The Icefields Parkway is widely regarded as one of the most scenic drives in the world. The Athabasca Glacier is an easy day trip from Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. If youre just interested in exploring the glass-bottomed walkway high above Jasper National Park,this tourgets you there! While there are no coupons or direct discounts for the Icefield Discovery Center experiences you can buy combo tickets. A longer six-hour trek costs $175 CAD plus tax. Jasper to Banff One-Way Tour. Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience. All the bookings are done by timeslot and fill up quickly in the summer months. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I have been wondering if we could go to Skywalk first before our time for the Glacier field tour? Named one of the top 10 drives in the world by Cond Nast Traveler, the Icefields Parkway links Banff National Park and Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies, along the way taking in mountain peaks, turquoise lakes, and over 100 glaciers, including the Athabasca Glacier. Only you can answer this question. The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies and covers around 230 sq km (89 sq mi) at depths up to 265 meters (1,200 ft). That is approximately enough ice to cover a two-kilometer-wide (1.2 mile-wide) swath of land between New York and Los Angeles with an ice sheet that is one kilometer (0.62 miles) tall. Thank you. Take a snow coach journey on Athabasca Glacier. From Banff: Thisfull-day tourleaves from Banff and heads down the Icefields Parkway. Visit Athabasca Glacier a disappearing wonder. To help you make the most of your visit to this incredible place, Ive put together this complete guide to help. All support is much appreciated! We highly recommend booking an Ice Walk tour and not try to walk on the glacier on your own. The drive is one of the most beautiful in the entire world, and you should make time to divert off the road and check outour guide to some of the best stopswith viewpoints showcasing the incredible views. Length 0.9 miElevation gain 200 ftRoute type Out & back. While we think you can get better views on a hike than the Skywalk, the Skywalk is accessible for all and will help everyone get the most out of their trip that may not have the ability to enjoy long hikes. that plans are made within the next couple of years to visit the Athabasca Glacier. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 16 min to complete. You can walk up to the falls and climb up a bit to get a great photo. If you are driving here in the winter, make sure you have winter tires on your car and always check road conditions, as snowstorms are common. Make sure youve fueled up in Jasper, Lake Louise, or at Saskatchewan River Crossing before you get here. There are a lot of great vantage points along the pathways where you can see the Athabasca River as well as caves and unique rock formations. Tours from $99 . Right across the street from the icefields and Athabasca Glacier is the Columbia Icefields Visitor Centre. Within . Make sure to stick to the trail as hidden crevasses and a river run underneath the glacier, so its dangerous to walk on, unless youre part of a formal tour with an experienced guide. Near the top. Jasper Inn & Suites offers good value for money. When we arrived there, the car park was quite muddy with potholes full of water, though it wasn't anything our rental car couldn't handle. That being said its easy to walk on the glacier with a guide. for the possibility of wildlife encounters. Here are the different tours you can choose from: On this tour, youll board a giant Ice Explorer vehicle to travel right onto Athabasca Glacier, where you can get out and walk around. Dan and I didthis specific tourand made the mistake of not booking it ahead of time. If gravel biking is your other favorite sport, this Montana dirt-focused camp is for you. I am not responsible for anything you do in the outdoors. Renting a car will definitely make exploring all of the fun things to see and do in Alberta easier. Columbia Icefield Discovery Center is technically a regular visitor center with restrooms and a large gift shop, and a restaurant on the second floor that is located on the opposite side of the Athabasca Glacier parking lot. Saskatchewan Glacier is the largest outflow glacier out of the Columbia Icefield. Its also a great introduction for those interested in mountaineering. No need to worry about safety as these glass panels are literally bulletproof and then some. Although you can use public transport, on some occasions, it means your trip will not only require more time but more planning. . Athabasca Glacier Icewalks is a more intimate way to explore this massive glacier. This was such a waste of time thats easily avoided by booking one of the tours I linked above before you go. Glscier-fed Sunwapta Lake to the rear looking somewhat gloomy. Due to winter road conditions, your plans might have to change. Athabasca Falls. This postcard comes to life at the incredible Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier in Alberta. This brings us to the next thing we need to mention. A tour is, after all, the only way you are allowed to actually step foot on the glacier. But with this popularity comes a few challenges when it comes to planning your visit. There is so much to do in this part of the