Icefields Parkway (501 km)
Lake Louise to Jasper · one way, about 501 km back to the start
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Why this ride
The stops in between: Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Saskatchewan Crossing and Columbia Icefield. The highest point is about 2,400 m. It suits an unhurried touring pace.
Roadbook
- Lake Louise
start
Lake Louise is a lake the colour of milky turquoise, set under a wall of rock and a hanging glacier, and it is one of the most photographed places in Canada. The colour comes from fine rock flour, ground by the glacier and carried into the water, which reflects the blue-green part of the spectrum. At about 1,500 metres, the lake is surrounded by the peaks of the Rockies, with Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier at its head, and the old château at the foot, a large hotel that has stood here in various forms since the 1890s. The lake was named for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, a daughter of Queen Victoria, and the province of Alberta also bears her name.
The way here is the Bow Valley Parkway, the quieter road that runs alongside the Trans-Canada Highway between Banff and Lake Louise for about fifty kilometres. It is a rider's delight if you are in the right frame of mind, because the speed limit is low, the road is narrow and lined with tall spruce, and there are lay-bys for wildlife. Elk, deer, bighorn sheep and the occasional black or grizzly bear all use the corridor. Please keep your distance and never stop to approach an animal. At certain times of year, part of the parkway has seasonal restrictions to protect wildlife, so check with the park before you set off.
Banff National Park charges an entry fee, and you need a pass on your windscreen or, for a bike, carried on you. The weather in the mountains changes fast, with snow possible any month of the year, and high passes and roads can close with little warning. Summer is the busiest time, and the car park at the lake fills very early, so arrive in the morning or in the evening.
Fuel and food are available in the village of Lake Louise, a short distance from the lake, with a petrol station, a grocery and a handful of cafes and restaurants. Prices are higher than in Calgary or Banff, so fill up in Banff if you can.
Beyond the village, the Icefields Parkway continues north toward Jasper, one of the great mountain roads of the world.
- Bow Lake
scenic
Bow Lake is the first of the big, quiet beauties on the northern half of the Icefields Parkway, and it comes at you from the right as the road climbs, a long sheet of pale green water backed by the grey rock and white ice of the Crowfoot Glacier. The lake lies at about 1,900 metres and is the source of the Bow River, which runs out of it, east past Lake Louise, Banff and Calgary, and on to the prairies. So the water that sits here, still and cold, will in a few days be in the middle of a city. The thought makes a pause on the shore more interesting.
On the lakeshore sits an old log lodge built in the 1920s by Jimmy Simpson, a guide and outfitter who came to the Rockies from England as a young man and spent his life leading parties through the mountains on horseback. He built the lodge at the water's edge with logs hauled from the surrounding forest, and it still stands, a low timber building with a red roof. A path leads from the car park along the shore, flat and easy, and on a calm morning the reflections of the peaks in the water can be perfect.
The road here is the first real taste of the high parkway. From Lake Louise, thirty-odd kilometres to the south, it climbs steadily along the Bow River valley, with the peaks standing close on both sides, and wide, generous bends that make for easy riding at the legal limit. Beyond the lake, the road climbs to Bow Summit, at over two thousand metres, where the air thins and the trees get stunted. Traffic in July and August is heavy, with coaches and rentals, and passing is limited, so patience is part of the ride. The surface is good, but frost heaves and patches appear in spring.
Wildlife may show itself at any time, including grizzly bears on the roadside slopes in early summer, so keep your distance and never stop in the road. Weather changes quickly, with cold wind and sudden showers, and snow can fall in any month, so carry a warm layer. Early morning gives the best light on the glacier and the best chance of a quiet shore.
- Peyto Lake
scenic
Peyto Lake is the colour that people mean when they say glacial turquoise, and in the flesh the blue-green is so intense that photographs seem to have been tampered with. The colour comes from rock flour, fine particles of stone ground off the mountain by the Peyto Glacier and carried into the lake in meltwater. The particles stay in suspension and scatter the light, so the water turns a luminous, milky blue that changes with the season, the sunlight and the amount of melt. It is at its most vivid in July and early August.
The viewpoint is a short walk from the car park at Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway at about 2,100 metres. A paved path climbs through subalpine forest for about ten minutes to a wooden platform at the cliff edge, and the lake lies spread out below, shaped, so they say, like the head of a wolf, with the river flowing in at the far end. The mountains, including Caldron Peak and Mount Patterson, stand around it, and on clear days you can see the whole valley. The lake is named after Bill Peyto, a guide, trapper and park warden in the early twentieth century, known for his tall tales and for keeping a pet bear, a colourful character in a colourful history.
