Driving Through Canada’s Epic Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway is one of Canada’s most scenic drive. It serves as a link between Lake Louise and the city of Jasper and takes roughly around three hours of drive time to complete the loop without stops. But I dare anyone to make the entire drive without stopping for a breath of fresh air or have a look around out of curiosity around the amazing landscapes throughout? Every mile you cover, there is always something that will make you clamor for your camera.

A week of exploring and taking fantastic photos through this highway is about how much time I spent on the Icefields Parkway. I wished I had more time because I wanted to Kayak to the Spirit Island and climb a peak but alas, I was not able to. I did come home with many photographs from the journey and hope to go back someday to continue where I left off.

What is it like driving like on the Icefields Parkway?

In the summer, lots of RV’s, tour buses and tons of other vehicles frequent the road so traffic can be congested. The top speed is capped at 90 kilometers an hour with some places capped at 50 kilometers an hour. There is wildlife all over the place, and you can even see them crossing the street so proceed with caution. Just scan right out your window, and you are bound to see an elk, goat, and even grizzly bears.

How much time should you spend on the Icefields Parkway?

This varies from person to person. I spent almost a week there while sleeping in the car or tent camping. The reason is that I like to shoot photographs during the Golden Hour and I am always trying to catch as much sunrise and sunrises as I can.

^{You don’t want to miss Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle}

For an ordinary person/family, you can probably see the best highlights around 6-9 hours from start to finish. There are many pullouts with scenic attractions along the way, so you have to pick your poison. Overall though, I highly recommend at least a week, if not more, to truly enjoy what the Icefields Parkway has to offer.

What are the conditions of the road?

If you have driven through any decent U.S. highway that is what you can expect in the Icefields Parkway. There is not much of a difference save for some signs written in French. It has wild shoulders for making quick stops and rarely any potholes to be found to impede your journey.

When passing through this magnificent landscape with two high mountain passes, it is a lot better than you would expect. Nearly all the street is easy to drive, with just a few regions of steep grade or switchbacks. Large RV’s do not have a problem navigating it.

When is the best time to check it out?

The peak time is from July through August. I visited around September, so I did not have to deal with a lot of tourists. The temperature was already cooling during my stay, which I prefer over the heat. Winter comes early and stays late in this section of the Rockies, snowfall inducing winter driving conditions can happen by mid-October and can last well into May.

^{In September, fall is already showing its colors}

All services on the parkway like restaurants and lodging are closed from November through April. You will have to get fuel outside the park as there are no services during this time frame. If you would like to experience the Athabasca Glacier Ice Explorer experience, it operates from around April to October.

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What about the weather and temperature?

In high places like this, the weather can change drastically many times during the day and the temperature change from day to day can be extreme. The higher you go in altitude, the colder the temperature will be. I always recommend bringing layers of clothes to shed or wear as comfort desires and wear comfortable hiking shoes.

^{You’ll want to drive alongside the Bow River}

The spring and fall weather can always surprise you; these times may see heavy snowfall out of the blue. The summer will have many dry and sunny days, but you can experience rain as well as light snow at higher elevations. One of the months from November to April can be expected to have temperatures below freezing and a great deal of snow.

Should you go back and forth from one end and back?

I did, and it was great! I recommend it because it is easy to miss some cool spots not easily noticed on one side of the parkway. It is possible to stop at places of interest along the way and hit the ones that you missed on the way back.

The scenery is magnificent and distinct in both directions. You can either make the return trip in a full day or stay for a night or two at either end in Jasper or Lake Louise, returning from the opposite direction.

What about fuel?

Gas is costly because of the premium of being in such a remote location. Fill up your tank before you get to Banff, Jasper, or Lake Louise. There is only a couple of gas stations along the Icefields Parkway so plan accordingly.

What about food?

If you can bring it from the outside do it. Most restaurants are not cheap and just plain overpriced in my opinion. Not to mention crappy. Bringing your food, you can have a glorious meal and have a great view of a mountain or a glaciated lake over dull restaurant walls.

^{I prefer to have a picnic with this view}

If you insist. There are only a couple of restaurants on the parkway. The restaurants in Saskatchewan Crossing, in the Icefields Visitor Center, and in Lake Louise.

Where to Stay in the Icefields Parkway?

I went bare cheap. I had a tent that I was going to use, but I found sleeping in the car with the seat down more convenient. Paying over $100 a night for a motel was not an option. Besides, the majority of the accommodation is nothing glamorous, only open motel style rooms.

^{I wish I could sleep here at the sound of a waterfall}

If you are all for comfort, there are some cottage-style accommodations in Jasper like the Becker Chalets. If you have an RV. There is RV parking in Mosquito Creek, Waterfowl Lake, Rampart Creek, Wilcox Creek, and the Columbia Icefields. None of them has electricity or sewer services for RV’s, plan accordingly during your stay.

The campsites closer to the cities are available for reservations, like the ones near Jasper and Lake Louise. Expect them to be completely booked in the summer; you want to plan. Below are several accommodations depending on where you are on the Icefields Parkway.

Athabasca – Days Inn, Super 8, Athabasca Lodge

Lake Louise Area – HI Hostel, Mountaineer Lodge, Lake Louise Inn, Baker Creek

Jasper – Celtic Haven, Whistler’s Inn, Schaefer’s Den

If you prefer, you can also rent private vacation homes. I use VRBO – It doesn’t hurt to check. Expedia is also another website I use to make my bookings.

Don’t want to drive don’t have a car?

There are Brewster and Sun Dog Tours who provide shuttles and excursions along the parkway from Banff to Jasper.

What is it like driving in the winter?

The parkway is not salted and is not cleared down to the pavement as with other highways in Alberta; it stays as compact snow. There is not any maintenance done in any respect from 3:30 pm to 7 am from November to April.

It closes from a couple of hours occasionally for avalanche control for a couple of days during severe snowstorms. There is no mobile phone reception to phone for help and very light traffic during the winter season. All lodging, restaurants and the only gas station have been closed during the winter.

What about bears, are they going to maul me?

Well, yes if you are an idiot. Grizzly Bears are indeed present in the area and so are moose and elk – both are equally dangerous. Don’t feed any animals or feed them at all. Keep them wild and free.

^{Wildlife is easy to spot along the Icefields Parkway}

Keep a reasonable distance from the animals and exercise excellent judgment and you should be fine. I had a grizzly encounter. The bear woke me while I was sleeping in the car one morning – it was collecting berries along the road. I left it alone to do its thing, and it left me alone.

 

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Have you driven through the Icefields Parkway?