Canadian Rockies. ), book the Ice Explorer Tour and Skywalk Tour together, on a tour from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, book the Ice Explorer and Skywalk tours together, drive from Jasper to Banff or Banff to Jasper and stop along the way, Jasper National Park is just filled with fun things to do and see, stretch of road that connects Jasper with Lake Louise, tons of attractions on the Icefields Parkway, this guided hiking tour that takes you onto Athabasca Glacier, join this bus tour onto the glacier instead. And even though you can see only a tiny fragment of the whole Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains, we are pretty sure the view will take your breath away. Many climbers in the Rockies have the lifetime goal of summiting all 54 (58) of the peaks, and they are considered classic mountaineering objectives. On your walk through the dry glacier field you can see posts marking the glacier's retreat. C$183.75. The walk should only take 10-20 minutes and is easy enough for kids to tag along. Destinationless Travelis a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. You can even get lowered into a "well" in the glacier using their equipment. An icefield is quite literally what the name implies, a large field of ice built up over the millennia. To avoid the crowds, visit outside of the peak summer months of July and August. This short walk up to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier is located in the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains. Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. This is where you can buy a spot on one of the glacier tours that go out onto the ice or Columbia Icefield Skywalk tickets if you havent purchased them ahead of time. Explore this 0.9-mile out-and-back trail near Improvement District No. In the photo above you can Mount Columbia, Snow Dome, Andromeda, and Alberta. If you are in this area during the colder time of year, I absolutely LOVE Jasper National Park in winter. The Icefields Parkway itself is a fantastic drive with a ton of great places to stop. The Glacier View Lodge is the only hotel in the area and is where you can stay if you want to wake up to views of the Athabasca Glacier. Though your chance of an aggressive bear encounter is low, it is always better to be prepared with bear spray. Answer 1 of 6: Hi, My family of 4 is heading out to the Canadian Rockies this summer and we'll be in Jasper on the 25,26,27 of June. There are some interpretative storytelling boards about the history on the walkway that will take you to the lookout. The scenery along the way is stunning; it's very easily accessible, family-friendly, photogenic, and unlike often overpriced tours, it is possible to see it for free (although there are more expensive alternatives how to see the glacier up close), so it is perfect for all budget travelers. In the summer - from May to October, you can also join the Columbia Icefield Adventure tour and experience the Athabasca Glacier. But there are a few other options if you have time to burn and very deep pockets. This nearly four mile (6 km) glacier, located in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies . To avoid crowds at the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, it's best to be on one of the first tours of the day or the last. The Bald Hills are a legendary hike in Jasper, getting you high above the tree line with opportunities to explore this incredible chain of hills and summit other peaks. This gives you free admission to all national parks in Canada for a full year for $72.25 per adult or $145.25 for a family of up to 7 people. You may opt out of personalised ads at any time. If you are planning a summer road trip to Jasper National Park, try to visit the icefield and glacier mid-week to avoid the very busy weekends. Travelingfrom Banff in the direction of Jasper, it will take you around 2.5 hours to get the 187 kilometers (116 miles) to the glacier. Athabasca Glacier lies on the Columbia Icefields Parkway midway between the Jasper National Park and Banff National Park. The trail is well-marked, and it's almost impossible to get lost here. The views are breathtaking in more ways than one. This waterfall is beautiful and easy to find right off the highway. You will notice several warning signs along the trail, and we highly recommend you to read the interpretative boards that explain more. If you do not have a car but desperately want to see Athabasca Glacier and the scenery along the Columbia Icefields Parkways, check out this super-popular Athabasca Glacier Snow Trip from Banff. The daily rate for these passes is $10.50 CAD per adult, $21 CAD per family, and free for all kids 17 and under. Being prepared is the best defense. In fact, Ive used them all over the world including in Chile, New Zealand, and Australia. One of the best things about Icefields Parkway is that it is not lined with hotels and resorts. Best glacier tour on Athabasca!! The Cycling House crew's home base is Big Sky Country, and guides know where to find the best off-the-beaten-path backroads. . The Athabasca Glacier is a massive glacial toe to the expansive Columbia Icefield that sits on the British ColumbiaAlberta border in Canada. Because it was in an isolated area, it wasnt found until the late 1800s, making it one of the last major geological areas discovered by humans. To