For riders, this is among the busiest stops on the parkway, and the car park fills by mid-morning in July and August. Arrive before nine, or after five, to find a space for the bike and quiet on the platform. Dress warmly: the summit is cool, and snow can linger on the path into June. Wear boots or sturdy shoes for the walk, since riding boots slip on the wet planks. Stay on the marked paths, because the subalpine meadows are fragile, and the park staff have fenced off areas that were damaged by visitors.
The nearest stations are at Lake Louise and at Saskatchewan Crossing, so top up before you set out. The road north from the pass drops in a series of long bends toward the Mistaya valley and the crossing, with views of the Waputik and the Mistaya canyon. The best months are July to September, and in September the larches turn gold in the hills, and the crowds thin.
- Saskatchewan Crossing
scenic
Saskatchewan River Crossing is the one place on the Icefields Parkway where you can buy fuel, a meal and a bed between Lake Louise and Jasper, a distance of about two hundred and thirty kilometres, and so it has a role far bigger than its size. It is a junction more than a settlement, with a service station, a motel and a restaurant, set among the peaks at a meeting of three rivers: the North Saskatchewan, the Mistaya and the Howse. The three streams flow together here, braided over wide gravel flats, and their colours, from milky grey to green, mix in the current.
The Crossing is also the junction with Highway 11, the David Thompson Highway, which runs east through the Kootenay Plains to the foothills near Rocky Mountain House. The road is named after the surveyor and fur trader David Thompson, who in 1807 came this way and crossed the Rockies by Howse Pass, to the west, and later mapped much of the country. The grassy Kootenay Plains, a few miles along the road, were an important meeting place for First Nations travelling between the mountains and the prairies, and it is a place of open sky and soft light.
Riders know the importance of the fuel stop. There is nothing else for a long way, and a traveller who skips the pumps at Lake Louise or the Crossing may find the Parkway very long. The prices are high, as everything has to be trucked in, and the pumps are small, with queues in summer. Plan to fill the tank, and perhaps carry a small reserve if your bike has a short range. The restaurant is a reliable place for a hot meal and a rest from the cold.
The scenery is stern. Mount Murchison, a huge block of limestone, stands over the valley to the north, and on the south side the peaks along the Howse make a jagged wall. Weather moves fast here, and snow can fall in any month, so check the forecast. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats are often seen near the road, and there may be bears. A park pass is needed for the parkway, and the best months are June to September. Arrive early for the best chance of a table, and a quiet look at the river.
- Columbia Icefield
scenic
A raindrop that lands on the Columbia Icefield has three possible destinations, and it is hard to find a better place to say so. From the snowy dome at the heart of this ice, meltwater drains to the Pacific by the Columbia, to the Arctic by the Athabasca and Mackenzie, and to Hudson Bay via the Saskatchewan. The icefield itself sits astride the Continental Divide, a plateau of ice some hundreds of metres deep, feeding half a dozen big glaciers, of which the Athabasca is the one you can see from the highway.
The Icefields Parkway, Highway 93, is the road that takes you there, and it is rightly counted among the great motorcycle roads of the world. It runs between Lake Louise and Jasper for about 230 kilometres, through a procession of peaks, glacier-fed lakes, turquoise rivers and waterfalls. The surface is smooth, the bends long and open, and the speed limit low, which is fine: you will not want to hurry. Wildlife is part of the show, with bighorn sheep, black bears, mountain goats and elk beside the road. Sunwapta Pass, at about 2,030 metres, marks the boundary between Banff and Jasper national parks, a short ride north of the icefield.
The Athabasca Glacier has retreated more than a kilometre in the last century, and markers beside the path show where the ice reached in different years. The glacier is an easy walk from the car park, but crevasses and fast-moving meltwater make it dangerous to go far without a guide, so heed the signs. The visitor centre across the road has a cafe and information, and there is a glass walkway at a lookout nearby, though riders may prefer to spend the money on a good lunch.
The nearest pumps are at Saskatchewan River Crossing to the south, which is seasonal, and at Jasper, a long way to the north, so fill the tank at Lake Louise or Jasper and top up when you can. The parkway is open all year, but snow can fall in any month, and winter tyres are required in winter. Dress warmly: the wind off the ice is cold even on a sunny July day.
- Sunwapta Falls
scenic
Sunwapta Falls is a short walk from the Icefields Parkway and a long way from anything else, and the sound arrives before the view does. The Sunwapta River, which comes down from the Athabasca Glacier, hurls itself over a lip of rock and into a narrow gorge, dividing around an island before dropping again into a canyon of grey quartzite. The water is milky with glacial flour, finely ground rock that gives the rivers of the Rockies their opaque turquoise or grey colour. The name comes from a Stoney word that means turbulent river, which it is.
