Banff, Jasper & Glacier National Parks Travel Guide by Lonely Planet

Author:Lonely Planet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lonely Planet

Considered one of the most scenic drives in North America, the Icefields Parkway – or the ‘road through the clouds’ – is a kaleidoscopic mélange of cascading waterfalls and spectacularly carved peaks, whose crowning glory is the glistening Columbia Icefield on the park’s southern limits. Measuring 230km (144 miles) from Jasper Town down to Lake Louise, a bejeweled 108km (67-mile) segment of the route traverses Jasper National Park, incorporating some of the region’s star attractions.

Driving south out of Jasper, the first highlight is Mt Edith Cavell, the town’s snowcapped guardian, accessible via a winding spur road off Hwy 93A. Stop here to stroll through flower-filled meadows and catch a glimpse of the peak’s wing-shaped Angel Glacier. Rejoin the main parkway for 20km (12.4 miles) and you’ll pass Horseshoe Lake, with its steep-sided cliffs and clear, bracing waters, followed quickly by the Athabasca Falls, the park’s most voluminous waterfall, which throws its frigid glacial meltwater over a 21m (70ft) limestone cliff.

Look out for wildlife on the next section of the route as you head south through a wide corridor of mountains that runs parallel to the Continental Divide. At Honeymoon Lake there’s a good viewpoint over the Athabasca River, while 2km (1.2 miles) further on, at Sunwapta Falls, you can refuel at the homey restaurant or stretch your legs on the short hike to the waterfall. This is also the start of an excellent hiking and biking trail to Fortress Lake at 25km (15.5 miles).

As the tree cover thins and the river becomes a confusing maze of different channels you’ll start to notice the glaciers. Stop at the Stutfield Glacier viewpoint just past Beauty Creek to admire this outlying tentacle of the Columbia Icefield; 2km (1.2 miles) further on you’ll pass Tangle Falls and the start of the scenic Wilcox Pass Trail. The drive’s apex is the green-roofed Columbia Icefield Centre and the world-famous Athabasca Glacier, which slides like an icy river down toward the road. Stop here for interpretive displays, a walk around the Forefield Trail and an excursion on one of the unique Snocoaches.

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