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.

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.

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.

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!!!

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.

Beautiful! Pictures don't really do it justice…read more You have to feel the energy of the water to get a good feel for the power and beauty. Super easily accessible. There is a small trail across the bridge should you want a different view. Go early in the morning if you can... before 8:30am and you will probably have the place to yourself before the tour buses start rolling in.

Canada has so many beautiful natural wonders. And the Canadian Park Service does such an amazing…read morejob of preserving, presenting, and curating the entire experience. These falls are just another example. There is an ample parking lot, the walk ways are well maintained. The structures are high quality and allow people of all mobilities access to the beautiful views. Lots of places to enjoy the falls, and also take pictures. Amazing!

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.

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.