The Icefields Parkway, Highway 93, runs through the heart of the Canadian Rockies between Lake Louise and Jasper, and here at the northern end it is at its most majestic. The road crosses Sunwapta Pass, at just over two thousand metres, which marks the boundary between Banff and Jasper National Parks, and drops north along the river, past the huge ice fields and the glaciers that hang from the peaks. The surface is excellent, with broad bends, gradients that are never harsh and pull-offs every few kilometres. The speed limit is low, partly to protect wildlife, and traffic in July and August can be dense with campers and tour buses, so you often ride at the pace of the slowest vehicle.
Wildlife is part of the ride. Black bears feed on roadside berries, grizzlies are less often seen, and bighorn sheep and mountain goats appear near the salt licks. Elk graze in the meadows. If you see animals, stay on the bike or well back, and never feed them. Weather in the mountains can change very quickly, with snow possible even in summer at the pass, so carry warm and waterproof layers. A national park pass is required for the parkway, and it must be displayed.
Fill the tank at Saskatchewan Crossing to the south or at Jasper to the north, about fifty kilometres away, and carry water. A lodge near the falls has a small cafe in season. The best months are June to September, with long days and the roads clear of snow. In September the larches turn gold, and the crowds fade, which gives some of the finest riding of the year.
- Athabasca Falls
scenic
Athabasca Falls is not tall, about twenty-three metres, but it is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the Rockies, because the whole of the Athabasca River goes through it. Where the river meets a band of hard quartzite it funnels into a narrow slot, and the water thunders down in a white mass, spraying mist that you feel on your face from the railings. Over the millennia the water has carved potholes and smooth channels into the rock, and the canyon below is a sculpture of curves and hollows. Walking paths and bridges allow close views, and the colours of the water, from grey-blue to white, are striking.
The river itself has a story. Its name comes from a Cree word for a place where reeds are scattered, and it was one of the main routes of the fur trade, linking the Pacific watershed to the interior of the continent. In the early nineteenth century traders climbed the valley to Athabasca Pass, a few days' travel to the west, which was used as a route over the Rockies, with a hard crossing in winter. A little way to the north, Jasper House once stood on the river as a fur-trading post, and the town of Jasper inherited its name.
For the rider, the falls lie about thirty kilometres south of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway, at the junction with Highway 93A, an older, quieter loop of road that runs closer to the river and peaks and is worth taking as an alternative, with sections of narrow bends and views of Mount Edith Cavell. The main road is wide and smooth, with sweeping views of Mount Kerkeslin and the Whirlpool valley. Traffic is heavy in summer, with coaches and campers, and wildlife is common, including elk, which sometimes stand on the verge in the evening, and bears. Mind the lower speed limits.
Jasper itself, twenty-seven kilometres north, is the nearest town, with fuel stations, supermarkets, cafes and motels. In July 2024, a wildfire destroyed many buildings in the town, and rebuilding has been under way, so check current conditions. The best light on the falls is in the morning, when the sun picks out the rainbows in the spray. Spring melt makes the falls loud and muddy, while autumn is clear and quiet. Parks Canada requires a pass for the parkway, and the stop is a short, easy walk from the car park.
- Jasper
finish
Jasper is a mountain town of about four thousand people in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, and it feels like it was built on a wild animal path. Elk wander across lawns and down the main street, deer graze in gardens and signs warn of bears. The Athabasca River runs past the town below ridges of grey limestone, and the Jasper Park Lodge, a grand old resort on Beauvert Lake, sits among spruce just beyond. In July 2024 a major wildfire swept into town and destroyed a large number of buildings, and the community has been rebuilding since, so it is worth checking current conditions and services before planning a stay.
The Yellowhead Highway, Highway 16, leaves town to the west and is a rider's delight. It follows the Miette and Fraser rivers through the park, then crosses the Yellowhead Pass at about 1,130 metres, a low and gentle crossing of the Continental Divide that marks the boundary between Alberta and British Columbia. The pass is named for a fur trader known as Tête Jaune, or Yellow Head, who is said to have used it in the early nineteenth century. The road is broad and smooth, with sweeping views, long curves, and forests of lodgepole pine and spruce running up to snow-streaked peaks. It is a relaxed ride rather than a technical one.
The great sight along the way is Mount Robson, which at 3,954 metres is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and its flanks are often wrapped in cloud, so a clear view is a lucky thing. Waterfalls spill from glaciers on the face, and a trail leads to Berg Lake, with its floating icebergs. The valley around Robson is also home to the Fraser River, which begins in the nearby mountains. Weather matters here: summers are warm, with long daylight until late, while snow can fall in the passes in September, and by November the highway can be icy.
The road from Jasper to McBride goes through the small community of Tête Jaune Cache and Valemount, and the distances between towns are long. Jasper has fuel stations, shops and restaurants, though capacity may be limited after the fire, and Valemount, about a hundred and twenty kilometres west, has more. Fill up before leaving, since there are few stations in between. Wildlife on the road is the main danger, particularly at dawn and dusk, when moose, elk and bears appear without warning.