Rocky Mountain Highs & Alpine Blues
A scenic journey through the heart of the Canadian Rockies, featuring iconic lakes, dramatic glaciers, and mountain towns.
Calgary → Banff → Lake Louise → Icefields Parkway → Jasper → Maligne Lake → Abraham Lake → Canmore.
Gateway to the Peaks
Start your journey from Calgary, heading west where the prairies suddenly turn into a wall of limestone giants.
Gateway
The Gateway, in northeastern New Jersey, encompasses the six most urban counties in the state that are part of the sprawling metropolitan area of New York City. It is culturally, geographically and racially/ethnically diverse, home to the state's largest cities and some of its most affluent suburbs.
Banff Avenue
Dragon Fli Empire is a Canadian hip hop duo formed in 2002 from Calgary, comprising Tarik Robinson, also known as Teekay (MC/producer), and Adam Hicks, also known as DJ Cosm (DJ/producer).
Bow Falls
Bow Falls is a major waterfall on the Bow River, Alberta just before the junction of it and the Spray River. They are located near the Banff Springs Hotel and golf course on the left-hand side of River Road.
Mount Norquay Lookout
Drive up the switchbacks for a bird's-eye view of the Banff townsite as the afternoon light hits the valley floor.
The Turquoise Giants
You have to take the shuttle now (personal cars aren't allowed), but seeing the Valley of the Ten Peaks reflected in that blue water is worth the logistics. Climb the Rockpile for the best photos.
Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake is a snow and glacially fed alpine lake in Banff National Park, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) outside the village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, at an elevation of approximately 1,884 metres (6,181 ft). The lake has a surface area of 50 hectares.
Lake Louise
Lake Louise is a beautiful mountain lake in the middle of Banff National Park in the Alberta Rockies region of Alberta. The lake is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, and at the far end is a large glacier. The lake is quite isolated, but provides a magnificent setting for a luxury resort, the Château Lake Louise, and a conference wing on the 'inland' side of the hotel.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Grab a drink by the massive windows in the lounge to watch the sunset over the Victoria Glacier.
Glaciers and High Passes
The first major stop on the Icefields Parkway. The reflection of Crowfoot Glacier on a calm morning is like a mirror.
Bow Lake
The first major stop on the Icefields Parkway. The reflection of Crowfoot Glacier on a calm morning is like a mirror.
Peyto Lake
Banff National Park is in the Alberta Rockies region of Alberta. Together with six other national parks it makes up the UNESCO World Heritage site "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks". Established in 1885, it is the world's third oldest national park, after Yellowstone National Park in the United States, and Royal National Park in Australia.
Columbia Icefield
The Columbia Icefield is roughly midway down the Icefields Parkway on Highway 93 in Jasper National Park within the Alberta Rockies. Jasper National Park is adjacent to the north of Banff National Park. The Columbia Icefield has several named glaciers, but the Athabasca Glacier is the main one that is accessible and most visible from the highway and visitor centre.
Waterfalls and Wildlife
A pair of powerful waterfalls where the river makes a sharp 90-degree turn. The island of trees in the middle of the falls is a photographer's dream.
Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Falls is a pair of waterfalls of the Sunwapta River in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls is a waterfall in Jasper National Park on the upper Athabasca River, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of the townsite of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, and just west of the Icefields Parkway.
Jasper
Much more laid back than Banff. Keep an eye out for elk—they literally wander the streets here like they own the place.
The Spirit of the North
Walk across the deep limestone slots. There are six bridges, but the first three give you the best views of the churning water below.
Maligne Canyon
Maligne Canyon is a slot canyon located in the Jasper National Park near Jasper, Alberta, Canada. Eroded out of the Palliser Formation, the canyon measures over 50 metres (160 ft) deep. Popular for sightseeing and exploration, the area contains waterfalls, underground stream outlets, birds and plant life.
Maligne Lake
Maligne Lake is a lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. The lake is famed for the colour of its azure water, the surrounding peaks, the three glaciers visible from the lake, and Spirit Island, a frequently and very famously photographed islet. The lake is located 44 km (27 mi) south of Jasper town, and is accessible by motor vehicle, including shuttle buses from Jasper.
Medicine Lake
Stop here on the way back to town. It’s a "disappearing lake" that drains through an underground cave system in the autumn.
The Road South
A quick stop on your way back south. The swirling "potholes" carved into the rock by the river are fascinating.
Mistaya Canyon
Mistaya Canyon in the western part of the Canadian province of Alberta is formed by the Mistaya River. Tourists visiting Banff National Park often visit the canyon because of its distinctive curvy walls and because it is easy to access, being just off the Icefields Parkway. The 0.
Abraham Lake
Abraham Lake, also known as Lake Abraham, is an artificial lake and Alberta's largest reservoir. It is located in the "Kootenay Plains area of the Canadian Rockies' front range", on the North Saskatchewan River in western Alberta, Canada.
Waterfowl Lakes
A perfect, quiet spot for a final "big mountain" photo before heading toward the foothills.
Mountain Town Charm
Walk the catwalks built into the canyon walls. Get here early (before 09:00) to beat the tour buses to the Lower Falls.
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Creek is a tributary of the Bow River in Canada's Rocky Mountains. The creek is located in Banff National Park.
Canmore
This is where the locals hang out. Grab lunch on 8th Street and look up at the Three Sisters peaks. It has a great community vibe and fantastic food.
Grassi Lakes
The Upper and Lower Grassi Lakes lie at an elevation of about 1,525 m (5,003 ft) in the southern Canadian Rockies overlooking the town of Canmore, Alberta. They receive their water from the Spray Lakes Reservoir on the Spray River. The land is part of the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, which is part of the Kananaskis Country park system.
- Buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass online before you go to save time at the gates.
- Download offline maps—cell service is non-existent for most of the Icefields Parkway.