Lake Louise - Banff National Park, Alberta Canada

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Lake Louise — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:53:27 +0000

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Lake Louise Hotels and Accommodations

Lake Louise — Mon, 25 May 2009 21:29:20 +0000

Advance reservations are strongly recommended for the summer season, and for all national and international holidays. During ski season, advance reservations are recommended at all Lake Louise, Field and Area hotels. Visitors to the banff and Lake Louise area may also choose to stay in the mountain community of Canmore, which offers additional accommodations and is located just 15 minutes east of Banff.

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Is A Deluxe Hotel Located 225 Miles From Edmonton International Airport And 275 Miles From The Calgary International Airport. The Lodge Is A Full-service Resort With Many On-site Activities Available.

Website: Click Here!

Whistlers Inn

Whistlers Inn of Jasper, Alberta is centrally located in the heart of the Jasper National Park townsite and within walking distance of all shops, and outdoor activities. Our Jasper Inn boasts a cozy Jasper Canadian Rockies alpine atmosphere and features 63 spacious guest rooms for accommodation, many with breathtaking views of the surrounding Canadian Rockies ranges.

Website: Click here!

Banff Inn

The Banff Inn offers modern hotel accommodations located on Banff Avenue, only minutes away from the downtown shops, restaurants and many of Banff’s attractions.

The Inn features well appointed, renovated standard guest rooms as well as rooms with jacuzzi tubs, loft units, king rooms and honeymoon suites. All guest rooms are non-smoking and have complimentary wireless service, confidential voice mail and individually controlled air conditioning and heating.

Website: Click Here!

Paradise Lodge and Bungalows

Individual and newly renovated luxury Cabins and comfortable Lodge Suites located in world famous Lake Louise in Banff National Park. We are located within walking distance to the Lake itself. .Paradise Lodge & Bungalows will be your quiet comfortable home away from home in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. An immaculate setting nestled amongst the mountains and trees for the traveler with great expectations for a mountain get-a-way.

Website:Click here!

Johnston Canyon Resort

Conveniently tucked away between world famous Banff and Lake Louise, you will find a holiday gem among Lake Louise accommodations. Enjoy the charm and hospitality and honest values that have been our signature for over sixty years. Click here to start your vacation!

Website: Click here!

Mountaineer Lodge

Mountaineer Lodge is just 2 kms from the majestic Lake Louise, we are centrally located amidst a spectacular setting. Our non-smoking property offers deluxe rooms, suites and family units. Alberta Housekeeping Award Winner!

Website: Click here!

Moraine Lake Lodge

Moraine Lake Lodge is a post-and-beam structure graced with grand windows providing generous views of the Canadian Rockies most famous lake, with its incomparable turquoise hue, and the surrounding Valley of the Ten Peaks.

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Cross River Wilderness Centre

The Perfect getaway …. Cozy wilderness cabins and main lodge, with close proximity to Banff and Kootenay National Parks and Assiniboine Provincial Park. This is an EcoLodge; self-sufficient, environmentally friendly, and role models true stewardship of the land. The heritage cabins are each individually decorated complimentary to mountain life. The main lodge provides delicious freshly prepared home cooked meals and Wow! they have some of the best hiking in the rocky mountains.

Website: Click here!

Nipika Mountain Resort

Radium area – Nipika Mountain Resort borders Kootenay National Park and offers guests a recreational playground right out the front door of our luxurious lodge and cabins.

Nipika is a remarkable eco lodge inviting guests to retreat, relax and recreate. Cross-country ski, mountain bike, hike or run on our endless trails out the front door. Fish, canoe, kayak or raft the nearby Kootenay River. Or just sit on the porch and watch wildlife graze on the meadow.

Website: Click here!

Kicking Swan Manor

A small comfortable Lodge located in Field B.C., a unique place in the heart of Yoho National Park – only 20 min to Lake Louise and 40 min to Golden. Dramatic mountain views all around. Tastefully decorated guest rooms with private bath, queensize beds and cable television. Large family unit with full kitchen. Some kitchenettes.

Website: Click here!

Cathedral Mountain Lodge

Cozy log cabins located fifteen minutes east of Lake Louise in Yoho National Park. Private chalets accommodate from four to six people each, loft, fireplace and kitchenette units available. Minutes from Field, British Columbia and from Takakkaw Falls, one of the Canadian Rockies most magnificent sights.

Website: Click here!

Purcell Mountain Lodge

The Ultimate in backcountry luxury

“Wilderness Hiking Lodge of the Year – 1995 ” : Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report. Escape to a place with no roads, no publicized hiking trails, no cars, no crowds, no noise, no pollution. Yet, despite its remoteness, Purcell Lodge offers modern accommodation and facilities that belie its isolation. accessible by Helicopter (included) hiking or cross-country skiing.includes all meals and snacks, accommodation, room tax and guiding and instructional services, as well as the round trip helicopter shuttle flight from Golden, BC.

Website: Click here!

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Promo Code: 266526

Lake Louise Inn

The Lake Louise Inn In Alberta, Canada, Features A Lush, Natural Setting Close To Nature Trails, Scenic Points And Lakes. Shopping Is Available At Samson Mall, Within One-half Kilometer Of The Hotel, And 30 Kilometers Away Is The Majestic Johnson Canyon.

Deer Lodge

The Deer Lodge Is Secluded Within A National Park Near Lake Louise Village In Alberta, Canada. The Lodge Stands One Kilometer From Hiking Trails And Six Kilometers From The Lake Louise Ski Hill.

The Deer Lodge Retains Much Of Its Original Hand-hewn Log Features And Décor, While Architectural Structures Have Been Restored. A Stone Fireplace Glows, While A Cedar Sauna Banishes The Evening Chill.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Sits Eight-stories Tall On The Shores Of Lake Louise. Surrounded By The Canadian Rocky Mountains, The Hotel Is Adjacent To The Plain Of The Six Glaciers Trail. The Hotel Is Less Than Five Kilometers From The Parks Canada Information Center And 10 Kilometers From Lake Louise Mountain Resort.

Post Hotel & Spa

Location.

The Post Hotel & Spa Is Located In Lake Louise, Alberta.
2.5 Kilometers From Lake Louise
Four Kilometers From Lake Louise Ski Resort

Hotel Features.

Full-service Health Spa
Restaurants And Extensive Wine Cellar
Ski Shuttle And Storage

Emerald Lake Lodge

Standing At The Base Of A Placid Aquamarine Lake Beneath Yoho National Park’s Towering Cliff-faced Mountains, The Rural Emerald Lake Lodge In Field, British Columbia, Represents An Ideal Rocky Mountain Escape Within 30 Kilometers, Or 20 Miles, Of Lake Louise Ski Hill And Even Nearer Pristine Waterfalls And The Canadian Pacific Railroad’s Famous Spiral Tunnels. Outdoor Adventure Seekers Can Enjoy Snowshoeing, Cross-country Skiing, Hiking Along Numerous Trials, Rowing Or Canoeing, And Fishing.

Round out Your Lake Louise Itinerary

Lake Louise — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:46:48 +0000

The Lake Louise Visitor Centre has exhibits focusing on the geology of the Canadian Rockies, including an interactive video featuring Dr. G.O. Morph and a few on the history of Lake Louise. They also have videos on animals, avalanches, history and things to see.

The Bow River Loop interpretive trail has signs that highlight the animals that make the river their home. This walk is especially wonderful early or late in the day when light on the water creates a magical feeling in the air.

The Lake Louise Summer sightseeing Lift and Gondola provides a panoramic view of the mountains surrounding Lake Louise. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mt. Assiniboine (highest peak in banff National Park). Early and late day light can make the atmosphere just that little more rarefied and beautiful.

In July and August, banff National Park interpretive staff provide free guided strolls along the shore of Lake Louise and hikes to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. Explore Lake Louise’s history and landscape in more depth and detail.The Plain of Six is considered to be the best hike in the area with the most reward for a moderate effort. Rewards include: mountains, glaciers and often wildlife, with the added bonus of a rustic, charming, log teahouse where they will ply you delightful foodstuffs at the end of the trail. Free interpretive shows are also given at the Lake Louise campground outdoor theatre in the evenings. Check the visitor centre for schedules.

You can also visit the Plain of Six Teahouse, and another at nearby Lake Agnes, in western style on horseback. Timberline tours (522-3743) are located behind the Chateau, next to the parking lots.

In winter, you can get a horse fix by taking a sleigh ride along the shore of Lake Louise.

Canoes can get you to places and views not within easy reach. Again, early and late in the day are the best times to have a peaceful and atmospheric outing on Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Rentals available at both lakes.

For even more ideas, we have a list of what to do when you don’t hike or ski.

Lake Louise Great dining Experinces…

Lake Louise’s restaurants are generally on the high quality end of the spectrum. For such a small place, we must have the best choice in good food in Canada.

The Lake Louise Train Station Restaurant, a beautifully restored heritage building, is not only a good place for something to eat, but a piece of living Canadian history. Historic photos adorn the wall for your perusal and there are old-fashioned rail cars behind the log station building. Fireplaces make it very cosy in winter.

Also try the Post Hotel dining Room, Baker Creek Bistro, the Elkhorn dining Room (Deer Lodge), the Edelweiss dining Room, the Walliserstube (Chateau Lake Louise), and the Moraine Lake Lodge dining Room.

For afternoon sipping, there is High Tea at the Chateau (summer only) and an elegant, European-style tea at the Post Hotel

For more information

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Round out Your Train Itinerary

Lake Louise — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:41:37 +0000

Enjoy a meal at the Lake Louise Station Restaurant. The restaurant is housed in the second Lake Louise train station, an original 1908 log building that is atmospheric and charming. The walls are decorated in historic photos that are worth a close look. You can also dine in two historic train cars located behind the station: the Delamere and the Killarney (one time the private car of Lord Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific).

From the Station Restaurant, take a short walk up the Tramline Trail to a large clearing and expansive view of the Bow Valley. The current CPR line will be visible below. The Lake Louise Tramline, a narrow-gauge railway, connected the station to the Chateau on the shore of Lake Louise from 1912 to 1930. Today the abandoned grade is a walking, cycling and cross-country skiing path.

Take the #1A Bow Valley Parkway for 5 minutes towards banff and stop at the Outlet Creek parking area. From the road here, you are looking down on Morant’s Curve, a lovely bend in the railway line that CPR photographer Nicholas Morant used to his advantage. This vantage point makes it possible to get more of the train into the picture, and the bend adds a dramatic element to the composition.

Take the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) west in the direction of Yoho National Park and the town of Field. 10 minutes from Lake Louise the highway crosses the Great Divide and the British Columbia/Alberta border. From here the road follows the original railway grade as it begins to descend “the Big Hill.” In the space of six kilometres (3 3/4 miles), the road will drop 300 metres (almost 1000 feet). Past Wapta Lake, on the left, is a pullout to view an old bridge left over from the original line.

For the first 25 years of the railway’s existence, runaway trains were a real concern. Eventually the CPR dealt with the Big Hill by building two spiral tunnels. A few more minutes down the road is a pullout for the Lower Spiral Tunnel on your right. Exhibits tell the story of the early years and of the construction of these engineering marvels.

The Upper Spiral Tunnel can be seen from a well-marked viewpoint 5 minutes up the Yoho Valley Road. At the bottom of the Big Hill, turn right onto this road.

As you return to the Trans-Canada, turn into the Kicking Horse Campground and follow the road to the back end of it. On your right is the trailhead for the Walk in the Past Trail. Pamphlets that outline six stops of interest should be available at the kiosk. The trail is 1.2 km (3/4 mi) long with about 100 m (300 ft) of elevation gain. At the end are the remains of a narrow-gauge locomotive that was used to haul away rubble during the construction of the spiral tunnels.

As the Yoho Valley Road rejoins the highway, stop for a moment to admire the small railway tunnels cut into the steep sides of Mt. Stephen and the bulldozer work that allows the line to pass through the runout zone of an avalanche path. The other thing that CPR workers must worry about are the several jokulhlaups that threatens from above. Jokulhlaup is Norwegian for “glacier flood.” A lake that forms underneath a hanging glacier above sometimes discharges, creating debris flows that inundate the tracks below.

Drive about ½ kilometre along the highway and pull off again. On the side of Mt. Stephen, the rails pass through a large opening in the trees. In the winter of 1998, a large train lost control on the Big Hill and wrecked itself here, piling up dozens of cars and spilling tons of grain. It was impossible to fully clean up. Spilled grain can attract wildlife and put them at risk of being killed, so CP Rail erected electric fencing around this site.

By now you must be hungry again, so it’s time to pull into the town of Field. The town is mostly populated by people who work for the railway and for Parks Canada. Field got its start as Mount Stephen House, one of the many hotels that CP built along the line. It first functioned as a dining stop so that dining cars would not have to be hauled up the Big Hill, but quickly evolved into a hotel that catered to tourists that the CPR attracted to the mountains. It stood from 1886 to 1953 on the current site of the CPR bunkhouse — your destination for lunch or dinner!

Turn off the highway and come into town, cross the river and then cross the tracks. Take the first right turn and make your way down to a beige building. Park and go in the front door — tourists are welcome, despite the lack of sign. The diner-style cafe inside is where the railway guys eat their meals and chat. Consider asking them about the big train wreck mentioned above.

If you prefer, there is also the Siding General Store and Cafe in downtown Field.

Depending on your schedule, you could continue to drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway, following the line as it heads to Vancouver. The scenery is lovely and the rail line comes into view every once in awhile.

Return to the Era of Travel by Rail:

“Simply the most spectacular train trip in the world”

The Rocky Mountaineer travels during the daylight hours through the rugged Rocky Mountains.

For more information

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Round out your Kootenay Itinerary

Lake Louise — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:27:49 +0000

Olive Lake, just past the Sinclair Pass Viewpoint, is a perfect spot to enjoy a picnic and fishwatch. The cool forest that surrounds the lake is a treat on a hot summer day.

Enjoy the scenery and relax in the Radium Hot Springs. Two pools, one hot for soaking and one warm for swimming, will keep all members of the family happy. Forgot your trunks? No problem, towels and suits are available for rent.

Just beyond the park boundary lies one of the biggest and most important wetlands in Canada – the Columbia Wetlands. Ask locals for walking suggestions or take a tour with a float trip company. Eagles, osprey, waterfowl and other birds are sure to be seen.

For those looking to challenge themselves in the mountains, Kootenay has a handful of classic full day hikes. We recommend the Kindersley/Sinclair Loop for midsummer wildflowers, Floe Lake for dramatic beauty, and, Stanley Glacier for a taste of fire and ice.

Gateway to the Desert

At the south end of Kootenay, the road travels through Sinclair Canyon, a feat of highway engineering.

Between narrow red canyon walls, the road actually travels on top of the Sinclair River. Once you have passed through the narrowest part, the wide open Columbia Valley awaits. Only an hour’s drive away from glaciers, you will find cactus on the warm and dry valley floor.

There are a number of short trails that allow you to explore more of the Sinclair Canyon on foot. The smell of sun-warmed juniper bushes wafts on the air, and when you descend to the stream, tall western red cedar trees whisk you away from desert-like conditions to the rainforest of the British Columbia coast.

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Round Out Your Icefields Parkway Tour

Lake Louise — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:16:30 +0000

Peyto Lake © Just one of the side trips recommended by the editors along the Icefields Parkway.

Stop at the interpretive signs. Many of the viewpoints have displays that explain more about the area.

Stretch your legs at one of the short trails along the way. Not only does Bow Summit offer one of the most famous views in the Rockies (Peyto Lake), but also a short interpretive trail that meanders through high elevation meadows. In early summer, this is the only way to see alpine wildflowers without a serious hike. Mistaya Canyon is a 10-minute walk through forest to a stretch of deeply eroded canyon that features potholes worn into the rock. The beginning of the Glacier Lake trail allows you to poke around on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.

Have an ice cream and stare in amazement at the postcard selection at The Crossing Resort’s gift shop.

Look for wildlife along the way. On a good day in May and June (while there is still a lot of snow high on the mountains), you can often spot every large mammal that the Rockies has to offer — right next to the road. During the rest of the summer, your chances are still good to see animals, especially early and late in the day. Drive carefully. A number of good, pocket-sized books are available about the mammals of the Canadian Rockies.

In winter, be sure to have a full tank of gas, food and water when you take this trip. All services are closed.

THE Picnic

Pack a delicious lunch to eat outdoors.
The parkway is the wildest part of banff National Park and features nature at its most intense and beautiful. You’ll be in a car for much of the trip and what better way to experience this place than to eat while fully immersed in it.

There are picnic areas at Herbert Lake, Bow Lake, Saskatchewan River Crossing, and below Mt. Coleman. Or, bring a blanket and find a quiet and secluded spot by driving into a campground or stopping at a trailhead where you can walk a short distance away.

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Train Buff’s Itinerary

Lake Louise — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:33:34 +0000

When the Canadian Pacific Railway was built across our young country, the Rocky Mountains were the first large barrier to be crossed on the way to the west coast. The difficulties posed by the Great Divide (10 minutes from Lake Louise), the tall peaks and narrow passes of the Columbia Mountains, as well as the Fraser Canyon, taxed the creative genius of railway engineers — who produced some amazing solutions.

There is a rich railway legacy in the immediate vicinity of Lake Louise. To appreciate it fully, you’ll need to bone up on the history end of things. Two suggestions: first, get one of the many books on the subject (like Graeme Pole’s The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill) and second, stop at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre for a copy of “The Kicking Horse Chronicle,” a newspaper style pamphlet that outlines railway construction on the Big Hill.

Return to the Era of Travel by Rail:

“Simply the most spectacular train trip in the world”

The Rocky Mountaineer travels during the daylight hours through the rugged Rocky Mountains.

For more information

Click the logo for short side trips and stops on this tour

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Cool Kootenay

Lake Louise — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:24:14 +0000

From Lake Louise, another good option is a day trip into Kootenay National Park. You can take the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) east or the #1A Bow Valley Parkway in the direction of banff and, half way there, take the exit for Highway #93 South to Radium Hot Springs. Kootenay is an intense variety of landscapes in a small amount of space. You can experience a lot in the course of one day — the life and beauty of a burned forest, the cool, fragrant breezes of a canyon, the intense colour of vermilion rocks, and, the burning heat of the desert (well, almost!).

The Vermillion Pass Burn

As you begin to climb up Highway #93S, the road takes you past the 1968 Vermillion Pass Burn. It may seem like a desolate landscape, but look again. It has it’s own beauty and it is some of the best wildlife habitat around. Moose love the tender ends of bushes that grow well when they get lots of sunlight. And bears love the berries the bushes produce too. Hummingbirds are attracted to a host of blooming flowers. Finally, the burn is good habitat for the rarely-seen lynx, who like to hunt snowshoe hares along the edge of it. To best experience the life in a young forest, stop at the Arnica Lake/Twin Lakes trailhead and take a walk as far as you feel comfortable, or, stop at the short Fireweed Trail to learn more about fire’s role in renewing the landscape.

Marble Canyon and the Paint Pots

There are two more short trails that make enjoyable walks. Marble Canyon is a narrow, deep canyon and the trail takes you along its edge, while bridges allow you to get good views of the interior. Also check out the trail to the Ochre Beds and Paint Pots. Colourful sediments the flow from the runoff of cold springs were mined here for use in paint.

Mt. Wardle Mineral Lick

Kootenay National Park’s official symbol is the mountain goat. Close to 300 of these sure-footed creatures inhabit the park, and one of the best places to see them is at a natural mineral lick by the side of the highway (watch for the sign). During May and June, dozens of goats will descend from their steep haunts to lick the dirt. Mixed in with the soil are essential minerals like calcium, especially important for nannies who have recently given birth.

Wide Valleys mean Wildlife

A good portion of your trip is in the bottom of a low elevation valley, the Kootenay Valley. Unlike the high mountain peaks, winter is easier and summer is more bountiful in the grassy meadows and open forests of the montane life zone. You might see black bears, coyotes, moose, elk and deer. Drive carefully, particularly at dusk.

Click the logo for short side trips and stops on this tour

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Round out your Kootenay Itinerary

Rockwalls and Waterfalls Tours (Yoho)

Lake Louise — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:15:20 +0000

Rockwalls and Waterfalls

The boundary of Yoho National Park is only 10 minutes away and all of this impressive park is within striking distance for day trips from Lake Louise. Yoho’s theme is “Rockwalls and Waterfalls.”

After leaving Lake Louise, the road descends quickly, but the mountains don’t get any shorter! Mt. Stephen looms overhead as the road finally levels out near the town of Field.

Falling water can often be seen on the sheer cliffs that surround you, but the grandmother of Yoho’s waterfalls is Takakkaw Falls. Found at the end of the Yoho Valley Road (40 minutes from Lake Louise), this impressive cascade is one of the highest named waterfalls in Canada. Again, we suggest going early or late to get the best light and a peaceful experience. You can walk right up to the base of the falls and feel the cool spray on your face. The falls originate as the meltwater of a glacier above and out of sight.

Note: Takakkaw Falls is not accessible from mid-October to early June. The road is not plowed.

Emerald Lake

The other major destination in Yoho is Emerald Lake (40 minutes from Lake Louise). The high peaks of the great divide capture the weather we receive from the Pacific Ocean. The clouds get hung up on the summits and moisture plummets down the steep mountain sides. Where the topography concentrates this water, you can find small patches of coastal rainforest — with western red cedar trees and devil’s club (look for the large plant with thorns and maple-like leaves). The west side of Emerald lake is one of these spots.

Interpretive signs along the lakeshore trail help you understand the wet and dry sides of the lake. You can’t help but notice the difference in the plants, the streams and the atmosphere. In early spring (late may and June), Emerald Lake is the first place to look for wildflowers. As the snow melts away, the shore becomes a riot of bright yellow glacier lilies. Hot pink calypso orchids are not far behind.

From the lakeshore you can find out more about the world-famous Burgess Shale. An interpretive exhibit tells the story of these unique and rare fossils, and, a telescope zooms in on the quarry where scientists study and excavate them each summer. You can visit this quarry and the Mt. Stephen Trilobite Bed with guided hikes from the Burgess Shale Research Foundation. Access is otherwise restricted.

In winter, Emerald is still beautiful and a fun place to take a walk, cross-country ski or snowshoe.

Food is available at Emerald Lake Lodge. Canoes, skis and snowshoes are available from Emerald Sports. Horseback rides available from Emerald Stables (250-343-6000).

Yoho is also full of train-related history. Check out our other itinerary for train buffs

Get to the Burgess Shale

Visiting either of the Burgess Shale sites requires a full-day, strenuous hike. But it’s worth it! The thin band of shale is one of only two places in the world where the soft parts of creatures have been fully preserved in rock, in exquisite detail. Better yet, these fantastic animals date from very early in the evolution of life on the planet, making them a valuable scientific find.

Of course, access to the sites is restricted, so you must go with a guided group.Contact the Burgess Shale Research Foundation at 800-343-3006 or Contact.

Click the logo for short side trips and stops on this tour

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Icefields Parkway

Lake Louise — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:55:38 +0000

In winter on a crystal clear day, or in summer when the sun is high in the sky, there is no sight more breathtaking than the mountains and glaciers of the Icefields Parkway (#93 North). From Lake Louise, it is only a five minute drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) to the turnoff for jasper via this scenic route.

If you have any option at all, try to make this trip on a clear day, but sometimes cloudy days will still provide views of the tops of the mountains. Hanging glaciers adorn many of the peaks and, every once in a while, glaciers that spill from the icefields beyond come into view. Anytime you see thick white or blue, you are looking at a glacial ice.

In the course of a day trip from Lake Louise, you should be able to make it to the Columbia Icefield area and back again, which is the most scenic part of the parkway. Allow for 1½ hours of driving time each way, and add on for stops and winter driving conditions. For a trip all the way to jasper, budget three hours of driving time under good conditions.

The Lake Louise Visitor Centre (next to the Samson Mall) has an invaluable free pamphlet called “The Icefields Parkway” that outlines in detail the viewpoints and trailheads along the way. For even more information, with notes about history and nature included, pick up a copy of Brian Patton’s “Parkways of the Canadian Rockies: and Interpretive Guide to the Roads in the Mountain Parks.”

A River of Ice

The highlight of the parkway is, of course, the Athabasca Glacier which comes tumbling off the Columbia Icefield directly towards the road. Nowhere else in the Rockies is it possible to get a view that encompasses more ice.

The Icefield Visitor Centre has excellent exhibits that help you explore the exotic world of perpetual cold.

For a first-hand experience, you have the option of driving out to the parking lot at the glacier’s toe (we do not recommend walking on the ice for safety reasons), of taking a Brewster Snocoach ride (many departures daily), or, of participating in an Icewalk with a licensed mountain guide (one departure daily). Bring extra clothes as it is often cooler near the icefield (hmmm… no surprise, eh!!)

Click the logo for short side trips and stops on this tour

THE ICEFIELDS PARKWAY
FULL TOUR SECTION

STUFF TO DO FOR THOSE THAT DON’T HIKE OR SKI

Round Out Your Icefields Parkway Tour

Lake Louise - Banff National Park, Alberta Canada

Reservation

Lake Louise Hotels and Accommodations

Kicking Swan Manor

Book Hotels in Lake Louise Thru TravelNow.com Promo Code: 266526

Round out Your Lake Louise Itinerary

Lake Louise Great dining Experinces…

Round out Your Train Itinerary

Return to the Era of Travel by Rail:

Round out your Kootenay Itinerary

Gateway to the Desert

Round Out Your Icefields Parkway Tour

THE Picnic

Train Buff’s Itinerary

Return to the Era of Travel by Rail:

Cool Kootenay

Mt. Wardle Mineral Lick

Rockwalls and Waterfalls Tours (Yoho)

Rockwalls and Waterfalls

Emerald Lake

Get to the Burgess Shale

Icefields Parkway

A River of Ice

Book Hotels in Lake Louise Thru TravelNow.com

Promo Code: 266526