Rockies Peak to Peak
Get ready for the ultimate mountain fix. We’re hitting the turquoise lakes, massive glaciers, and jagged skylines that make the Canadian Rockies a bucket-list legend.
Calgary → Banff → Lake Louise → Icefields Parkway → Jasper → Canmore → Calgary
Mountain Gateway
145km, 1.5h drive
Calgary International Airport (YYC)
🚗 Pick up your 4WD (highly recommended for mountain roads) and grab some supplies in Calgary before heading west. The transition from prairies to peaks happens fast!
Canmore
Stop here for a casual lunch and to soak in the view of the Three Sisters peaks. It's a bit more "local" than Banff and great for a quick gear check.
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).
The Alpine Classics
The Alpine Classics (60km, 1h drive)
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Creek is a tributary of the Bow River in Canada's Rocky Mountains. The creek is located in Banff National Park.
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.
The Icefields Parkway North
Start your drive on Highway 93N. This is one of the most beautiful drives on earth.
Bow Lake
Start your drive on Highway 93N. This is one of the most beautiful drives on earth. Bow Lake is right off the road and perfect for photos of the Crowfoot Glacier.
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 Wilderness
Back on the Parkway heading north. These falls have a cool island right in the middle of the drop.
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 Townsite
Arrive in the "wilder" side of the Rockies. It’s much quieter than Banff. Keep your eyes peeled for elk—they literally wander the streets here.
Jasper’s Hidden Gems
The deepest canyon in Jasper National Park. Follow the trail across the first few bridges to see the waterfalls and ancient fossils in the rock.
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
On the way back to town, stop at this "disappearing" lake. It drains through an underground cave system every year.
The Scenic Return
We’re heading back down, but trust me, the views look completely different facing south. It’s a great chance to hit any viewpoints you missed due to weather on Day 3.
Icefields Parkway South
We’re heading back down, but trust me, the views look completely different facing south. It’s a great chance to hit any viewpoints you missed due to weather on Day 3.
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.
Vermilion Lakes
The Vermilion Lakes are a series of lakes located immediately west of Banff, Alberta, in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Valley Views and Departure
120km, 1.5h drive
Ha Ling Peak or Grassi Lakes
For a final stretch of the legs, Grassi Lakes offers an easy walk to brilliant green pools. If you want a challenge, the Ha Ling trailhead gives you a bird's eye view of the whole Bow Valley.
Canmore Downtown
Grab a final "BeaverTails" pastry and do some souvenir shopping on 8th Street.
Calgary International Airport (YYC)
🚗 Return the rental car. Aim to be here 3 hours before your flight—the security lines can get long during peak season.
- Buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass online before you go to skip the gate lines.
- Dress in layers—even in July, it can snow at the Icefields!