside at the bottom.

Parker Ridge is one of the main/primary/popular hikes in this Columbia Icefield/Athabasca Glacier…read morearea right on the border of Banff and Jasper National Parks. The trailhead is situated off famous Icefields Parkway and in fact...Parker Ridge is extremely similar in aspects to another well known hiking trail nearby...and that being Wilcox Pass. I would like to (for a moment) compare both this Parker Ridge and Wilcox Pass. If you gave me a choice for which hike to pick as better...I'd rank them pretty equally. Both are similar in distances, elevations, terrains, difficulties and offer similar settings. In a way, they're mirror images of each other. Yet, the hiker receives different observation levels of views. And btw...both trails are located roughly 5 kilometers away from each other. To describe the hikes... Wilcox Pass "rises quickly above the tree line to expansive meadows of the glacially-carved landscape offering stunning views of Athabasca Glacier", according to the sign at the trailhead. This Parker Ridge "after a series of switchbacks, you'll be rewarded with dramatic views of the Saskatchewan Glacier and headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River" according to the trailhead sign here. The biggest difference between the hikes was evident in my eyes... Wilcox Pass is situated on the EAST side of the road, whereas... Parker Ridge begins on the opposite side of Icefields Parkway (the WEST side) and offers hikers two distinct perspectives looking out upon Hilda Peak, Hilda Glacier, Nigel Peak and the Nigel Valley Mountain Range...and of course, beautiful Saskatchewan Glacier. In the end, you can't go wrong with whatever hike you take, or even choosing both if you have the time. I'd like to give more details about this Parker Ridge Trail... It's a 4.2 kilometer (2.8 mile) roundtrip hike gaining 250 meters (820 feet) in elevation. I'd rate the hike as moderately difficult. The first part of the hike is nothing but switchbacks as you gain elevation pretty fast immediately leading to views of the east side of the Columbia Icefield landscape. Then, you level off and the pathway leads to the edge of Big Bend Peak, Cirrus Mountain, Mount Athabasca and Castleguard Mountain with Saskatchewan Glacier situated off to the right hand side. Now...I visited here in late September during sunset time and it was freezing out with winds being pretty gusty. Had I not been in a hurry to complete the hike before dark, I would have struggled with the bitter cold. But because I rushed the hiking, I didn't feel the effects of the temperature drop. And interestingly, for this time of year it got dark early at 6pm. My one big problem with the scenery was...(and I've mentioned countless times in prior reviews, lol) for late afternoon, the sun quickly set upon the mountains and Saskatchewan Glacier. Due to this, it made photogenic opportunities hard to come by. And as I always suggest, lol...I believe visitors would be best served doing the hike in the morning time where the sun would be positioned on the east side of Icefields Parkway assisting in glistening the countryside. And btw...same goes for Wilcox Pass... MORNING TIME IS A MUST for that hike. Ultimately, my pictures came out okay. I'm not bitter...but they could have been better. Lastly, towards the end of this Parker Ridge Trail...the pathway navigated along the edge of the mountainside. In fact...I actually found myself crouching down and doing some slight scrambling. I just became cautious in the moment as the winds were howling while heading towards the pinnacle/apex of it all. As a mindful measure, I decided not to complete the hike because it never hurts to be on the safe side. In the end...I had already taken enough pictures and felt satisfied getting familiar with the lay of the land. I was fine with returning back down to reach the parking lot before it got pitch dark outside. In total, I used 2.5 hours to hike the trail. Had it not been so late in the day and so cold...I could have taken half the day to leisurely take my time. Overall, Parker Ridge Trail is a worthwhile hike where you'll be afforded undisturbed views of the Columbia Icefield portion in between Banff and Jasper National Parks. So, yeah, you can also hike Wilcox Pass while here as well as...taking a bus ride out onto Athabasca Glacier which is the most popular activity for casual tourists.

Amazing hike beautiful views and leisure hike just carry a lot of water and it is highly windy so…read morecarry a sweat shirt

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.

Gorgeous waterfall! A must-see for this national park. Plenty of parking available. Restrooms…read moreavailable as well. The path up to the falls is paved. You can see the waterfall very well from the bridge, but we walked all the way up. It was pretty crowded at the base of the falls. There are plenty of areas off the path to take photos with less people in them. The glacier-fed water is beautiful! A milky-blue color. That with the mountains and trees, the colors are so vivid. We also saw a mountain goat on the hillside and a rainbow in the mist. Highly recommend!

Takakkaw falls is worth the stop when visiting Yoho National Park! It's just under a mile hike to…read moreget up close to these powerful falls. I didn't go all the way up since there was a lot of spray from the water and it was quite cold. I also think the best view is before the end. There was a beautiful rainbow near the bottom of the falls. It was busy but since people come and go quickly, we had no issue getting a parking spot.

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.

