When many people think about visiting Banff National Park, Lake Louise is usually the place that comes to mind first. While that is a spot definitely worth visiting, there are plenty of other areas to check out. If you are spending around 3 days in Banff like we did, you should consider spending a day exploring the Icefields Parkway. This stretch of AB-93 through the Canadian Rockies has been recognized as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. So what are some top sights to see if you drive the Icefields Parkway in a day?
Well, first of all, be sure to fill up on gas before you hit the highway. There won’t be a lot of options along the way and you don’t want to find yourself in a situation running out of fuel. The Icefields Parkway runs from Lake Louise to Jasper and is about 230 km / 140 miles each way. This is about a 3-hour drive in each direction without stopping. If you are staying in the town of Banff or in the nearby town of Canmore like we were, add at least an extra 30-45 minutes each way.
When we planned this trip with our friends, we had decided that we’d drive the entire way to Jasper and back in a day. If that is too much time driving in a car for you, we recommend driving at least to the Columbia Icefield. This is right around the halfway point of this drive, about 130 km / 80 miles from Lake Louise. This should get you a good feel of the Icefields Parkway while also allowing you to stop at other well-known lakes in Banff National Park.
BOW LAKE
Our first stop along the Icefields Parkway going north towards Jasper was Bow Lake. This lake is about an hour from the town of Banff, or about a half hour from Lake Louise. Depending on what time you pass this area, it is pretty obvious where the parking lot is due to the number of cars and tourists you’ll see from the highway.
This is a great place to picnic or hike the easy trail along the lake. You will find less crowds as you walk further away from the parking lot. There were many tranquil areas that we could enjoy all to ourselves while we took in the scenery and fresh mountain air. Bow Lake can have turquoise hues like the other Banff lakes, but the colors weren’t very vivid at the time we were there. Overall, it’s still worth a stop. And it has a special place in our heart as the first Banff lake we saw on our trip!
COLUMBIA ICEFIELD DISCOVERY CENTRE
From Bow Lake, it is about another hour until you reach the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre. Be warned that this area can get extremely crowded during the day over the summer. The parking lot can get a bit overwhelming and our patience definitely was tested as we looked for an open spot. We arrived in time for a late lunch at one of the restaurant options here. Fine dining is available at Altitude, but if you are looking for more of a grab-and-go spot like we were, check out Chalet. There is a nice variety of hot prepared items as well as self-serve options. We enjoyed two kinds of wraps (Waygu beef and chicken pesto), some chips, salad and fruit.
The Discovery Centre has some exhibits and a film about the area. But the real highlights here are the Columbia Icefield Skywalk and a tour onto the Athabasca Glacier. The Skywalk is a glass platform over 900 feet high and extends over 100 feet out from the cliff. Here, visitors get a beautiful view of mountain vistas. If you aren’t a fan of heights, don’t worry. The 1-kilometer experience also includes educational opportunities on wildlife, fossils and more. There are also other great places to view the surrounding area without going on the glass.
The ultimate activity here is obviously the experience of stepping onto a real glacier! This adventure takes you out onto the Athabasca Glacier in a special bus-like vehicle designed for the terrain. After arriving on the glacier, you get 20 minutes of free time to explore the natural wonders. Visitors will then be transported to the Skywalk before being taken back to the Discovery Centre. The whole experience can take a few hours, so keep that in mind as you plan your day. Because we were doing the full drive to Jasper and back in a day, we did not have time to do either the Skywalk or the glacier tour. However, it is definitely on the list for a future visit. Plus, kids ages 5 and under get to experience the Columbia Icefields Adventure for free!
Also, for a truly unique experience, you can stay at the Glacier View Lodge. Incredible views from your room and Canadian dining options await you here. If you’re looking to extend your time at Columbia Icefield, you could consider a night at this lodge located an hour from Jasper.
JASPER
From the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, it is a little over 100 km / 60 miles to the town of Jasper. The hardest part about finally getting to Jasper with our particular itinerary was knowing that we’d be quickly turning around to head back to Banff. While it was nice to get a tiny taste of Jasper, it is obviously a destination that can easily be a separate vacation in itself. It definitely made us immediately want to start planning a trip to Jasper National Park!
WATERFOWL LAKES CAMPGROUND
We stopped at two more lakes on the way back to Banff. Our first stop was at Waterfowl Lakes Campground. This is an excellent option for those who enjoy camping and want to sleep in the great outdoors of Alberta. From the entrance off the highway, stay on the main road until you get to the parking lot. From here, it’s an easy hike to Waterfowl Lakes. Similar to Bow Lake, you can find spots along the shore away from crowds. Being able to see with your own eyes these beautiful emerald lakes surrounded by the Canadian Rockies is always worth the stop! This stop is about 60 km / 37 miles from Lake Louise.
PEYTO LAKE
Save the best for last? That’s how we wrapped up our drive. If you only have time to stop at only one lake along the Icefields Parkway, check out Peyto Lake. It’s about a half hour from Lake Louise and an hour from the town of Banff. This is a popular spot known for the incredible turquoise color of the lake. You have to see it with your own eyes to believe it!
The parking lot for the trail to Peyto Lake is at Bow Summit, which is the highest place you can drive to in Banff National Park. From the parking lot, take a short paved trail to the main observation decks. You can get spectacular views of the lake from the deck, but you can also carefully make your way onto the nearby rocks. The decks are usually very crowded. So getting onto the rocks was our best shot at getting some good photos without too many other people around.
It is no surprise that if you want a less crowded observation point, continue hiking up to the Peyto Lake Upper Viewpoint. The total distance is a little over 3.5 miles round trip. So if you have enough time, we recommend doing the full hike. But if you just want to do the shorter portion from the parking lot to the observation decks, you still won’t be disappointed.
DINNER IN BANFF
We finally got back to downtown Banff in the evening and were all hungry for dinner. Our friends checked out Rose & Crown, a pub-style restaurant with live music. As craft beer fans, we were excited to dine at Banff Ave Brewing Co. We shared a burger, salad and a flight of beer. And of course, poutine! This was our first time trying this Canadian dish of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It may sound like a strange combination, but it is delicious! We left the meal asking “Poutine, where have you been all our lives?!” Needless to say, this was not the last time we got poutine on this trip.
As you can see, if you drive down the Icefields Parkway for a day, there is PLENTY to do. This is what we ended up doing on our first full day in Banff. Our original plan was to visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, but you can find out more here why we ended up having to switch up our itinerary. And we almost forgot to mention… Along this scenic drive, there’s a good chance you’ll see some animals too! We were fortunate to see some moose, grizzly and black bears, and mountain goats.
What part of the Icefields Parkway do you want to see the most? Let us know in the comments below. We can’t wait to go back and see some of things we missed on our first visit. Thanks for reading!