Banff & Lake Louise Travel Guide
The Icefields Parkway & Jasper
How to drive the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper — the stops that matter, the Columbia Icefield season, winter tire rules and no-services reality, and what to expect in Jasper as it recovers from the 2024 wildfire.
The Icefields Parkway is one of the world's great drives: about 230 kilometres of highway between Lake Louise and Jasper, running along the spine of the Rockies past glaciers, turquoise lakes, waterfalls and wildlife. It links Banff and Jasper national parks and makes a spectacular day trip or the first leg of a longer journey. This guide explains how to plan it in every season and what to expect in Jasper since the 2024 wildfire.
Before you go. You need a valid Parks Canada pass to drive the parkway. Fill your tank in Lake Louise or Jasper: fuel and food are limited along the route in summer and non-existent in winter. There is no cell coverage for most of the drive, so download maps and tell someone your plans. Check 511 Alberta for road conditions, and allow much more time than the driving time suggests — most people stop constantly.
The essential stops (heading north). Just north of Lake Louise, Herbert Lake offers early reflections. Bow Lake, with the red-roofed lodge on its shore and Crowfoot Glacier above, is one of the most photographed lakes in the park. Peyto Lake, seen from a viewpoint above it, has an unforgettable wolf-head shape and intense colour in summer. Further on, Mistaya Canyon is a short walk to a twisting gorge. The Saskatchewan River Crossing area marks a junction with the road east. Then the road climbs steeply past the Big Bend and the Weeping Wall, a cliff of waterfalls that freezes into ice climbs in winter, to Sunwapta Pass and the Columbia Icefield.
The Columbia Icefield. The icefield is the largest in the Rockies, and the Athabasca Glacier comes down almost to the road. A short walking trail leads toward the toe of the glacier, with markers showing how far it has retreated over the decades; never walk onto the ice without a guide, as there are hidden crevasses. The Columbia Icefield Adventure takes you onto the glacier in an Ice Explorer vehicle and includes the glass-floored Skywalk 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley. It is seasonal: closed for 2026 after the summer season, it returns May 1 to October 11, 2027. Book ahead in summer. The Glacier View Lodge at the Discovery Centre offers overnight packages.
North to Jasper. Beyond the icefield, the parkway descends past Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls, where the river thunders through a narrow gorge, and on to the town of Jasper. In summer, the full drive from Banff to Jasper takes most of a day with stops. Many visitors spend at least one night in Jasper rather than driving back the same day.
The 2024 Jasper wildfire. In July 2024, the Jasper Wildfire Complex burned more than 32,000 hectares and destroyed 358 structures, about thirty percent of the town, in one of the costliest natural disasters in Canadian history. All residents were evacuated and a firefighter lost his life. Much of downtown, including many hotels and restaurants, survived, and Jasper has been welcoming visitors back since the parkway and town reopened later that year. Rebuilding continues, and the burned forest around the town and along parts of the parkway and Maligne Road is a stark sight, though new growth is emerging.
What is open in Jasper. Parks Canada updates a detailed list of open and closed sites. As of mid-October 2026, Pyramid Lake, Pyramid Island and its beach were open, along with most trailheads, while some areas — including Maligne Canyon, the Edith Cavell area and Cavell Meadows — were listed as closed or not permitted. The Icefield Centre information desk and nearby campgrounds were also closed for the season. Check the Parks Canada Jasper website before you go. Marmot Basin, Jasper's ski area, planned to open November 13, 2026. Visiting Jasper supports the community's recovery, so it is worth including if your schedule allows.
Winter on the parkway. Driving the Icefields Parkway in winter is a serious undertaking. Winter tires or chains are required from November 1 to March 31, and any time the road is snow-covered. There are no services along the parkway in winter, no cell coverage and few other vehicles. Snow is cleared only during the day, the road is not salted, and avalanche hazards can close it at short notice. Carry an emergency kit with warm clothing, blankets, food, water and a phone, and drive only in daylight. The rewards are huge: snow-covered peaks, frozen waterfalls, ice climbers on the Weeping Wall and almost no traffic. If you are not confident driving in winter, consider a guided tour or stay in Banff and Lake Louise.
Tours and alternatives. Guided tours from Banff and Lake Louise cover the parkway and the Columbia Icefield in summer, including day tours with Skywalk entry and lunch. They are a good option if you do not have a car or prefer not to drive. In winter, guided options are fewer, so check availability.
How to plan your day. In summer, start early from Banff or Lake Louise, stop at Bow and Peyto lakes in the morning light, reach the Columbia Icefield around midday for the Ice Explorer and Skywalk, and either continue to Jasper for the night or return south in the evening light, when the mountains glow. In winter, drive to Bow Lake and Peyto Lake for a shorter day, or go further only in good conditions and with proper preparation.
Wildlife and safety. The parkway is excellent for wildlife viewing: bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, bears in summer and occasionally caribou. Keep your distance, stay in your vehicle at roadside sightings and never feed animals. Slow down in the caribou habitat section where speed limits are reduced. Respect closures and stay on trails.