Bow Lake is one of the MUST-DO stops along famed Icefields Parkway. It's located right off the side…read moreof the road, 37 kilometers (or 23 miles) north of the Lake Louise area. And...it's situated just past Crowfoot Glacier. So...if you do stop at Crowfoot Glacier, be prepared to immediately stop again here at Bow Lake. Interestingly, I found Crowfoot Glacier to be absolutely wonderful, in terms of the incredible snowcapped setting from a quick pullover perspective. Now...here at Bow Lake, you still receive those wondrous snowcapped mountain viewpoints...but I had anticipations that the lake would be colorful and turquoise green/blue...and that was not the case, which disappointed me a little because of my sky high expectations. Yet...looking back at my photos and reflecting...I still have to give Bow Lake 5 stars no matter what! The scenery here would put many other lakes to shame throughout the world! The atmosphere was beautiful. It's just...this whole area in and around Lake Louise, even further south in Banff and just being along Icefields Parkway offered many glorious moments being in nature...I think I got spoiled by it all! Lol. I had this unblemished, postcard image in my head of Bow Lake, especially since there was fresh snow and ice floating in the water. So, when I didn't view any coloring to it (which would have been the pinnacle of it all!), it still remained terrific regardless of a slight letdown I may have had. A little north from Bow Lake is stunningly magnificent Peyto Lake. And...Peyto Lake has a short walk to a viewpoint (less than 1 mile) where you're standing "above it all" and it's there....where you'll discover those incredibly turquoise green waters. Now, lol, I know I'm being critical but, I do want to mention a few factors about maybe why, the waters weren't turquoise at Bow Lake... I visited back in late afternoon time and with the position of the sun in the sky...the surroundings weren't ideal for picture taking. My face was shadowy, which I'm trying to say that I was looking into the sun. I believe now thinking back...I would have been better served coming here in the morning time. This way, the sun could be at my back and help lighten up the backdrop and possibly offer that colorful effect into the waters. Another factor... Coming to Bow Lake, all you have to do is pull into the parking lot and walk a short distance to the edge of the waters. It's simple. But, now being nit picky about my exploring, lol...I think Bow Lake could have been perfect if I viewed it from an overlook perspective, where I'm looking down on the landscape. I find (in my travels) that seeing something at eye level doesn't always do justice. I guess maybe that's why they created gondolas and sky trams? Another element was...since it was already late in the day bordering on early evening, maybe I never gave myself enough exploring time around the lake to find those colorful perspectives. I think, just, when you compare Bow Lake to Peyto Lake, the comparisons much favored Peyto Lake, in my eyes. Ultimately, while writing this...Bow Lake is still fantastic and very, very worthwhile for stopping at while driving Icefields Parkway. Some last extras... - Here at Bow Lake, you can start the trailhead for Bow Glacier Falls - a 9 kilometer roundtrip hike that was recommended by other tourists. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to hike it. - I used 20 - 25 minutes to casually walk over to Bow Lake's edge and admire the views. There's nothing like taking in sights of snowcapped mountains among nature. - Make sure to stop at Crowfoot Glacier before you arrive here...and stop at Peyto Lake once you leave here. - This section of Icefields Parkway is probably the most scenic you'll find along the journey from downtown Lake Louise north to Jasper...and vice versa. - Remember, if you can...visit here in the morning time. - Lastly, I came to Bow Lake in the middle of June, 2022...and the conditions were perfect outside without rain or wind. Also, there weren't many tourists around for the season yet, so I'm glad I got a head start seeing the popular attractions without all the congestion. Alright, well, this is Bow Lake, located along Icefields Parkway within the Lake Louise area of Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Beautiful and scenic stop along the Highway of the lake. Amazing blue colour that is so clear and…read morereflective of the mountains and tree. The mountains in the background with snow peaks adds to the majestic view. Definitely a great stop to take photos that's quick and easy.

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.

Hands down our favorite discovery/adventure while exploring The Canadian Rockies!! This area known…read moreas Mount Edith Cavell is also home to Angel Glacier, which is essentially the draw. Many choose to hike to the top, but after visiting Iceland and spending some time in a glacier lagoon, the bottom was where we wanted to go! It did NOT disappoint. The sound of the ice gently clanking has become one of my favorite sounds in the entire universe, and I've been chasing it ever since!! The only issue with hiking down to the base where the glacier falls is that it is pretty much forbidden. There have been flooding similar to tsunamis in the region when chunks of the glacier break off. There's many DO NOT ENTER signs but we stopped at nothing to get just a small taste of what we experienced in Iceland, so we risked it. The hike down is fairly easy but rocky. It is further down than it looks however. I would recommend hiking boots or shoes with good traction and ankle support so you don't slip on the ice and/or roll your ankle. We felt safe, although fully alert and prepared just in case we needed to bolt. We knew we definitely wanted to be up and out before the sun set and we were sure to listen for ice cracking. I wouldn't recommend this for someone who hasn't been near a glacier lagoon and who isnt familiar with what it sounds like just before the glacier breaks. You can visit and just enjoy the overlook, and it's worth it just to see it from there. There's a pathed walk up, so it is handicap and stroller friendly to a certain point, but it's a bit of an steep incline. It's about a mile or so each way. Totally worth it. It's not really near anything else and you won't have reception the closer to the water you get, again, all worth it. There are outhouses and parking for camper-vans. No overnight parking though. DO NOT MISS THIS!!!

Jasper National Park is amazing. They have beautiful lakes and rivers, animals, and shops…read more Admission to the park was easy. You stop at the gate at the entrance of the park. The friendly ranger will ask you questions like how many days you will be staying and then give you a price. Everything was done by credit card. The transaction was easy peasy. They had lakes of all shapes and sizes. There was a roadside lake that I stopped at that was turquoise in color. We visited Maligne Lake with its azure colored waters. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to the lake to get tickets to their boat ride to Spirit Island. Animals weren't seen until my last day there when I spotted bighorn sheep. The town of Jasper was the major hub in the park with lots of shops, restaurant and a nice visitor center. You could buy all the souvenirs that want. There was a recent wildfire that burned part of the town in Jasper and some of the sites. Maligne Canyon was still closed. This is an beautiful place to visit if you like the outdoors.

Jasper National Park he's just stunning and so vast. Unfortunately, a lot of the Park has been…read moredevastated by last year raging wildfires. The community is working hard to recover and the area needs all the tourism that it can get. You can see the result of the wildfires damage from about 30 miles outside of Jasper town. It's truly heartbreaking to see. We need to support the people & their businesses. They said there are many areas 30 miles outside of Jasper town that are intact & stunning. Go visit... it's amazing