Highlights of the Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway is an approximately 230-kilometer road connecting Lake Louise and Jasper, and is part of Highway 93.
The Icefields Parkway is one of the signature driving routes through the Canadian Rockies and was also selected by Lonely Planet for “The 7 best road trips in Canada.” Attractions such as Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, the Columbia Icefield, and Athabasca Falls are scattered along the route, allowing you to enjoy magnificent mountain, glacier, and lake scenery as you travel.
Lake Louise
Lake Louise is a lake in Banff National Park. It is also the name of the town established on its shore.
The striking, enormous white château is Château Lake Louise. Like the Banff Springs Hotel and Château Frontenac in Quebec City, it is a resort hotel built by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
For information on Lake Louise’s attractions, shuttles, time required, and access, see the article below.
Moraine Lake
This scenic destination can be visited as an excursion from the Lake Louise area at the southern end of the parkway. Since it offers beautiful views of a lake surrounded by mountains, it is recommended to stop here while driving along the Icefields Parkway.
The key points about the lake views and using the shuttle are covered in detail in the article below.
Bow Lake
A short descent from the roadside to the shore brings you close to the lake and the mountain range surrounding Crowfoot Glacier. It is an easy stop while traveling between the north and south, offering a single view of the landscape where the lake and glacier meet.
When you step down to the lakeshore, a broad expanse of water that is difficult to see from the road comes into view, with an uninterrupted vista stretching to the peaks behind it.
The article below provides more details on how to visit and what to see along the lakeshore.
Peyto Lake
From the elevated lookout, you can take in Peyto Lake surrounded by forest. Looking down on the blue lake nestled between the mountains, you can enjoy the grand scenery characteristic of the Canadian Rockies.
This is a Clark’s nutcracker perched on a conifer near the viewpoint.
For information on Peyto Lake’s highlights, prices, time required, and more, see the article below.
Waterfowl Lakes
Waterfowl Lakes consist of 2 lakes: Upper Waterfowl Lake and Lower Waterfowl Lake.
Waterfowl means “water birds.” Lower Waterfowl Lake is to the north, and Upper Waterfowl Lake is to the south.
Columbia Icefield
Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains. An icefield is a vast area resembling a plain covered in ice. It stretches across Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. You can take a snowcoach tour down onto Athabasca Glacier and experience the glass-floored Skywalk.
For information on Columbia Icefield’s highlights, opening hours, tickets, and more, see the article below.
Sunwapta Falls
This waterfall forms where the Sunwapta River flows into a narrow rock channel, and a short walk from the parking lot leads to an upstream viewpoint. The forceful main drop and the surrounding canyon make an enjoyable stop along the northern Icefields Parkway.
Sunwapta Falls is located on the Sunwapta River, a tributary of the Athabasca River. In an Indigenous language, Sunwapta means “turbulent river.”
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls is a waterfall on the upper reaches of the Athabasca River. The Athabasca River originates in the Columbia Icefield. Meltwater from Athabasca Glacier, which can be visited on a tour, also flows into the Athabasca River.
It can be viewed from various angles along the trail in the valley. For details, see the article below.
Basic Information about the Icefields Parkway
The information below was checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Please also check the latest information on the official website when planning your trip.
- 🔗 Official website
- Visitor information is available on the official Parks Canada website.
Travelling the Icefields ParkwayPoints of interest and what to see and do on the Icefields Parkway, what you need to know before you travel, how to...parks.canada.caCheck road conditions at 511 Alberta.
511 AlbertaProvides up to the minute traffic and transit information for Alberta. View the real time traffic map with travel t...511.alberta.ca - 📍 Route
- 232 km of Highway 93N connecting Lake Louise and Jasper in Alberta
- 🕒 Operating period
- The road is open in winter as well, but it may be closed due to severe weather, road conditions, or avalanche-control measures.
- 🚫 Traffic restrictions
- From November 1 to March 31, and outside this period whenever the road is covered with snow or ice, snow tires marked with a snowflake or M+S, or chains, are required. Check road conditions at 511 Alberta before setting out.
- 💶 National park fees
- A valid national park pass is required to drive this road. A 1-day adult admission (ages 18–64) costs CA$12.25 in each of Banff and Jasper national parks.
- ⏱️ Time required
- Allow 1 day if stopping at the main viewpoints, or 2 days to explore the northern and southern sections in detail on separate days.⚠️ The time required can vary greatly depending on the weather, road conditions, parking availability, and time spent sightseeing.
Getting to the Icefields Parkway
Open the same route in Google Maps
This is a driving route from Lake Louise at the southern end of the Icefields Parkway north to Jasper.⚠️ Services along the road are limited. There is no cell phone coverage year-round; limited coverage is available only at Columbia Icefield from May to early October. Save necessary information, refuel, and prepare food and drinking water before departure.
Loading the map.
- ①Lake Louise → ②Bow LakeCalculating the route in Google Maps
Drive north from Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93); you will reach Bow Lake in about 34 minutes.
- ②Bow Lake → ③Peyto Lake parking lotCalculating the route in Google Maps
It takes about 7 minutes by car from Bow Lake to the Peyto Lake parking lot.
- ③Peyto Lake parking lot → ④Waterfowl LakesCalculating the route in Google Maps
It takes about 14 minutes by car from the Peyto Lake parking lot to Waterfowl Lakes. This is the last sightseeing spot within Banff National Park.
- ④Waterfowl Lakes → ⑤Columbia Icefield Discovery CentreCalculating the route in Google Maps
From Waterfowl Lakes, drive north over Sunwapta Pass, the border with Jasper National Park; you will reach the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre in about 47 minutes.
- ⑤Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre → ⑥Sunwapta Falls parking lotCalculating the route in Google Maps
Drive north from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre; you will reach the Sunwapta Falls parking lot in about 35 minutes.
- ⑥Sunwapta Falls parking lot → ⑦Athabasca Falls parking lotCalculating the route in Google Maps
It takes about 19 minutes by car from the Sunwapta Falls parking lot to the Athabasca Falls parking lot.
- ⑦Athabasca Falls parking lot → ⑧Jasper StationCalculating the route in Google Maps
It takes about 27 minutes by car from the Athabasca Falls parking lot to Jasper Station.
Lake Louise andMoraine Lakein 1 day, along with driving the entire Icefields Parkway, makes for a tight schedule. You may want to spread the trip over several days and combine it with a visit to Yoho National Park starting from theYoho National Park Visitor Centre.
For information on attractions, opening hours, fees, and more at Yoho National Park, see the article below.
For attractions, transport and suggested itineraries, see “Canadian Rockies: A Guide to Attractions, Food, Transportation, and Suggested Itineraries”.
