Peaks and Turquoise Waters
A classic loop through the heart of the Canadian Rockies, hitting the big icons at a pace that actually lets you breathe.
Banff → Lake Louise → Icefields Parkway → Jasper → Maligne Lake → Canmore
Banff Arrival & Alpine Views
Start by picking up your park pass and wandering the main drag. It’s touristy, but the view of Cascade Mountain framing the street is legendary. Grab a coffee and map out the week.
Banff Townsite
Start by picking up your park pass and wandering the main drag. It’s touristy, but the view of Cascade Mountain framing the street is legendary. Grab a coffee and map out the week.
Banff Gondola
Take the ride up Sulphur Mountain. The boardwalk at the top gives you a 360-degree view of the Bow Valley. It’s the best way to get your bearings and realize just how massive these mountains are.
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.
The Jewels of the Rockies
You have to get here early (or book the shuttle) because the lot fills by sunrise. Walk the lakeshore path to the back of the lake to escape the crowds near the Fairmont. The color is even more vivid up close.
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.
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 Village
Wrap up the day with a quiet meal in the small village area. It's much quieter here once the day-trippers head back to Banff.
The Icefields Parkway North
Start your journey north on Highway 93. Bow Lake is right off the road and usually glass-calm in the morning, reflecting Crowfoot Glacier perfectly.
Bow Lake
Start your journey north on Highway 93. Bow Lake is right off the road and usually glass-calm in the morning, reflecting Crowfoot Glacier perfectly.
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.
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.
Glaciers and Giants
130km, 2h drive
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.
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.
Exploring the Jasper Wild
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 Scenic Return South
Driving the parkway in reverse gives you a totally different perspective on the peaks. Keep an eye out for bears and mountain goats on the slopes.
Icefields Parkway (Southbound)
Driving the parkway in reverse gives you a totally different perspective on the peaks. Keep an eye out for bears and mountain goats on the slopes.
Waterfowl Lakes
A perfect spot for a roadside picnic. It’s often overlooked, meaning you might have the turquoise shoreline all to yourself.
Castle Mountain Lookout
As you exit the Parkway and head toward Banff/Canmore, pull over to admire the fortress-like battlements of Castle Mountain in the late afternoon light.
- Buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass if you're staying more than 7 days; it's cheaper than daily fees.
- Fuel up in Banff or Jasper—gas at Saskatchewan River Crossing is notoriously expensive.