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Jasper and the Icefields Parkway

The wild, vast north of the Canadian Rockies - a national park of glaciers, canyons and dark skies, reached by one of the world's great drives past the Columbia Icefield, a UNESCO site.

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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.

UNESCO World Heritage

Typenational park

WhereAlberta

Nearest cityJasper

Best seasonJune to September

Time to allowSeveral days

Getting thereNorth of Banff in Alberta; the Icefields Parkway drive, about three hours from Lake Louise

EntryPark pass required

Jasper is the largest and wildest of the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks, a UNESCO wilderness of glaciers, canyons, waterfalls and abundant wildlife, with darker skies and fewer crowds than Banff to the south. It is reached by the Icefields Parkway, one of the most spectacular drives in the world, which runs past glacier-hung peaks and the vast Columbia Icefield, where you can step onto the Athabasca Glacier itself.

What you actually see

The Icefields Parkway - one of the world's most scenic mountain drives.
The Columbia Icefield - the great glacier you can walk on or ride onto.
Maligne Lake and Spirit Island - the iconic lake and its islet.
The dark skies - the stargazing in one of the world's largest dark-sky preserves.

When to go

Summer, June to September, for open roads, glacier tours and the best weather; the Parkway is stunning but can be treacherous or closed in winter snow. Autumn brings golden larches and elk in rut. Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk.

Honest expectations

It is wilder and more remote than Banff, so distances are long and services sparse; fill up and plan. A 2024 wildfire damaged the town and surrounds, so check current conditions and closures. The glacier is retreating fast, and stepping on it should be done only with a guided tour for safety.