The Columbia Icefield is a scientific wonder. Consisting of at least six glaciers stretching from Mount Columbia to Mount Athabasca, it is the largest remaining icefield in the Canadian Rockies. Even more unusual is that Snow Dome, located within the icefield, is a triple peak – meaning water flows into three oceans – the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic.

Unlike early explorers who hired guides to traverse the area on foot, visitors can drive the Columbia Icefield Parkway. Built in 1931, the 144-mile highway connects Lake Louise to Jasper and offers multiple breathtaking points of interest. There’s so much to see that you can’t do it all in one day. We hit some spots on the way to Jasper, highlighted here. A few days later, we stopped at other sites on the return trip to Banff, which I’ll highlight in Columbia Icefield Parkway – Part Two.

Bow Lake

Because we didn’t want to leave Emerald Lake, we got off to a later start than we’d have liked. We listened to the downloadable audio guide from Guide Along, which was very informative, and made our first stop at Bow Lake around 12:30 pm.

Remember the Bow River, which runs through Banff and Calgary? It originates here at Bow Lake. With views of Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Peak, and Mount Jimmy Simpson, the glacial Bow Lake was the perfect stop. It’s also a great place to eat or pick up sandwiches to go from Bow Lake Lodge. The historic octagonal-shaped hotel, topped with a red-tile roof, was built in 1922 by well-known local outfitter Jimmy Simpson.

Small wooden footbridges dot the easy 2-mile lakeshore trail. More adventurous hikers can take the 5.4-mile trail to Bow Glacier Falls. We didn’t hike either trail, but took numerous pictures of the mountains and lake before heading on.

Peyto Lake

Peyto (pronounced pee-toe) Lake is a stunning glacial lake shaped like a wolf. A short 15-minute (0.4-mile) paved path ascending 240 feet takes you to the viewpoint. On our visit, recent snow made the trails icy, and people were slipping all around us. I feared a child would bump into me and cause me to knock an older person down. Fortunately, some visitors pointed to a side trail that was steeper, but not crowded at all.

Tons of people were on the viewing platform clamoring for selfies and group pictures. As I got closer, I could make out the wolf’s head. The vibrant blue water was phenomenal too!

Named after “Wild Bill” Peyto, an early warden at Banff National Park, the lake reaches a depth of 295 feet. It flows into the Mistaya River, which creates a limestone canyon we stopped at on our return trip.

Athabasca Glacier Experience

Just before reaching the Glacier Discovery Center, we entered Jasper National Park. Unless you purchase the Discovery Pass, which includes admission to all Canadian National Parks, you will have to pay a park admission fee. The park pass must be displayed for the entire duration of your visit (including parking in downtown Jasper).

About six weeks before our trip, we booked tickets for the Icefield Glacier Experience for 3 pm. Because we lingered at Bow Lake and the path at Peyto Lake took a bit longer due to icy conditions, I realized we were behind schedule. Pursuit’s website makes it easy to change ticket times – if you have internet. We couldn’t call either.

We arrived at the Glacier Discovery Centre shortly after 3 pm. Since the tour had already departed, the staff member directed us to the ticket counter to rebook. Thankfully, they put us on the 3:45 pm tour without charging us a fee. Had this been on a weekend in June or July, I think we would have been out of luck.

Columbia Icefield Adventure

Boarding for the 3:45 pm tour began promptly at 3:30 pm. We got on a regular bus and rode about 15 minutes to another parking lot. There, large all-terrain vehicles with big windows waited for us. Back in the 1950s, outfitters Tom McCready and Bill Ruddy offered snowmobile rides to the glacier until Brewster Tours (now rebranded as Pursuit) took over in 1969.

Our guide, an older gentleman who drove the Ice Explorer, told us all about Athabasca Glacier. As we slowly rode to the glacier, he mentioned he drove the vehicle for Brewster from 1976 to 1981. Now a retired grandfather, he was reliving his younger years by working here this summer!

When we exited the Ice Explorer on the glacier, the guide reminded us to stay within the roped area. Otherwise, weak ice could crack, submerging a person standing on top of it. During our 20 minute-visit walking on the glacier, we took photos under the Canadian flag and explored the icy-blue meltwater channel. The glacier has definitely gotten smaller since my last visit. Scientists say the Athabasca Glacier has receded nearly a mile since 1900.

Skywalk

The Ice Explorer ride concluded, and we transferred back onto the coach buses headed to the skywalk. Note that restrooms aren’t available at the glacier or the skywalk, so plan accordingly.

I’ve never done a skywalk before, and to be honest, I’m not a big fan of heights. However, I didn’t find the skywalk scary at all. The glass-bottom walkway cantilevered out from the cliff almost 1,000 feet above the Sunwapta Valley.

Back at the Discovery Centre, we took advantage of the Starbucks and purchased souvenirs in the gift shop. Other amenities included a cafeteria, restaurant, viewing deck, and historic exhibits.

Athabasca Falls

By the time we left Athabasca Glacier, it was 6:30 pm. We still had about 90 miles to go before getting to our hotel at Pyramid Lake in Jasper. Although we planned to stop at Athabasca Falls, we decided to do it on the return trip in a few days.

When we got close to the turnoff for the falls, the narrator on the Guide Along app said it only takes 15 minutes round-trip to see them. Why not? We quickly turned in, and I’m so glad we did. The power of these falls can’t be captured in a picture.

Mesmerized, we followed the short path across a small bridge to get different views of the Upper Athabasca Falls. And because it was close to 7:30 pm, we mostly had the place to ourselves.

We took a right turn and walked under a road to a set of stairs. Soon, canyon walls enveloped us on both sides. At a bend, we turned and saw smooth pothole formations that the falls had etched into the limestone over thousands of years. Now, it was time to get to the hotel and enjoy a nice dinner on Pyramid Lake!

Important Tips

The Columbia Icefield Parkway, aka the “wonder trail,” gives you a great way to see the natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies up close. Be sure to plan ahead using the following tips.

• There is no wi-fi or cell service along the parkway except at Saskatchewan River Crossing and Athabasca Glacier.
• Print out or screenshot all maps before getting on the parkway.
• You may also want to write down the mileage between stops, as signage is fairly nonexistent on the parkway.
• Gas up beforehand, as the only fuel station is at Saskatchewan River Crossing.
• Bring a picnic lunch or eat at Bow River Lodge.
• Download the Guide Along app and purchase the Icefields Parkway Tour, which works without a cell signal.

For free downloadable maps, click here. If you want to walk on the Columbia Glacier and/or visit the Skywalk, check Pursuit’s website here. The combo tour took about three hours. Save money by purchasing the Pursuit Pass, which bundles several other activities.