Icefields Parkway

Stress and burnout, nearly everyone has it every now and again. It is not easy to take time off to relax for many. However, it is rewarding when we do.

One place I strongly recommend visiting is the Icefields Parkway in Alberta Canada. It is a very serene environment that would certainly calm most people as you watch this masterpiece in our natural world. It is a beautiful stretch of road from Lake Louise to Jasper. Both in the Province of Alberta.

My family and I drove on this beautiful road, a couple of weekends ago and the journey was worth our time and money. We have heard of this for years, and finally, we decided to go check it out. We all needed a bit of a wind-down and also had family visiting. So, it was a perfect time for our trip to the Icefields Parkway also called Highway 93 N. It is the most fantastic drive ever, and I highly recommend putting it in your bucket lists of places to visit. It is a beautiful snakelike stretch of road in Alberta a western province in Canada.

Our Journey To Icefields Parkway

Naturally, as we live in Calgary, the largest city in Alberta, we started our journey from there. We have gone to the mountains loads of times in our nearly five years in the city. However, we only went beyond Lake Louise, a gorgeous hamlet in the town of Banff once. That was when we made a road trip to Vancouver which was another fantastic drive. This time, we are about to embark on another beautiful journey. The actual destination is Jasper, where we intend passing the night. I would do a post on this town in the future.

We had no idea what to do or expect on this journey, except for the fact that we were going on a very scenic drive. However, to get the most from it, we had to ask a few trusted friends who had made the trip several times. It was a great decision. We found this website: icefieldsparkway.com useful. It has specific points to look out for, where to park and take photos.

What to see at the Icefields Parkway?

If glaciers, Icefields, waterfalls, mountains, watching wildlife like bears from a safe distance are your thing, then add traveling on this road to your bucket list of places to visit in your lifetime. At this time of the year, the bears are still hibernating. So, we did not see any. We were, however, warned of caribou crossing. The following are places to stop:

Stop Here

  • Lake Louise
  • Moraine Lake
  • Peyto Lake
  • Bow Lake
  • Mistaya Canyon
  • Glacier Skywalk
  • Columbia Icefields
  • Bow Lake
  • Sunwapta Fall
  • Athabasca Fall
  • Saskatchewan  River Crossing

    • Watch For:

    • Bow Summit
    • Weeping Wall
    • Crowfoot Mountains
    • Certainly wildlife

    Short Hikes

    • Bow Summit Lookout
    • Parker Ridge Trail
    • Plain Of Six Glaciers
    • Valley Of The Ten Peaks

    Tips For Driving Through The Icefields Parkway

    • Be safety conscious. Get the report for wildlife and road conditions and follow all instructions given by Parks Canada.
    • Avoid the winter months as they are cold and icy, difficult to navigate.
    • The road is about 230 KM, and you drive for least 3hours with no cell phone access for most of the drive. Have a full tank, food, and drinks. The only gas station is closed in the winter months.
    • Lake Louise is strategically located. Most of the short hikes are from Lake Louise and they are family friendly.
    • When taking photos do not be distracted when with very young children. Never let them wonder on their own.
    • Give yourself at least 5 hours to stop and soak in the beauty of this road. Not stopping to take photos, is like attending a buffet and not tasting any of the food.

    Check Out These Photos Of The Icefields Parkway.

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