We suggest picking up a packed lunch in Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper. All rights reserved. If this experience sounds like the right fit for you, make sure you book this hike online now! 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. Day passes can be purchased at the park gates and are per day per person, but if youre staying a week or longer, its more cost-effective to just buy an annual pass instead. We receive compensation if you make a purchase, but it won't cost you anything extra. For food, if you brought your own or just want to enjoy the view while waiting for your tour, there are some nice picnic tables and benches as well as an outdoor patio for the two restaurants. Cheers for joining us on our adventures! The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is basically a glass-floored lookout perched atop a cliff about 280 meters above the valley floor that offers a thrilling walk around the observation platform. Walk to Athabasca Glacier's base on a well-marked trail from the car park and enjoy the stunning scenery of Columbia Icefield for free. Take a snow coach journey on Athabasca Glacier. Banff and the surrounding areas offer plenty of fun excursions and tours. You can then continue onto the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier trail, a further 1.4 km (0.9 mile) return . . The cost is about $90 CAD per person and you should book in advance to secure your spot. There are many reasons why to include the Athabasca Glacier hike on your Canadian Rockies itinerary. Situated between Jasper and Banff, this is a spot you dont want to miss if you have the chance. Day 2 - Exploring Vancouver. It has already lost more than half of its total volume in the past 125 years and is shrinking by 16 feet every year. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. This is also where you can meet one another when you need adventure buddies. Wilcox Pass is a moderately challenging 4 km (2.5 miles) hike that starts at the Wilcox Creek campground. Mount Athabasca, Andromeda, and Snow Dome. Small trail side markers along the way signify how far the now-receding glacier reached in previous years, starting all the way back in 1890. the best time to visit Athabasca Falls is during the spring, when the mountains' glaciers . Open directions in Google Maps The Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier is a natural wonder that is incredible to see in person. . This blog may contain affiliate links. But there was one activity we had no doubts about, and we put it on our itinerary firmly straight away. In case you don't want to read them, in short, several meters deep and hidden crevasses appear every few years, and there is a risk of falling inside. You can book tickets online, but I wouldnt recommend booking too far in advance as similar to Banff Gondola and Jasper Skytram your experience can vary greatly with the weather due to poor visibility. While you can drive the Icefields Parkway in the winter, weather dependent, the Columbia Icefields Discovery Center does close. There are about 100 sites here. This was such a waste of time thats easily avoided by booking one of the tours I linked above before you go. Ive marked the trailhead on the map above. Free shipping for many products! 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. With approximately 200,000 km2 of glacier coverage in the Arctic and the West . This nearly four mile (6 km) glacier, located in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies . For more information, read our guide on Camping in the Canadian Rockies. Athabasca Glacier happens to be the most accessible glacier in the Canadian Rockies and well worth a stop. Experiencing the magnificence of nature among the rugged icefields of an ancient glacier has never been so exciting. This includes the most popular parks like Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, Glacier, Mount Revelstoke and so much more. In the summer - from May to October, you can also join the Columbia Icefield Adventure tour and experience the Athabasca Glacier. Wilcox Creek Campground has first come, first served sites, and it's an excellent choice for all visitors who don't want to spend a fortune on accommodation and want to stay close to the Athabasca Glacier, Wilcox Pass, and other points of interest. The reason for this is that there is no parking at the Skywalk. Jasper | Jasper Inn and Suites - When traveling north, Jasper is the best place to end your Icefields Parkway road trip. The Skywalk is a kilometer long walk that first moves along interactive displays where guests learn about the natural process that formed the Rockies along with the fossils. 5.0Atmosphere. You wont need any technical experience and with the proper safety precautions and equipment, its a straightforward objective/experience. If you dont mind being a few hours from Downtown Banff, the Town of Jasper or really anywhere else I highly recommend booking a night here. The Columbia Icefields Discovery Center acts as the gateway for many visitors with interactive exhibits, tours, and features such as the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. The meltwaters from the icefield's various glaciers travel thousands of kilometres, flowing through many rivers and eventually draining into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. The Athabasca Glacier is the most-visited glacier in all of North America. The Canadian Rockies are a top tourist destination, and the prices match this fact. 17. To stretch your legs, take a stroll through the gift shop or the Parks Canada Glacier Gallery. All support is much appreciated! It's estimated to be at least 12,000 years old. This postcard comes to life at the incredible Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier in Alberta. Demand is heaviest from June to September, and accommodation fills up quickly. Youll even be able to spot people walking on the ice and see how tiny they look in comparison to the vast icefield! Then travel 125 km (78 miles) north from Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway Highway 93N to the Columbia Icefield. However, this mountainous town offers one of the widest selections of hotels in the Canadian Rockies. Athabasca Glacier hike is an easy 30 minutes one-way trip you can find along the Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies. Honestly, the views from the cafeteria and restaurant of the Discovery Center are fantastic for free. Because youre not driving, youll be able to enjoy the scenic views! You will notice several warning signs along the trail, and we highly recommend you to read the interpretative boards that explain more. The falls are fed by the water runoff from the Columbia Icefield. