• Jasper Information Centre - Welcome to the Icefields Parkway! Prepare to explore Canada’s stunning road connecting two iconic National Parks: Jasper and Banff. You can access the parkway from various locations, so ensure you’ve chosen the right starting point. This tour starts in Jasper. If you wish to begin from Lake Louise, near Banff, return to Home and select the Lake Louise version.

Note: This 135-mile tour highlights the key attractions of Icefields Parkway in 3-4 hours.

• Jasper SkyTram - Up next is the Jasper SkyTram, Canada’s highest and longest aerial tramway. The views from the top are unparalleled. In the 1940s, Whistler Mountain was already a major draw for skiers. Winter sports enthusiasts gathered annually to race down its perfect slopes. However, they only had a weak tow rope to pull them back up, making it difficult to reach the mountain’s summit.

• Valley of the Five Lakes Trailhead - Ahead is the Valley of the Five Lakes Trailhead. This 3-mile, moderately challenging hike takes about an hour and a half and offers stunning scenery. The trail winds past five pristine lakes. The lakes and ponds in Jasper and Banff are unique due to their incredible turquoise and blue colors, which seem like something out of a heavily edited postcard. But it’s real, thanks to the glaciers.

• Athabasca Pass Lookout - Around the bend is the Athabasca Pass Lookout, one of the best viewpoints on this part of the Parkway. From here, you’ll have a great view of the South Jasper Mountain Range. The most prominent peak, directly ahead from the lookout, is Mount Edith Cavell, standing at 11,033 feet.

• Horseshoe Lake - Soon, we’ll pass by Horseshoe Lake. This U-shaped lake is popular among thrill-seekers due to the sheer rock faces surrounding it. On any given day, you might see people standing at the edge, jittery with adrenaline, staring down 75 feet to the bottom before taking a leap of faith into the freezing water below.

• Athabasca Falls - Up ahead is Athabasca Falls, a 75-foot waterfall plunging into a canyon. During the last Ice Age over 100,000 years ago, a glacier in this region receded enough to allow the Athabasca River to flow freely through the pass, eventually deepening and widening it into the canyon we see today.

• Mount Kerkeslin - The towering peak to our left is Mount Kerkeslin, standing at 9,790 feet. This is the highest peak in the Maligne Range and posed a significant challenge for early explorers of this region.

• Goats & Glacier Lookout - This viewpoint overlooks the Athabasca River and Fryatt Mountain Range. Glaciers can be seen high up on the mountains, but where do the goats come in? The cliff on which this overlook is perched is rich in minerals, including salt, which mountain goats love. Visitors often see them here, licking the rocks.

• Mount Christie - The peak directly to our right, just before the mountain pass, is Mount Christie, standing just over 10,180 feet tall. The peak is named after James Hector, the explorer who also named Mount Kerkeslin. Hector named the mountain after William Joseph Christie, a man who hosted him during his expedition across the Rockies.

• Honeymoon Lake - This romantically named lake offers a lovely view of reflected mountains in the Maligne Range. You might even see people paddling canoes on the water.

• Sunwapta Falls - The trail for Sunwapta Falls is coming up soon. This easy 2-mile trail takes just over an hour and features a great view of a wilderness waterfall. Fed by the Athabasca Glacier, Sunwapta Falls plunges 60 feet over the cliff edge. Sunwapta is the Stoney-Nakoda word for “turbulent water,” which is fitting when you see the falls.

• Endless Chain Ridge - The ridge ahead and slightly to our left is the Endless Chain Ridge. Spanning more than 9,000 feet, this ridge is a collection of craggy peaks formed in the Jurassic period, about 200 million years ago. Volcanic pressure beneath the earth’s crust forced this rock upward about 75 million years ago, creating the ridge we see today.

• Poboktan Creek Trail Parking - Soon, we’ll see parking for the Poboktan Creek Trail, though we probably won’t want to hike it ourselves. Why? Because it’s 24 miles long and takes an average of four days to complete.

• Quartzite Boulder Field - In a minute, we’ll pass an attraction that doesn’t look like much—just a pile of rocks. But this pile of rocks tells a fascinating story about the history of this landscape.

• Beauty Creek - We’re driving alongside Beauty Creek, a clear glacial lake fed by meltwater. If you follow this creek a couple of miles into the wilderness, you’ll reach Stanley Falls, which plunges 40 feet into a blue pool below. Seven other cascades lead to Stanley Falls, and in colder months, these waterfalls become sheer sheets of ice.

• Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint - Coming up is the Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint, where we can see a huge glacier directly from the parkway. The glacier stretches 3,000 feet over the cliff face, where you can glimpse a set of double icefalls. These are areas where the glacial bed steepens, causing the ice to flow faster and create deep crevasses that pose a major hazard for climbers.

• Tangle Creek Falls, AB - Just ahead is Tangle Creek Falls, a magnificent 90-foot cascade alongside the parkway. With its spray dampening the road, the waterfall is impossible to miss. Mary Schäffer Warren, who named Endless Chain Ridge, also named Tangle Creek. She rarely traveled alone, often guided by Samson Beaver, a Stoney-Nakoda man.

