Banff & Jasper National Parks

Alberta is a dream come true! The experience will leave a mark on you and consistently call you back to relive the wonder. We have been trying to get back ever since we left. This destination is a MUST DISCOVER, MUST SEE, MUST SHARE. Every minute of our 5 day trip was packed with jaw-dropping views and eye-widening experiences. We did it all, and we will definitely do it again. Alberta is one of those places…MAGIC. The Icefields Parkway is a breathtaking 144-mile drive situated between Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada. The journey along Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway, is listed in National Geographic’s Drives of a Lifetime and with good reason. The wild beauty of the Canadian Rockies will blow you away!

DAY 1

Landing in Calgary, we picked up our JEEP for the week and struck off on our Alberta adventure. First stop, Lake Minnewanka Cruise for an afternoon on Banff’s largest lake. The Captain and crew were first rate, pointing out notable sights and sharing the rich history of this vast lake. Back on shore, we grabbed ice cream cones from Black Anchor Snack Shop and took a short hike lakeside on the Lake Minnewanka Trail. Awesome kick-start to what would wrap up to be a fantastic trip!

We drove 15 minutes to the charming town of Banff and spent the next couple hours exploring the resort town, walking over the bridge to Cascade of Time Garden, along the banks of the Bow River and circling back to a delicious plate of poutine and local beers. Cascade Mountain, an imposing pyramid of rock, overlooks the town of Banff displaying the perfect backdrop of symmetry and rugged beauty. Already mind-blown by the grandeur of our surroundings on ground level, we were anxious to get to Banff Gondola and get a bird’s-eye view. We took the last lift up 2,292 ft, over towering pines to the Gondola Summit which offered a panoramic frame of Bow Valley and distant peaks. As the sun set and the stars came out we headed back down Sulphur Mountain for the night.

Day 2

Waking up to a towering mountain outside your window is the way to live.The view from the balcony of our suite at Lake Louise Inn was tops. At first light we got moving, packed our hiking packs and with touques on and coffee in hand, set out for the highlight of our day, Lake Louise. Man, oh man. No amount of research and photos can prepare you for how dramatically beautiful the lake is. Surrounded by soaring peaks, the turquoise lake, fed by the massive Victoria Glacier, glistened in the morning light. “Wow” was definitely overused.It is one of the most photographed sites in Canada and we certainly know why. The iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise at the water’s edge was a spectacular sight.

Following the path along the edge of the lake we hiked towards Lake Agnes and the historic tea house hanging out on its shores. The hike through old-growth forest wasn’t overly difficult, and we were joined by people of all ages and fitness levels. Passing Mirror Lake, a small unexpected lake on trail. It stood true to its name, with the reflection of the Big Beehive imaged on the surface. There is a waterfall flowing below the tea house fed by Lake Agnes, that we explored after tea and goodies. So fun! Most people don’t go beyond the tea house, so we got to leave the crowd behind, heading up the Big Beehive Trail. The trail offers incredible views of Bow Valley with Lake Louise as the turquoise gem. Visiting both of Lake Louise’s tea houses was on our agenda so we kept a steady clip on the trail up to the delightful Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House. More delicious tea, more yummy goodies, more spectacular photos, then trekking back down to the shoreline of Lake Louise.

DAY 3

We drove up the Icefields Parkway to Columbia Icefields for a 2-in-1 outing. First off, the Icefields Parkway is a breathtaking 144-mile stretch of road situated between Banff and Jasper National Parks. National Geographic listed it in “Drives of a Lifetime” and with good reason, the wild beauty of the Canadian Rockies blew us away at every turn.

Once we reached the Colombia Icefields, we left the Icefield Centre for our 80 minute tour, starting with a thrilling ride in a Ice Explorer, a massive vehicle specially designed for glacier travel. Our driver filled us in with fascinating stories and important details (and a few jokes) about the ancient glacier we were driving onto.This is where the real excitement began. Stepping onto the Athabasca Glacier and taking in the impressive vastness is surreal. It’s the perfect place to take photos and fill your water bottles with pure glacier water.

Phase 2 of this excursion was the Glacier Skywalk: a see-through walkway jutting out from the edge of a cliff. Crazy views of towering glaciers and the Sunwapta Valley filling the space directly below us. We got some cool shots!

Continued the drive up the Icefield Parkway to Jasper, a little mountain town in the big Jasper National Park. checking out Maligne Canyon, Athabasca Falls, and finishing up our day with an evening hike at Sunwapta Falls. We rented a cabin at Sunwapta Falls Rocky Mountain Lodge, built a fire in the fireplace, wrapping up our rewarding day with a crackling fire and a bottle of wine , following our delightful meal of home-made soup and fresh bread from the restaurant at Sunwapta.

DAY 4

So many places to review! All along the Icefield Parkway are countless pull-offs to overlooks showcasing glaciers, hikes, dazzling lakes, waterfalls, and even bear sightings! Bow Summit offered an easy hike with a stunning top of the mountain view of the opaque, turquoise of Peyto Lake. Hiking to Bridal Falls turned out awesome! We packed in a picnic and took a break from trail-blazing with the waterfall rushing below. Tangle Creek Fall, Weeping Wall, Hector Lake, so many points of visual interest on the drive.

We pitched our tent and rolled out our sleeping bags at Mosquito Creek in time for a leisurely Jeep sunset dinner of pb&j and another bottle of wine from Sunwapta. Next stop, Moraine Lake before the crack of dawn!

DAY 5

Moraine Lake. Unreal. Nestled in the Valley of Ten Peaks the shocking color of the glacier fed lake left us speechless. The early rise and getting a spot in the limited parking was absolutely worth it. We spent most of our time here paddling our canoe to every edge of this magnificent lake. The breathtaking opaque turquoise water, framed by the towering peaks offered the perfect backdrop. We left the canoe dock and walked along the shoreline to the easy hike up “The Rock Pile” for unparalleled views of Moraine Lake. This excursion left us feeling so alive!

No part of us wanted to leave these stunning views, but we were wiped out from our 4 am wake-up call. Driving back into the hamlet of Lake Louise, we checked into the Post Hotel & Spa, settling into the coziest riverside cabin to Like a scene out of a magazine a fly fisherman successfully fished along the opposite bank, while a several kayakers bobbed downstream. We enjoyed dinner at the acclaimed Post Hotel restaurant, picking up a bottle of wine from The Outpost, walking back to our cabin, the stars filling the summer sky. We went to bed in complete luxury that night, the fireplace crackling and the Bow River lulling us to sleep.

DAY 6

Driving on the Bow Valley Parkway enroute to catch our flight in Calgary, we stopped at Johnston Falls hiking the popular trail to the upper falls. There was quite a bit of traffic on the trail, and although beautiful, to us, Johnston Falls dimmed in comparison to the awe-inspiring sights previously in the week. We breezed past Banff this time, continuing on the the picturesque town of Canmore. This spot was a favorite and we took as much of the town in that we could in the 2 hours we were there. On our return trip, we plan to stay here and explore longer. We loved the vibe, fellow travelers, and locals of this mountain town!