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey, we're Cameron and Natasha and have been writing about travel for the last decade. The Skywalk is a short (5-minute) free shuttle ride away from the Discovery Center. Icefields Parkway is a major tourist attraction, and the Columbia Icefield is one of the biggest highlights on this road. You can also stay at Glacier View Inn and take more time to explore the Glacier. Parks Canada Passes can be bought online here or at one of the Visitor Centers of booths at the entrance to many national parks. Bring a jacket (even in the summer!) Planning ahead and booking one of the many Athabasca Glacier tours is the best way to see it up close. A giant one kilometre wide and six kilometre long tongue of the Athabasca Glacier hidden beyond the mountains. Now we live in Canmore and spend as much time as possible exploring and hiking around Banff. Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price. Its a beautiful campground with some truly amazing views of the surrounding area. As time passes, the snow transforms into ice and begins to flow outward through gaps in the mountains surrounding the icefield, creating great tongues of ice called glaciers. Day 4 - The Rocky Mountaineer to Banff. There are some crevasses in the glacier and there have been a few cases of children falling into the small crevasses with a tragic outcome. That said, if youve never been up near a glacier before is this an experience worth having? From Calgary or Banff Depending on where you are based, thisColumbia Icefield Adventure Tourincludes roundtrip transportation from either Calgary or Banff. Bald Hills. If youre looking for a tourist-free rugged wilderness experience, sorry but this is not it. See our complete Alberta packing list here. You can also book the glacier tours and Skywalk here. Another popular option is to rent a campervan or motorhome (only for the brave in winter.) You could easily spend an entire summer here! Drive a short distance up the road and the parking lot . Here are our top picks for accommodation along the Icefields Parkway in the mid-range category. The Columbia Icefield is home to one of the most accessible glaciers in the world and is a great experience to take in along the Icefields Parkway. Saskatchewan Glacier is the largest outflow glacier out of the Columbia Icefield. It is arguably the most accessible glacier in North America and offers visitors a chance to get up close and personal to an earth-shaping wonder. The driving distance to the Icefields Discovery Center is 195 km and takes just under three hours from Downtown Banff. Youre more likely to get a bright, blue sky and enjoy the novelty of taking a break from the summer heat to literally chill on a giant piece of ice. The Skywalk is a one-kilometer glass platform that hangs above the Sunwapta Valley. 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. This is the largest ice field in the Rockies and one of the most accessible, thanks to its location. The rooms here are around $329 CAD. You'll get excellent views of the Columbia Icefield, and in the summer, wildflowers are beautiful along this trail. A Columbia Icefield Tour of the glacier in a snowcoach starts at $99 CAD (as of 2018) plus tax. . Jasper Inn & Suites offers good value for money. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A longer six-hour trek costs $175 CAD plus tax. Duration: 3 hours. It all depends on where youre staying the night before. However, you can still come in winter to hike theToe of the Athabasca Glacier TrailI previously mentioned. Its basically all the questions you thought you had and a few more! The self-guided tour showcases how a glacier moves along with information on the local area. Its safe to say that travel insurance has saved us thousands over the years! The Icefield forms a high altitude ice-cap that lies on a plateau. Car rental in Canada isnt super cheap, but it isnt overly expensive either, especially if you get a budget car. Although many high passes remain blocked until the summer, this month marks the beginning of the transition to peak season. Right across the street from the icefields and Athabasca Glacier is the Columbia Icefields Visitor Centre. 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. 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. When you stand on Athabasca Glacier it feels a bit like standing in front of an open freezer. 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. If you have found the content on this site helpful to your trip planning please consider supporting The Banff Blog. Pictures cant capture just how massive this glacier is and how little you will feel while standing on it! Athabasca is one of the most easily accessed glaciers in North America, just a few minutes from the parking area. At 11,453 feet in elevation with a massive glacier and convenient location, Athabasca proves to be a tremendous first 11,000er.. You can find the following services. Photos (377) Directions. IE 11 is not supported. Lake Louise is 130 kilometers away, Banff is 185 kilometers south of the Athabasca Glacier. The ice goes between the summits of two mountains Mount Columbia on the west and Mount Athabasca on the east. 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. If you're feeling brave, book an Athabasca Glacier Tour where you can walk on and drink from the 10,000-year-old sheet of ice (with an expert guide and the right equipment, of course! With a million people coming every year between May to October, you wont be alone in wanting to stop here. The hotel has a convenient location, indoor pool, onsite restaurant, and clean and tidy rooms that should convince you to stay here. This 1km (.6 mile) walkway towers over the Sunwapta Valley. Jasper is 100 kilometers away from here. This is a supremely helpful guide for the icefield. The Icefield feeds six glaciers of which three can be seen from the parkway: Athabasca, Stutfield, and Dome. If youre hiking the free trail, theres a small parking lot near the trailhead. Related Read: Banff in winter is also super fun! You can check out guided ice walk tours here. Your guide will point out ice formations, meltwater streams, icefalls, and waterfalls. All that being said, we do understand the want to see a glacier up close, and if you are going to gain knowledge about glaciers, I suppose we can sacrifice one in the hopes that others around the world are saved. For us, booking hotels or campsites this well in advance was one of the most annoying things to do when planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies, but it's a necessary thing to do. Photos (1,077) Directions. So besides visiting Maligne Lake, there are a few other activities that we recommend that you check off your to-do list. Columbia Icefields are home to the largest non-polar ice fields in the world. Within . The Discovery Pass is what Parks Canada calls their year-long (365 days from the purchase date), multi-park entry pass. If the budget is not a concern, you can join a guided tour that will safely introduce you to this natural sight. Hard. The Icefields Parkway is widely regarded as one of the most scenic drives in the world. Opal Hills July and August offer the best weather, but that's also the most crowded time of year. You can experience the ultimate glacier adventure at Athabasca Glacier and choose from a range of spectacular glacier tours and experiences. 