A Family Travel Guide to Canada’s Icefields Parkway

The Canadian province of Alberta is home to Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most stunning drives. About 150 miles in length, the highway connects Banff National Park’s Lake Louise and the town of Jasper, and the astounding scenery between the two — which includes glaciers, jagged peaks, waterfalls, canyons and pristine alpine lakes — can be experienced via trails, tours and more.

Earlier this summer, my own double-family road trip in the region was full of outdoor adventure, from animal encounters and June snowfall to epic hikes (only managed with promises of post-trek ice cream stops). The kids in our group ranged in age from 4 to 11, but it’s safe to say the parents made as many memories as the kids. Here’s where to send clients headed to the region, what tours to book in advance and top accommodation options.

Editor’s Note: Due to devastating wildfires in Jasper National Park in July, some activities in the region may be temporarily closed.

Hang Out at Lake Louise

This glacial-fed lake is a stunning turquoise, and that’s made it increasingly popular with the Instagram-loving set. Book clients on the Parks Canada shuttle (which was instituted to help handle the site’s lack of parking) as far in advance as possible, and encourage them to do more than just look at the lake. Brilliant red canoes are available for rent so they can get on the water, and myriad trails begin from here — plus, Lake Louise is spectacular from a few hundred feet up.

Hike a Teahouse Trail

There are two historic teahouses above Lake Louise that are accessible by foot: Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse and Lake Agnes Teahouse. My 4-year-old (barely) made it through the latter, which is 4.5 miles out and back and climbs 1,300 feet in elevation, but my oldest daughter was in awe of the views throughout the entire trek. Sandwiches and other snacks await at the top, and they’re best enjoyed sitting right by the side of Lake Agnes. The roundtrip hike to Plain of Six Glaciers is 9 miles, so save that one for clients with determined older kids.

RELATED: 5 Can’t-Miss Winter Adventures in Banff and Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada

Visit Athabasca Glacier 

A lesson in landforms: An icefield is a mass of ice that comprises multiple glaciers. Along Icefields Parkway, the Columbia Icefield drapes over the Rockies, and travelers can set foot on Athabasca Glacier. On the Columbia Icefield Adventure tour, a hulking all-terrain Ice Explorer took us to the glacier, where the kids ran amok on the ice and sipped glacial water. The tour also brought us to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a glass-bottomed platform for the bravest of view-seekers. More than 600 feet high, the platform overlooks dramatic peaks and offers the occasional mountain goat sighting.

Plan Another Lake Adventure

There are many beautiful lakes along Icefields Parkway, but the neighboring Peyto Lake and Bow Lake are must-sees, as is Maligne Lake. The latter is the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies, and home to Spirit Island, an oft-photographed islet sacred to local Indigenous groups and only reachable by boat (travelers revere the site from a short distance). Book clients on a sightseeing cruise here. The added bonus is that wildlife regularly roams the road to Maligne Lake. Our crew even spotted a mama grizzly and her cub on our way.

Go Kayaking 

Once in Jasper National Park, we conquered the popular Valley of the Five Lakes trail, checked out the paths in Maligne Canyon and kayaked on Pyramid Lake. The rental shack in front of Pyramid Lake Lodge even provided a wooden toddler paddle; it afforded my youngest daughter zero power, but boy did it entertain me for our hour on the water in a double kayak. And her first paddling experience couldn’t have been in a prettier place.

Top Accommodations From Banff to Jasper

The historic Fairmont Banff Springs makes a great starting point, since it’s less than 90 minutes from Calgary International Airport. Another 40 minutes north is Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which sits right on the iconic lake. Then it’s a solid 150 miles north to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a retreat with backcountry-cabin vibes. String together stays at all three properties for a road trip as grand as the Canadian Rockies themselves.