The long way there
The drive from Calgary to Jasper via the Icefields Parkway is considered one of the world's most beautiful road trips. Starting from the prairie city, you'll enter the Canadian Rockies at Banff, then follow the stunning parkway past ancient glaciers, turquoise lakes, and towering peaks to Jasper.
Where to pull over
Banff National Park
130 km inCanada's first national park with stunning peaks
Lake Louise
180 km inWorld-famous turquoise lake and Victoria Glacier
Columbia Icefield
300 km inAncient ice field with glacier tours
Athabasca Falls
380 km inPowerful waterfall carving through quartzite
Jasper Town
415 km inQuiet mountain town in Canada's largest Rocky park
Driving tips
- 1
Buy Parks Canada Discovery Pass for multiple park entry
- 2
Book Columbia Icefield Skywalk and glacier tours in advance
- 3
Watch for wildlife—bears, elk, and mountain goats are common
- 4
Fill up on gas before the Icefields Parkway—no stations for 200 km
- 5
Summer days are long—maximize daylight for scenic stops
Other ways through
Icefields Parkway (scenic)
Highway 11 David Thompson Highway