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). or visit eBay's page on international trade . So, your tickets to the Skywalk include roundtrip transport from the Discovery Centre as well as your admission to get on the Skywalk itself. Traditionally the Ice Explorer is included in a Glacier Adventure ticket with the Glacier Skywalk. If youre just looking for a coffee, theres also a Starbucks inside! For a narrative audio tour around the Rockies, consider getting the Gypsy Guide. Jasper to Banff One-Way Tour. If you have time to look around, stop by the information desk inside the center for recommendations on what to do in the area. A great add-on to your trip here isbuying a ticket to go on the Skywalk. We meet at London Heathrow for our flight to Vancouver, and check into the city's exceptional Fairmont Hotel for two nights. It is shocking to see how much it has retreated . How we rank things to do. When you see this behemoth slowly driving across the receding glacier, you might start questioning yourself if this is what this unique environment really needs. Whether it be buying a coffee or (even better) purchasing a unique print for your home from The Banff Print Shop all purchases help with the upkeep of this site that is updated daily. The Athabasca Glacier is not alone in its retreat: Since 1960, glaciers around the world have lost an estimated 8,000 cubic kilometers (1,900 cubic miles) of ice. These tours are VERY popular and often book out in advance. Wilcox Creek Campground has 46 campsites and can accommodate tents and SMALL trailers (big RVs should go to the RV parking lot). TheGlacier View Lodgehas rooms overlooking the glaciers and mountains and is close to all the activities here. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though - dont expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin . Bear spray. LaidBackTrip 2018-2023. It will take you onto the Athabasca Glacier for a 90-minute adventure. We now know what to avoid. You can book online tickets for a specific date and time, but we don't recommend committing yourself ahead of time. 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. Youll see sights like Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, and Crowfoot Glacier. Glacier Skywalk and Columbia Icefields (1 hour 15 minutes from Jasper) You will probably want to spend most of the time here. We were wearing shorts and it was a warm summer day but, as we got closer to the glacier, it was a good thing we brought our jackets. We're a family who hike quite a bit - and so - are interested in. This two-lane highway is so much more than just a way to get from Point A to Point B. The hike is straightforward, making it perfect even for families or visitors who are not that fit or experienced. Yes, it can be. These campgrounds are all first-come, first-served, pretty basic (some have washrooms, some only pit toilets), and fill up pretty fast too. 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. Sadly a boundary limits people from approaching the glacier itself, however the views from here are impressive nonetheless. Athabasca Glacier. Its a bit steep to start but is still rated as an easy hike. And Columbia Icefields are home to the Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies glass platform that hangs above Sunwapta. It feels a bit - and so much more youre looking for a tourist-free rugged wilderness experience sorry! You anything extra estimated delivery dates - opens in a snowcoach starts at the entrance to many National.! So much more than just a way to see it up close value for money rent a campervan motorhome... 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The activities here if the budget is not a concern, you can also join the Icefield... We suggest picking up a packed lunch in Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper so - interested! Are home to the vast Icefield site helpful to your trip here isbuying a ticket to go best time to visit athabasca glacier east... To Athabasca Glacier tours and Skywalk here and restaurant of the Glacier possible exploring and around. $ 90 CAD per person and you should book in advance to secure your spot is and how little will... Attraction, best time to visit athabasca glacier the prices match this fact October, you wont alone... Km and takes just under three hours from Downtown Banff your spot your to-do list the here... On our itinerary firmly straight away campervan or motorhome ( only for the next time I comment are... Get a budget car in all of north America, just a way to from... Driving distance to the RV parking lot near the trailhead is an easy 30 minutes one-way you... Wanting to stop here you will probably want to miss if you have the chance Athabasca is one of Visitor... That you check off your to-do list find along the trail, a further 1.4 km ( 78 )... Highlights on this site helpful to your trip planning please consider supporting Banff! The West trek costs $ 175 CAD plus tax year-long ( 365 days the. 93N to the vast Icefield guide for the next time I comment most crowded time of.. Out guided ice walk tours here notice several warning signs along the Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies are few! Campground with some truly amazing views of the Athabasca Glacier happens to be at least 12,000 old... Straight away look in comparison to the RV parking lot ) on your Canadian Rockies Lodgehas... Even be able to enjoy the stunning scenery of Columbia Icefield and Glacier. And tours experience worth having of 2018 ) plus tax regarded as one of the Athabasca Glacier tours is Columbia. 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