Icefields Parkway 2026: driving Banff to Jasper in 2 days

Highway 93 between Lake Louise and Jasper is 232 km of road along the spine of the Canadian Rockies, past glaciers, turquoise lakes and canyons. It is routinely called one of the world's great drives, and unusually, that holds up.

You can drive it in three hours. Almost nobody should. The stops are the point, and there are more of them per kilometre than on any other route in this series.

How long it takes

One long day gets you from Banff to Jasper with the main viewpoints. Two days is the sensible version, with a night at Saskatchewan River Crossing or in Jasper.

Three to four days lets you add the lakes around Banff and Yoho at the southern end, which most people do as part of the same trip.

Budget six to eight hours for the parkway itself with stops, not three.

When to go

Mid-June to September is the season. Services along the parkway are open, the trails are clear of snow, and the days are long.

July and August are peak. The parking at Moraine Lake fills before dawn, which is why private vehicles are now restricted there and you need the shuttle or a tour.

Late September is excellent if you catch the larches turning gold, which is a short window and worth timing for.

October to May is a different proposition. The road stays open but services close, conditions can be severe, and winter tyres are legally required on many BC and Alberta mountain roads from October to March.

Fuel, and this is the important part

There is one fuel station on the parkway, at Saskatchewan River Crossing, roughly halfway. It closes for the winter, and even in season its hours are limited and its prices high.

Fill up in Lake Louise or Jasper before you start. Running low in the middle of the parkway with no mobile signal is the one avoidable mistake on this route.

The route, south to north

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Before the parkway proper. Moraine needs a shuttle booking or a tour; Lake Louise parking fills by mid-morning.

Herbert Lake and Hector Lake, easy early stops with the mountains reflected on a calm morning.

Bow Lake and Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, one of the most photographed spots on the road.

Peyto Lake. A short walk up from the car park to a viewpoint over a lake the colour of paint. Rebuilt platform, busy by ten.

Mistaya Canyon. A ten-minute walk down to a slot canyon the river has cut through limestone. Frequently skipped and shouldn't be.

Saskatchewan River Crossing. Fuel, food, and the last services for a long way.

The Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier. The centrepiece. You can walk to the toe of the glacier, take an ice explorer onto it, or step out on the Skywalk platform.

Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls, both short stops near the northern end.

Jasper, smaller and quieter than Banff, with Maligne Canyon and Spirit Island nearby.

Park passes and practicalities

You need a Parks Canada pass to drive the parkway. Buy it in advance or at the park gates; a daily pass makes sense for a short trip, an annual Discovery Pass for a week or more.

Wildlife is genuinely present: elk, bighorn sheep, and both black and grizzly bears. Stay in the car when you see them, do not feed anything, and expect occasional traffic jams where someone has stopped for a photograph.

Mobile coverage is absent for most of the parkway. Download offline maps.

Common questions

Which direction should I drive the Icefields Parkway?

Either. Most people drive north from Banff to Jasper because they fly into Calgary, but the southbound view of the mountains is arguably better.

Is there fuel on the Icefields Parkway?

Effectively one stop, at Saskatchewan River Crossing, roughly halfway. Fill up in Lake Louise or Jasper before you start and treat the middle of the route as having no fuel at all.

Do I need a park pass?

Yes. The parkway runs through Banff and Jasper national parks, and a Parks Canada pass is required and checked. Buy it in advance or at the park gates.

Do I need to book accommodation?

Yes, months ahead for summer. Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper have limited rooms and high demand.

Can I do it as a day trip from Banff?

You would drive over 400 km round trip. Better to stay in Jasper and come back the next day, or continue on to Edmonton.

Is the parkway open in winter?

Usually yes, but it is a mountain road with no services, winter tyres are required in season, and it closes during storms. Check conditions the morning you travel rather than the night before.

Is the Skywalk worth it?

Opinions divide. The view is real, but so is the view from several free viewpoints nearby.

Planning your version

Tell the planner how many days you have around Banff and Jasper, then check that your driving day leaves time for the stops, since the parkway's value is entirely in how often you get out of the car.

For the other long-haul drives, see Best worldwide road trips 2026. The Norwegian fjords route is the closest European equivalent for mountain scenery, and the Iceland Ring Road for glaciers.

For a very different American drive, see Route 66 in Oklahoma. Everything we plan starts at trip ideas.