Motor past glaciers and waterfalls on the Icefields Parkway

Attractions

Motor past glaciers and waterfalls on the Icefields Parkway

Highway in Canada

CANADA // There are amazing road trips, and then there's the Icefields Parkway. Unfurling for 230km (143 miles) between Banff and Jasper National Parks in the Canadian Rockies, it takes in some of the most mind-blowing mountain panoramas anywhere on the Continental Divide. En route you'll pass cerulean lakes, crashing cascades, mammoth moose and the largest patch of unbroken ice anywhere in North America, the mighty Columbia Icefield. So fuel up, sit back, and let one of the world's great scenery shows unfold.

How long does it take to do the Icefields Parkway?

About three hours

The drive along the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), which starts in Lake Louise and ends in Jasper, takes about three hours, with the Columbia Icefield roughly in the middle. Of course, when planning your visit, you should make time to explore some of these trail highlights along the way.

Why is it called Icefields Parkway?

The Icefields Parkway is a 227 km mountain road built roughly parallel to the continental divide. That's why they say driving the Parkway is like driving the spine of the North American continent. Named after the Columbia Icefields, the Icefields Parkway is also known as Highway 93.

Which is better to visit Banff or Jasper?

Again, Banff has more accessible and easier hiking trails, better-known destinations, more accommodations, better restaurants, and a town built on tourism. However, Jasper is much quieter than Banff and may give you that older mountain town feel that Banff has lost over the years.

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