How To Drive The Icefields Parkway & The Best Places To Stop

The Icefields Parkway is considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in Canada. And I have to agree.

The Icefields Parkway starts just after Lake Louise and take you all the way to Jasper National Park.

The drive itself is stunning, but there are also several places to stop for viewpoints and short hikes.

I’ll go over some tips to drive the Icefields Parkway and the best places to stop along the way.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Is The Icefields Parkway Worth The Drive?

Obviously, if you’re heading to Jasper National Park from Banff, the Icefields Parkway drive is well worth it… plus it’s sort of the only route there, so you don’t really have a choice!

But even if you aren’t planning on going to Jasper, it’s worth doing a day trip to drive it. There are so many unique things to see on the drive that are either quick viewpoint stops or just a short hike away. You end up seeing A LOT just in one day.

We did the Icefields Parkway drive from Lake Louise and went back there that evening. It really wasn’t too much driving (which is what I was worried about).

How Long Is The Icefields Parkway To Drive?

If you drive the entire parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper, it would take you 2 and a half hours straight (not including stops!).

But, we only did about half and then turned around and headed back to Lake Louise for the night. So, from Lake Louise to the Columbia Icefields is just under an hour and a half straight.

Recommend Staying In Lake Louise

If you are planning on doing the Icefields Parkway just for the drive and the stops, I would recommend staying in Lake Louise.

Staying in Banff will add an extra 45 minutes to your drive each way – just highway driving. The parkway only starts just after Lake Louise. So, it makes your day a bit longer for nothing.

P.S. If You Don’t Have A Car Go On An Organized Tour

If you don’t have a car in Banff, you’re not out of luck. You can go on an organized tour driving the Icefield Parkway and stopping at the major points of interest.

Viator offers a few, check them out here (p.s. most are actually one way tours that take you from Jasper to Banff).

They also have a tour that leaves from Banff (or Canmore) and also takes you to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake check it out. This way, you don’t have the stress and added exhausting from driving!

Download Your Maps Offline!

Don’t make the same mistake we did, download your maps offline on Google before heading out. Seriously!

You will have no service the entire drive, not even at the Saskatchewan River Crossing.

Once you leave Lake Louise, the next time you’ll have service is at the Columbia Icefields.

We thought it wouldn’t be so bad because you’re just following one road and there are signs, WRONG! We turned into so many wrong places and even missed our destination because there were no signs (well there used to be a sign!).

You Need A Park Pass To Drive The Icefields Parkway Canada

When you put the directions into Google, it will say that you are driving on a toll road. All that means is that you need a Park Pass to drive on the Icefields Parkway (which you would need anyway when you’re in Banff National Park and Jasper).

You can buy a park pass here.

Check Road Conditions Before You Leave!

If you’re travelling during the summer months, this is less of a concern (although it did snow the week before we visited in mid-June…).

They try to keep the Icefields Parkway open all year round, but it tends to be closed in the winter (from November to April) due to poor road conditions.

We kept seeing avalanche warning signs, so to be honest, I wouldn’t have been comfortable even driving here in the winter.

Is The Drive Scary?

I am often scared on these ‘scenic’ drives. But, I have to say the Icefields Parkway Banff only had one scary part to drive from Lake Louise to Jasper (around Big Bend when you’re regaining your elevation). But it didn’t last too long.

We also didn’t continue the drive passed the Columbia Icefield, so I can’t say what it’s like in Jasper National Park.

For the most part, the drive is simple, there are no sharp turns, and the road is wide enough to fit two cars (is that sad that I even have to specify that!).

But There Is A Chance Of Bears!

You’re still in the National Park and bears are always a possibility here so be vigilant.

We actually saw TWO bears on our drive back! They were just minding their own business just walking on the side of the road! I was shocked! This was our only bear encounters for our time in Banff.

