Icefields Parkway: Part 1
So many blogs and books said that one of the highlights of going to Alberta is driving the Icefields Parkway. Spoiler alert: everyone was right. Crazy, I know.
Since we weren’t entirely sure where we wanted to stop along the way, we downloaded Guide Along’s Icefield Parkway Tour which connected to our GPS and told us fun facts about the history of Icefields Parkway, the mountains and glaciers, and the best places to stop as we drove on.
The 4- to 6-hour drive (depending on how often you want to stop, hike, take photos, etc.) from Banff to Jasper features so many amazing lookouts, hikes, waterfalls, lakes, mountains, and animals that it’s almost too hard to describe…but I’ll try!
Pro Tip: You have to get a Canada Parks Pass for EACH person in your vehicle and prominently display it. There are several checkpoints along the parkway. They did check to see how many passengers we had at each checkpoint.
And we’re off!
Almost immediately we pulled over to take some roadside photos of the river. Between the wildflowers and the color of the water, I couldn’t not.
Peyto Lake
The hike up to Peyto Lake is relatively short, but steep and at altitude, so by the time you’ve reached the viewpoint you’re breathless in more ways than one. The water color in and around Banff is wild, but Peyto Lake takes the cake for most vibrant.
Mistaya Canyon
We might have skipped the small sign for Mistaya Canyon had our Radventures guide the day prior not told us it was a must. The hike down to the canyon is steep and rocky — not dangerous, just slow going. You really can’t anticipate the view that awaits you once you’re down to the canyon because there are no views of it until you’ve reached the bottom. There are no guard rails or fences, so once you’ve reached the water, you continue hiking on the slippery rocks at your own risk…which we did. Sorry, Mom!
Lunch
At just the right moment, our audio-driving guide suggested that we pull over to stretch out our legs and catch a scenic view. With picnic tables, wildflowers, and pristine views, it was the perfect place to eat one of the many turkey sandwiches that I made during this trip.
Lunch was followed by a big scenic overlook and a waterfall that many people were dangerously close to falling into.
Athabasca Falls (aka A Fish Mystery)
This was by far the most crowded stop we took. We almost couldn’t find a parking spot in the decently sized lot. Because it was so crowded when we arrived, I was already annoyed and I think it colored my impression of the falls because I was underwhelmed. Yes, it’s pretty rushing water and you can view it from several spots, but after seeing Peyto Lake and Mistaya Canyon, I think we were spoiled.
Indeed.
Along the way we also stopped to see glaciers and the Weeping Wall, but the photos were meh. If you’re asking yourself why on earth we didn’t stop at the Columbia Icefield, fret not. We explored there a few days later. After all, if you’re going to do a 6-hour drive twice, you might as well leave something to explore on the way back. Stay tuned!
-Jen
