Cover created by LG @jayasimha78 using picture shot at Athabasca Glacier
We recently visited Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Park in Alberta and British Colombia, Canada. We started our journey from San Francisco. We flew in to Calgary. We stayed in Canmore, which is 30 mins drive from Banff downtown. This was our day 3 of our trip, we explored Ice Fields Parks way, The Icefields Parkway, also known as Highway 93, stretches for approximately 144 miles (232 kilometers) between Lake Louise and Jasper National Park.
Check out for Day 1, 2 & 3 Part I Details here:
Day 1: Banff National Park: Day 1: Banff
Day 2: Banff National Park Day 2: Gondola, Lake Louise and Lake Moraine
Day 3: Banff National Park Day 3: Ice Fields Parkway Part I
On Day 3 part 2 of the post, let us start with Athabasca Glacier, which was our next stop after Peyto lake and Peyto Glacier. Athabasca Glacier is one of the most accessible and prominent glaciers in the Canadian Rockies, easily visible from hwy 93 Ice Fields Parkway.
As you approach the Athabasca Glacier along the Icefields Parkway, the enormity of this icy giant slowly comes into view. Nestled between towering peaks, it’s like a frozen river of time flowing down from the icefield above, a river that has shaped the landscape over thousands of years. As you approach the glacier you can also see vehicles parked on either side of the road, since the parking lot gets full. Depending on where you get parking, length of the hike to foot of the glacier varies.
The surrounding landscape adds to the dramatic setting. To the east, you have the imposing Mount Athabasca and Dome Glacier, and to the west, the rugged peaks of Snow Dome and Mount Kitchener. The stark beauty of the surrounding mountains provides a striking contrast to the glacier’s frozen expanse.
One of the most memorable aspects of visiting Athabasca Glacier is the realization that it’s a living testament to the impacts of climate change. Markers placed along the glacier’s path illustrate the extent of its retreat over the years, a reminder of the urgent need to address environmental issues. In fact glacier has retreated more than couple of miles over years!
Here is a shot of the glacier after we reached foot of the glacier. If you carefully notice you will see people walking on the glacier and also the bus which takes people of Glacier tour.
What’s particularly captivating about Athabasca Glacier is its accessibility. Visitors can get remarkably close to the glacier via the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre. Here, you can take guided tours that lead you onto the glacier’s surface, allowing you to walk on the ice and explore its features. However these tours gets booked way ahead of time. We did not really plan to take this tour. We just ended up hiking to foot of the glacier. You wull get to travel in the bus shown here in the picture, if you take a tour. You are also allowed to walk on the glacier as part of the tour.
Our next stop on Ice Fields Parkway was Sunwapta Falls. There is a decent size parking lot and a restroom. There is a short trail to the falls from the parking lot.
As you approach Sunwapta Falls, the sound of rushing water grows louder, heightening your anticipation of the natural wonder that awaits. Nestled within a pristine forested area in the Canadian Rockies, Sunwapta Falls offers a striking contrast between the serenity of the surrounding wilderness and the raw power of the waterfall.There is a nice viewing area, the bridge shown in this picture to view the falls right from the center of the falls.Our next stop was Athabasca falls. It is one of the most popular natural attractions along the Icefields Parkway, known for its accessibility, dramatic scenery, and the impressive force of the cascading waters. Just like sunwapta falls, Athabasca falls also has a short walk from the parking lot. The waterfall is fed by the Athabasca River, which originates from the Columbia Glacier in the Columbia Icefield. The river flows through a narrow gorge before reaching the falls. Here, it narrows even further, and the water surges through a series of rugged, narrow channels and over steep drops, creating a breathtaking display of nature’s force.
The falls are characterized by their distinct chutes and potholes, sculpted by the relentless action of water and rock over a long period of time. The turbulent flow of water cascades down, creating impressive white froth and spray that fills the gorge. This churning water, combined with the backdrop of towering cliffs and dense forests, adds to the drama and beauty of Athabasca Falls.
Visitors can explore the area via a network of paved and gravel pathways that lead to various viewpoints. The viewing platforms provide excellent vantage points to observe the falls from different angles.
Our last stop on Ice Fields parkway was “The Five Lakes”. The Five Lakes is a collection of stunning mountain lakes located in a serene and remote wilderness setting. These pristine, interconnected lakes are known for their clear, emerald-blue waters and the striking backdrop of the Canadian Rockies.
Since we reached here almost end of the day and there was a 3hr drive back to Banff from here, we decided to visit closest two lakes. That it self was a 4.5-5 miles round trip from the parking lot. Here is a shot from the trail head.
Shot of a bridge which was part of the trail on the way to Lake 1.
Here is a shot of Lake 1. The most striking feature of the Five Lakes is undoubtedly their vivid blue waters. Each lake seems to have its unique shade of blue, ranging from deep sapphire to turquoise. We were able to see other lakes from a distance, but we went close to lake 1 and lake 5.
Here is a shot of lake 5 locate right next to lake 1. It was a short walk from lake 1 to here. After visiting this, we decided to head back. Since there was a 3.5hrs drive ahead of us to reach Banff. We ended up reaching Banff around 11.30PM. Fortunately still few restaurants were open. We ended up visiting Indian Curry house. We had few curries, Garlic Naan and Pani Puri to end our long drive on Ice Fields Parkway