Driving From Lake Louise To Jasper – On The Wrong Side Of The Road…

We did notice that all the stops were on the wrong side of the road when driving from Lake Louise to Jasper. This led us to believe that the drive was supposed to be done in the opposite direction…

So, if you want to make your life a bit easier, drive straight to your furthest planned stop for the day, then make your way back stopping along the way.

This way, you’ll always be on the right side of the road for the parking lots and viewpoints.

P.S. Sometimes they literally don’t let you turn in to the parking lot. Please respect this as it can be a dangerous turn. Usually, there will be a space further up the road that you can turn around in and make your way back safely to the parking lot.

There Are Limited Resources On The Icefields Parkway

Make sure you plan ahead because there are limited resources once your on the parkway.

Are There Bathrooms On The Icefields Parkway?

There are in fact bathrooms at most stops on the drive, although I don’t know how much you’ll be willing to use them…

At most of the main stops there are always outhouses. Let’s just say that some were better kept than others.

At Peyto Lake, people were coming out horrified, saying if you don’t look or smell then you’ll be okay. There was also a woman offering Kleenex to people before going in.

Needless to say, I held it.

I don’t think the others were this bad, but I wasn’t taking any chances.

There is a bathroom with running water at Saskatchewan Crossing, and a place to refill water. Although they say it’s reserved for customers, it’s worth buying the smallest thing to use these service, plus you might want a snack for the rest of the drive!

What About Food & Water On The Drive

There’s nowhere to buy anything or refill water until you get to Saskatchewan River Crossing.

So make sure to bring more than enough water for your journey. We picked up sandwiches before we even left Lake Louise at Trailhead Cafe in the Samson Mall.

I did notice there were sandwiches, desserts, and coffee and tea at the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow Lake (also just known as The Lodge at Bow Lake!).

There weren’t a lot of options though, so if you’re a picky eater, I’d buy food before heading out for the day. They only had two sandwich options, one was surprisingly vegetarian too (and they looked pretty good!).

Make Sure You Fill Up With Gas Before

Just as the lack of food, water, and bathrooms with plumbing, the same can be said for gas. So, make sure you fill up before you leave Lake Louise or Jasper.

There is of course, a small gas station where you can fill up with gas at the Saskatchewan River Crossing.

Stops On The Icefields Parkway – Lake Louise To Jasper

These are the stops I would recommend on a day trip driving the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper.

(Like I said, you can do it in reverse if you want to make your drive a bit easier!)

Bow Lake / Crowfoot Glacier / The Lodge (~30 mins)

There are a few parking lots you can turn into for viewpoints of Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier.

I recommend just heading to the historical lodge and walking around there. The views from here are spectacular, and this will be your last spot for food and drinks for a while.

P.S. You can actually book a stay at the Lodge – check it out here!

Peyto Lake (7 Mins To Parking Lot)

Peyto Lake (pronounched Pee-toh) is one of the main stops on the Parkway. It does require a short 15 minute hike to the final viewpoint – but trust me, it’s worth it!

This is actually the highest point on the Icefields Parkway. You might even still see snow when you visit. We did, and we visited at the end of June!

The colour, the mountain ranges, it’s all just spectacular.

P.S. Can you see the wolf?

Waterfowl Lake (10 Mins)

Waterfowl Lake is a quick stop for photos, but it was one of my favourites. We were very lucky when we visited though with perfect weather conditions: sunny and there was no wind so we had an almost perfect reflection in the water!

We did have a cloud covering the top of the mountain, but that just added to the ambiance!

P.S. Because we didn’t have Google Maps, we made the mistake of turning into the campground that’s just before the viewpoint…It’s an easy turn directly into a parking lot for the view. And no hike necessary!

Mistaya Canyon (8 Mins)

Mistaya Canyon is another Banff gem that is a short hike to get to (downhill at first but then it’s all uphill on the way back).

Again, because we didn’t have a map, we missed the parking lot and had to turn around. There actually was a sign, it had just fallen off the post!

