Rockies Peaks & Glaciers
Get ready for the ultimate mountain therapy. We’re hitting the jagged limestone peaks, neon-blue lakes, and the legendary Icefields Parkway at a pace that actually lets you breathe the alpine air.
Calgary → Banff → Lake Louise → Icefields Parkway → Jasper → Canmore → Calgary
Banff Arrival & Town Vibes
Pick up your SUV (trust me, you want the clearance and the view). It’s a straight shot west into the mountains.
Calgary International Airport
Pick up your SUV (trust me, you want the clearance and the view). It’s a straight shot west into the mountains.
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).
Banff Gondola
Head up Sulphur Mountain for the boardwalk views. It’s the best way to get your bearings of the Bow Valley.
Bow Falls & Fairmont Banff Springs
Walk the woods behind the "Castle in the Rockies." The falls aren't huge, but the setting is iconic. Crash in Banff tonight.
The Famous Blue Lakes
You have to take the shuttle now (no private cars), but seeing the Valley of the Ten Peaks reflected in that Gatorade-blue water is a spiritual experience.
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.
Lake Louise Village
Check into your spot near the lake. It’s quieter here than Banff once the day-trippers leave.
Icefields Parkway: Part I
This is the start of one of the world's most beautiful drives. Bow Lake is right off the road and usually glass-calm in the morning.
Bow Lake
This is the start of one of the world's most beautiful drives. Bow Lake is right off the road and usually glass-calm in the morning.
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.
Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Falls is a pair of waterfalls of the Sunwapta River in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Jasper’s Wild Side
The sheer power of the water carving through the quartzite is loud and impressive.
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.
Mount Edith Cavell
Mount Edith Cavell is a mountain in the Athabasca River and Astoria River valleys of Jasper National Park, and the most prominent peak entirely within Alberta.
Jasper Townsite
It’s much more "laid back local" than Banff. Grab a beer at Jasper Brewing Co. and watch for elk—they literally wander the streets here.
Canyons and Maligne Lake
Day 5｜Canyons and Maligne Lake (100km, 2h drive)
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.
Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake is a lake in Nevada, United States. Enclosed entirely within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe reservation, it is the end point for the Truckee River which begins at Lake Tahoe.
The Return South
Heading south back down the Parkway, stop here for the swirl-patterned rocks. It’s often skipped by the big tour buses.
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.
Saskatchewan River Crossing
Saskatchewan River Crossing is a locality in western Alberta, Canada. It is located within Banff National Park at the junction of Highway 93 and Highway 11. It is administered by Improvement District No. 9.
Canmore
We’re bypassing Banff to stay in this mountain town. It’s got a great food scene (check out The Grizzly Paw) and stunning views of the Three Sisters peaks.
Canmore Peaks & Departure
A local favorite hike. It’s easy-going and leads to two brilliant turquoise ponds and a view over Canmore.
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.
Downtown Canmore
Do some last-minute shopping for local art or gear. It’s way less "touristy" than the shops in Banff.
Calgary International Airport
It’s a smooth 1.5-hour drive back to drop off the car and catch your flight.
- Buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass online before you go to skip the lines at the park gates.
- Download offline maps—cell service is non-existent on the Icefields Parkway!