• Columbia Icefield Skywalk - Ever wanted to walk on air? The Columbia Icefield Skywalk offers that sensation. It’s a walking trail with a glass floor that extends 100 feet across the Sunwapta Valley. If you don’t mind heights, you can look down past your shoes at the snowy expanse more than 900 feet below.

• Mount Kitchener - The tallest peak to our right is Mount Kitchener, standing at 11,499 feet. It’s named after Horatio Kitchener, a British Earl who served as an officer during World War I. Kitchener died in 1916 when his ship struck a mine and sank en route to Russia. Canada renamed this mountain in his honor.

• Toe of the Athabasca Glacier Trailhead - For an up-close look at the glaciers, this is a must-do. This moderate, one-mile hike offers some of the best views of the Athabasca Glacier, one of the most notable in the Columbia Icefield.

• Wilcox Pass Trailhead - Just ahead is the Wilcox Pass Trail. This challenging 7-mile hike isn’t for the faint-hearted. But don’t worry if you’re not up for the whole thing. Most visitors hike a little over a mile to reach a fantastic viewpoint before turning back. This viewpoint overlooks Mount Snow Dome, a unique geographical feature at the crossroads of Jasper and Banff.

• Parker Ridge Trail - The Parker Ridge Trail is coming up soon. It leads to a 4-mile hike for those seeking a challenge. Set aside a little over two hours to experience the alpine meadows and panoramic views. It also offers glimpses of the Columbia Icefield and a fresh perspective on the famous turquoise lakes in the area.

• Panther Falls - Next is Panther Falls. An easy 1.5-mile hike through the forest leads to this 210-foot cascade. It only takes about 30 minutes and is well worth the trek. If you want to continue, you can hike another mile to Bridal Veil, which is five times the size of Panther Falls. It’s a two-for-one waterfall experience.

• Weeping Wall Viewpoint - Just ahead is the Weeping Wall Viewpoint, a set of 900-foot high cliffs. The Weeping Wall is almost like a part-time waterfall. Under the right conditions, the cliffside begins to weep or leak water. This dynamic comes from the natural springs at the top, which may either swell or trickle depending on the time of year.

• Mount Coleman - The peak to our left is Mount Coleman, standing at 10,285 feet. Early explorers didn’t consider this the tallest peak in the region.

• HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel - We’re about to pass the HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel. This humble lodging dates back to a significant change in tourism that began almost 100 years ago.

• Saskatchewan River Crossing - Before the Icefields Parkway existed, crossing the river was different. Imagine a long plank of wood drifting across the river with a horse and carriage on it, waiting to be directed to the other side. The year is 1882, and the man behind the operation is the well-liked John Walter.

• Howse River - Turn into the parking area ahead for Howse Pass Viewpoint, featuring incredible views of the river and the mountains beyond. This is a must-see.

• Mistaya Canyon Trailhead - Ahead is the Mistaya Canyon Trailhead. This moderate, 1.5-mile hike takes about 40 minutes and leads to the bottom of a deep gorge with flowing water.

• Mount Chephren - Its 10,715-foot peak brushes the sky and provides pro-climbers with an extreme challenge. Due to its angular slopes, Chephren was originally named Pyramid Mountain. But another summit in the area already had that name, so it was renamed after an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh responsible for the second-largest pyramid in Giza.

• Waterfowl Lake Viewpoint - The gorgeous Waterfowl Lake is coming up, along with the viewpoint overlooking it. Right next to the parkway, you won’t even need to leave your car to see this emerald lake. Lakes like this became hotspots for the countercultural movement of the 1960s, attracting hippies.

• Mt Patterson Glacier - To our right stands Mount Patterson, home to the Snowbird Glacier. The glacier is named for its resemblance to outstretched wings as it flows down the mountain.

• Peyto Lake - To our right is Peyto Lake, a glacier-fed body of water with a bright turquoise color in the foothills of the Waputik Range. If you’d like to visit, look for the side road coming up, leading to an overlook above the lake and a 2-mile trail around its circumference.

• Bow Lake - We’re approaching Bow Lake, with its stunning blue waters reflecting the craggy rocks of Mount Jimmy Simpson to our right. The mountain is named after an English immigrant of the same name.

• Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint - Coming up is the Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint. Despite receding since the Ice Age and losing one of its three lobes, the glacier remains inspiring. The lobes once made the glacier look like a crow’s foot.

• Wapta Icefield - The Wapta Icefield is named after the Stoney-Nakoda word for “running water.”

• Hector Lake Viewpoint - If you love Banff’s dazzling waters, the upcoming Hector Lake Viewpoint is worth a stop. This pristine glacial lake sits beneath Lilliput Mountain and Mount Balfour and is a popular spot for photographers.

• Lake Louise - This brings us to the end of our tour. To reach Lake Louise, continue driving straight for another 5-10 minutes. I hope you’ve enjoyed your journey across the Icefields Parkway, learning about Jasper’s geological wonders and Banff’s wild mountaineers.

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations