The Canadian Rockies stretch over 1600km and are located at the border of British Columbia and Alberta the two western provinces of Canada. Along this vast distance lies the Banff National Park – Canada’s first national park and further up in the north is Jasper National Park – Canada’s largest national park. Both the parks are part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 230km long Icefield Parkway – rated as one of the most scenic drives in the world connects the two parks.
Banff National Park
Millions of people visit Banff year-round for hiking, biking, skiing, camping and to see its turquoise lakes, magnificent mountain peaks, and picturesque towns and villages. The hub of all the activities in the resort town of Banff. This picturesque small town is located within the Banff National Park and is about 140km from Calgary Airport and for many, this is the starting point of their Canadian Rockies adventure.
The skyline of the town is dominated by the peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade. The main thoroughfare – Banff Avenue is dotted with chateau styled hotels, restaurants, boutiques, and souvenir shops. There is a fee for every visitor to the Banff National Park and you can pick-up your ticket or pass along brochures, guides, and maps from the Visitor Centre located at the Banff Town or at Lake Louise.
The most popular activity is to take a cable car ride with the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Once at the summit you will be surrounded by some of the most breath-taking mountain scenery.
At the peak, there is a 3-tier deck offering spectacular panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies. A stroll along the boardwalk (Vista Trail – Banff Skywalk) leads to the weather observatory which is a National Historic Site on the Sanson’s Peak for stunning views of the town and the valley. One can also hike the South East Ridge Trail to reach the Sulphur Mountain’s true summit.
Banff Trails & Lakes
There are several trails in and around the town and very close to the downtown. Most of these are easy walks and offers beautiful views of the mountains and the rivers. The Tunnel Mountain Trail leads to the summit of Banff’s smallest peak. It is moderately steep, but you are rewarded with beautiful views of the town and the surroundings.
One of the best trails is the classic walk along the Bow River. Just steps away from the town center offering scenic views of the Bow River, the Bow Falls, and the gorgeous Banff Spring Hotel. The Bow River Trail and the Bow Falls Trail are paved walkways along the river on either side. The falls trail has a separate cycle track along with a pedestrian one that leads you to the top of the falls.
Of the many attractions in the Canadian Rockies, the most famous ones are the turquoise blue lakes. The glacier-fed lakes are one of the top draws and the are many of them around Banff and along the Icefield Parkway.
The closest to the town is Lake Minnewanka. Located just 20km away from the town center this is very popular amongst the locals for fishing, canoeing, and skiing. It is the only lake in the Park that allows limited use of powerboats. The boat cruise is one of the highlights of this lake which is not there in the other ones. Two of the most popular lakes are about 60km from Banff town – Lake Louise and Lake Moraine situated along the Bow Valley Parkway.
The Bow Valley Parkway is a 50km long scenic route from Banff Town to Lake Louise dotted with many viewpoints offering superb views of the Castle mountain. One of the popular sites in this route is the Johnston Canyon. A treasure for hikers with the creek, two waterfalls, and lush forest.
Arguably the most famous of all lakes is Lake Louise, the sight of which is out of just out of the world on a bright sunny day. The turquoise-colored water, the mountain peaks, the glacier, and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise resort all combine to provide an incredible sight. Not too far away is the iconic Lake Moraine, the image of which comes up most of the time when you search google for the Canadian Rockies. Situated at the base of a valley of ten peaks, the reflections of which on the still turquoise blue waters makes an incredible sight that hard to explain in words.
Icefield Parkway
Other than the two National Parks, the drive on the scenic Icefield Parkway is a must for every visitor. Give yourself a full day to enjoy a 230km drive to Jasper Town from Banff. You will pass through some of the most amazing landscapes of mountain peaks, emerald lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, and an abundance of wildlife that include bighorn sheep and mountain goats amongst others.
Just 34km north of Lake Louise along the parkway is one of the largest lakes in Banff National Park –Bow Lake. The still and clear blue waters mirror the surrounding mountain peaks. Up next just off the parkway, hidden deep in the valleys of Bow Pass is one of the highest lakes in the Canadian Rockies – Peyto Lake. A short branch road leads to the magnificent view to perhaps the bluest amongst all the lakes. A 2.5km long and steep pathway takes you down to the lake.
At the heart of the Icefield Parkway is the Columbia Icefields – one of the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Also known as the Athabasca Glacier, it is one of the most accessible in the world. From the Glacier Discovery Center, you will travel on a massive Ice Explorer Bus to a place where you can walk on the Glacier.
Not too far off the glacier is one of the man-made wonders – the Columbia Icefield Walkway. Perched almost 1000 feet above the spectacular Sunwapta Valley on a cliff edge, this is a 1 km long walkway leading to a platform with a glass floor. It is one of the most thrilling experiences of the Canadian Rockies.
Traveling further north just before you reach the town of Jasper is the Athabasca Canyon. It is worth stopping and exploring the stunning waterfalls against a backdrop of the gorgeous mountains. Various paved pathways through the narrow canyon lead you the many viewpoints.
Jasper National Park
At the end of the parkway that runs along the Canadian Rockies is the quaint town of Jasper right in the heart of the Jasper National Park. Possibly one of the smallest towns you may ever get to visit, everything in the town is walkable.
The closest airport to Jasper is Edmonton which is almost 365km away. However, you can reach Jasper directly by train from Edmonton. The Via Rail Canada has a daily service that takes about 6 and half hours. There are also two scenic trains from Vancouver – The Rocky Mountaineer and the Via Rail service.
Jasper in many ways is like Banff but on a smaller scale. It attracts those who are looking to get further off the beaten track, and it is a paradise for adventure seekers. Be it snowboarding, white water rafting, mountain biking, or paddling, its 1200km of hiking trails attract many visitors. One of the thrills of visiting Jasper is spotting wildlife especially the larger mammals like moose, deer, caribou, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, coyotes, wolves, cougars, and black bears.
The top attraction in the town is the Jasper Sky Tram – Canada’s longest and highest aerial tramway. In less than 8 minutes you will at an elevation of over 2200 meters. From the upper tram station, you can hike to the summit of Whistler Mountain. The hike is about 1.5km long and from the summit, you get a view of all the surrounding mountain ranges.
Jasper Trails & Lakes
Like in the Banff National Park, you also need a ticket or pass for admission to the Jasper National Park. The most famous attraction in the park is Lake Maligne – the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies. Located about 50km from Jasper Town, this Lake has a 90-minute cruise that goes past one of the most photographed places in the Canadian Rockies – the Spirit Island. The island against the backdrop of a mountain peak, glaciers, and the alpine forest is one of the iconic images of the Rocky Mountains in Canada.
Jasper National Park is a mecca for hikers with numerous trails and perhaps the best among them is the 3.5km long Maligne Canyon Trail. Malign Canyon is the deepest of all canyons in the Canadian Rockies with a depth of more than 50 meters at certain points. There are six bridges built across various points that provide hikers of all abilities an opportunity to marvel at this incredible natural wonder. The second bridge is at the highest point and from the third bridge you get to see a spectacular waterfall. During the winter time there is a guided ice walk that lets you walk along the Canyon’s frozen floor.
Among the many lakes in the park, the closest are the twin lakes – Pyramid and Patricia. Located at the foot of the Pyramid mountain, Lake Pyramid lake drains into the Athabasca river through a 2 km long creek. There is an island in the Lake, named Pyramid Lake Island, connected by the wooden footbridge. Close by is Lake Patricia is which is also very similar. Both lakes are just 5km from Jasper Town and are very popular among locals for fishing and paddling.
Travel Advice for the Canadian Rockies
Recommended Itinerary – An ideal itinerary would be of 7 days with 3 days each in Banff & Jasper and a full day for driving on the Icefield Parkway between Banff and Jasper. The closest airport to Banff is Calgary which is about 140km and takes at least 2 hours and 30 mins. The closest airport to Jasper is Edmonton which is about 365km and takes at least 4.5 hours. So out of the 3 days each in Banff and Jasper, you will only have 2 full days to explore the Canadian Rockies.
Transportation – The Roam transit is a very convenient way of getting around Banff Town and its main attractions. In the summer and winter months, you can go all the way to Lake Louise. There are plenty of Shuttles and Tours both in Banff and Jasper that will take you to all the major attractions.
Best Time to visit – Summer months are the best from late June to early September. These months are also the busiest. Most of September to early October is also good when the crowds are less. Although there is some snow throughout the year at least in Jasper, December to March is the peak season for winter sports lovers. The shoulder months of April and May can be a bit of a surprise with blizzards or warm weather.
Which part of the Canadian Rockies do you want to see most?
AUTHOR: Suk & Sangy are a couple with a nomadic soul. living in Toronto Canada They have been travelling the world together for many years now and been to many places across 5 continents. With wheels under their feet, they are on a journey to explore in every season. As the pandemic put a restriction on their travel plans, they decided to spend their time sharing their past travel experiences through their blog – Urge to XPLORE.
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This is such an informative post! Thank you! Now I want to travel? can’t wait for situation getting better in the world!
Wow, I would do anything to explore this place right now. These pictures really move me, and I really love how detailed you wrote this blog. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is SUCH a dream destination for me– I’ve been dying to go for years! My partner’s family is in Canada, but mostly in Toronto, so we spend most of our time there in Toronto and Cobourg. I can’t WAIT to get out to Banff– thank you so much for this fantastic post!
Oh those mountains are beautiful!! We love a good week in the mountains.
I love beautiful mountains. I live in Ontario and it’s FLAT so I definitely appreciate this article.
Oh, definitely one for my bucket list. I’ve always wanted to see this part of Canada.
These pictures are the exact reason Canada is SO high on our list!
Awesome post! I would love a good mountain trip in Canada … I have seen so little of Canada despite growing up just a few hours away from Toronto over the border in NY. Thanks for reminding me of how much I still have to see!
This is terrific and will be a great reference for when we get to travel again. We took a road trip through Atlantic Canada two summers ago, and plan to do the same in the west!
Simply stunning! I have visited most of these a very long time ago during summer and absolutely loved it. Canadian nature is really hard to beat and I would love to go back one day to try skiing in this area as well. Great post and amazing pictures 🙂
This was such useful information. I can’t wait to be able to travel to try it out!