Icefields Parkway – Part One

The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) travels between Jasper and Lake Louise through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This road should be on everyone’s bucket list, as it winds through valleys and past spectacular mountain peaks and glaciers. It is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, and around every corner is a beautiful view waiting to take your breath away. One of the first viewpoints after leaving Jasper had spectacular views of the mountains and the Athabasca River valley below, with the entire landscape covered in a fresh blanket of snow.

This was one of the most breathtaking places we have ever been. There were so many great places to stop along the Icefields Parkway, and even after breaking them down into smaller categories, we still had lots of “leftovers” that deserved to be featured somewhere. This is part one of our series of Icefields Parkway photography, from Jasper to just before the Athabasca Glacier.

It had snowed for our first two days in the Rockies, and our days in Jasper National Park were snowy and cold. We didn’t see a lot of mountains. On our third day we were rewarded with our patience, as the sun came out and we had blue skies and fresh snow everywhere. It was incredible.

The Icefields Parkway can be driven in 4 hours. It took us 8 or 9. There are so many attractions and viewpoints it’s surprising that it didn’t take us longer. Every twist and turn of the highway reveals a new and more breathtaking view than the last. There are endless mountains surrounding valleys carved out from thousands of years of geology. We stopped at several waterfalls and viewpoints throughout this incredible day of discovery.

There were a few places we visited – including the Columbia Icefield & Athabasca Glacier, Bow & Peyto Lakes and Athabasca Falls – so if you enjoy these pictures, and want to see more, we have expanded posts waiting for you to discover.

We hope you enjoy part one of our adventures on the Icefields Parkway.

On the Road:

Athabasca Pass Viewpoint 

Athabasca Falls

Athabasca River viewpoint – Part 1

Sunwapta Falls

Athabasca River viewpoint – Part 2