start the 1.4 km (.8 mile)Athabasca Glacier Trail, start at the far end of the parking lot. Instead, theres a short Athabasca Glacier hike that will give you some impressive views of the icefield for free. There are so many breathtaking places along the way that you will have to plan your itinerary very carefully and find a balance on what is, according to you, worth seeing and what is better to skip. Said that there is a campground very close to the Athabasca Glacier walk. That road will take you right to the small parking lot. Because of its location, its the easiest glacier to get to and the one you can see not only with a tour but also from the road! Tickets for this experience are around $40 CAD. Athabasca Glacier. Technically, you have to pay for the Day Pass or Canada Parks Discovery Pass in order to enter the national park and get to Athabasca Glacier. These peaks sit along the continental divide and most notable is Snow Dome where water flows to either the Pacific, Atlantic, or the Arctic Ocean. Tips For Seeing the Athabasca Glacier And Columbia Icefields. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like the Athabasca Glacier as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors. You can check out guided ice walk tours here. Absolutely. About 1 million people come to the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier every year. Booking in advance is also strongly recommended since these experiences do have limited numbers and are very popular! Put on crampons, and you will get a firsthand view of this massive moving force, while the skilled and experienced guides will make your trip unforgettable. . Before you get started on your trip to the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier, here's our travel guide, including some helpful information and advice on what to expect, trail description, and tips on things to do. 2022 Jack Quincy. 17 Mar and Thu, 23 Mar to 98837. The Athabasca Glacier is just one of many beautiful stops along the world-famous Icefields Parkway. The glacier is losing depth at a rate of 16 feet per year (5 meters), and has receded over 1.5km, and has lost half of its volume, in the past 125 years. The Columbia Icefields Discovery Center acts as the gateway for many visitors with interactive exhibits, tours, and features such as the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. 17. All rights reserved. Very informative and helpful. Articles & Photography by Lucie Hermankova and Martin Tychtl, what to see and do, travel guide, top attraction, calgary guide, day trip, museum, what to see and do, travel guide, top attraction, best things to do, north america, british columbia, road trip, Johnston Canyon: The Most Popular Hike in Banff, Maligne Canyon: Must-Visit Place in Jasper National Park, Best Things to Do in Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, The Ultimate Canadian Rockies Travel Guide, A Guide to Johnston Canyon Hike in Banff National Park, Where to Stay in Banff: The Best Hotels & Travel Tips, A Complete Guide to Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier on the North American continent. You can book ahalf-day tour like this onewhere youll spend 3 hours hiking on Athabasca Glacier with an experienced guide. Theres a fine dining restaurant here focused on Canadian cuisine called Altitude or a cafeteria-style restaurant with a grab-and-go menu called Chalet. The Athabasca Glacier is the most-visited glacier in all of North America. There is no admission charge for the parking either. The Parker Ridge Trail is a short 2.7 km (1.6 miles) trail just south of the Discovery Centre. You can't actually get very close to the glacier. The best way to let bears know youre around is simply to use your voice. It's incredible way to explore this . Although only about 1.5 hours in length, it is a good experience and one you can easily work into your day driving the Icefields Parkway. Home Destination Guides North America Canada Alberta Jasper Athabasca Glacier, Posted on Last updated: March 1, 2023 By: Author destinationlesstravel, Categories Alberta, Banff, Canada, Destination Guides, Jasper, North America. Yes! It is a gorgeous area and the best time of the year to go is in the summer! The tour company that operates the all-terrain bus said the vehicle was on its way to Athabasca Glacier, in the Columbia Icefield. In fact, it's astounding just how much is packed into this route! Save yourself the stress of worrying about getting on a tour or the long wait for an open spot by booking ahead of time. FROM $1,103 Circle West - Canadian Rockies Round Trip Bus Tour From Vancouver. The Athabasca Glacier has been around for centuries. Its quite large, and you should be able to find a spot here. Print/PDF map. Glacier Adventure will allow you to travel onto the glacier in an Ice Explorer, a giant vehicle that's modified to conquer the glacier's icy surface. Jasper National Park is just filled with fun things to do and see! Trail Length: 1.0km (.62 miles) Difficulty: Easy; Elevation Gain: 26m (85 feet) 7. At 6km in length, it is the only glacier in the area. Still, before you start planning your trip, it is good to know that the side road that leads from Icefields Parkway to the Athabasca Glacier parking lot is often closed from November to May, depending on the weather conditions. 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