The rushing water has turned the rocks into a mistaya-fying canyon (see what I did there!).

Bathroom & Food Break! Saskatchewan River Crossing (4 Mins)

There is nothing else here other than food, water, and bathrooms with proper plumbing! But, you’ll probably need at least one of those resources at this point!

This is also the halfway point on your drive, about 45 minutes from both Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefields.

Weeping Wall Viewpoint (16 mins)

This is a quick pit stop you can make for a view of the weeping wall (waterfalls).

The waterfall is on the top of the mountain across the street. But, I actually like this stop for a view of the river in the valley.

Plus, it breaks up the drive between the Saskatchewan River Crossing and the Columbia Icefields.

The Big Bend (6 Mins)

The Big Bend is aptly named for the immense turn you will drive on below the towering mountains. After the bend, there’s a quick stop if you want a view of the valley below that you just drove through.

Columbia Icefields (14 Mins)

The Columbia Icefields are a main attraction on the Icefields Parkway.

If you drive straight here, they’re about an hour and a half from Lake Louise.

From the Icefields, you have a few options based on your interests. A free option is to park in the lower lot and hike uphill to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier. Just make sure to stay on the path!

Or, if you want to walk on the glacier, opt to go on an organized tour in one of the snow coaches here.

You can actually see how far out the glacier used to go. In fact, I was traveling with my mom who had been there when she was 16 on a summer trip! She kept saying that she remembered walking on the glacier but didn’t remember walking this far to it. Of course, we just figured she wasn’t remembering it properly. But, sure enough, she was right.

The glacier recedes every year since the Ice Age, but it’s been speeding up. So if you’re interested in visiting, don’t wait! These glaciers won’t be here forever unfortunately.

I also recommend making it at least to the Columbia Icefield from Lake Louise because it’s also incredible to see how much the terrain changes (we felt like we could have been on mars! It also didn’t help that it this is also when the heavy rain and clouds started!).

Glacier Skywalk (7 mins)

A bit further from the Columbia Icefields is the Glacier Skywalk. This gives you a birds eye view of the Glaciers.

This isn’t for the faint of heart though as you are walking on a glass floor.

P.S. They usually sell a package for the snow coach and skywalk together.

More Stops On The Icefields Parkway

We turned back after the Columbia Icefields as we didn’t want too long of a drive back to Lake Louise. But there are a few more key spots you can stop at if you’re willing to go a bit further, or aren’t heading back to Lake Louise at all.

Sunwapta Falls (30 mins)

Sunwapta Falls is a picture perfect spot for any photographer. The river splits to leave room for a small island in the middle.

You will have a short hike to the falls.

Athabasca Falls (20 mins)

Athabasca Falls will also require a short hike to the many viewpoints of the falls.

Athabasca Pass Lookout (5 mims)

If you’re pressed for time, or have done enough small hikes, this is a good spot to stop for a quick photo op.

Banff Hotel Recommendations

P.S. Staying in Lake Louise? Jump back to my hotel recommendations here.

You have to book your hotels EARLY in Banff. We booked the Buffalo Mountain Lodge for June back in February… and most hotels were already fully booked at that point.

The place to stay is at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – but that will cost you. We opted to just visit the Banff Springs instead, but you can check rates and availability on Booking.com.

We stayed at the much more affordable Buffalo Mountain Lodge. They have some renovated rooms, which I recommend booking. It was more of a resort hotel, with a cozy room and balcony to enjoy! Breakfast is also included which is a great way to start the day of hiking! It is a 15 minute walk to the town of Banff though. Check availability and room rates on Booking.com.

If you’re looking for a more reasonable priced hotel, in the town of Banff, we really wanted to book the Mount Royal Hotel (see it on Booking.com). Although the rooms are a lot smaller, there’s a fun jacuzzi on the roof, and you cannot beat the location on Banff Avenue – you can’t get a better location than that! Check availability and room rates on Booking.com.

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Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API