It is ONLY the best value if you are traveling alone and only plan to visit a national park for one day. We suggest picking up a packed lunch in Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper. We highly recommend booking an Ice Walk tour and not try to walk on the glacier on your own. The Icefields Parkway is widely considered as one of the best scenic drives in the world. The tour company that operates the all-terrain bus said the vehicle was on its way to Athabasca Glacier, in the Columbia Icefield. Tours are operational in the summer months only and subject to seasonal weather. So besides visiting Maligne Lake, there are a few other activities that we recommend that you check off your to-do list. Tours from $99 . FROM $214 Jasper to Banff One-Way Tour. Yes, but you wont be able to physically walk on the glacier as thats too dangerous without a formal tour. For better views, go on one of our favorite hikes nearby called Parker Ridge. You get to spend a long time thoroughly exploring many unique features of the glacier. Alternatively, turn the opposite direction down a rough and bumpy road if youd like to walk up to the Athabasca Glacier, just near the large Sunwapta Lake. The highlight is a glass-floor platform where you can see directly down almost 1,000 feet below! The cheapest car with pickup and drop-off in different locations is around $100 CAD per day. Even on a warm summer day, the weather around a glacier can be frigid as they create their own microclimates. Many climbers in the Rockies have the lifetime goal of summiting all 54 (58) of the peaks, and they are considered classic mountaineering objectives. How much will it cost to visit Glacier Skywalk? You can find the following services. The Skywalk is a short (5-minute) free shuttle ride away from the Discovery Center. Bald Hills. For campers, there are two nearby campgrounds. Banff Inn is a perfectly located hotel and a great place to stay both in the summer and winter. 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. Yes, it can be. Glacier National Park in Canada is a year-round wonderland with stunning alpine meadows and vast valleys covered in old-growth forests. Columbia Icefield Campground has 33 tent-only sites that are first-come, first-served. 4.5Value. We quickly realized that some of the activities are out of our budget, so it was easy to rule them out, but there were also too many things we wanted to see and too many photogenic places we did not want to miss, so the decision process was often quite heartbreaking. The Athabasca Glacier is located along Icefields Parkway, a scenic 143-mile (230-kilometer) highway connecting Jasper with Lake Louise. Athabasca Glacier Columbia Icefield Jasper National Park . A glacier is a large mass of ice, formed at least in part on land, that shows evidence of present or past movement. The other option to walk on the glaciers is via the Ice Explorer vehicles. World Nomads Travel Insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers to cover your trip essentials. Lake Louise to Jasper Thisone-way tour from Lake Louiseincludes transportation to Jasper and some incredible stops along the way. This was such a waste of time thats easily avoided by booking one of the tours I linked above before you go. Youll see sights like Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, and Crowfoot Glacier. Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price. Youll need to follow the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre and then turn onto Snocoach Road for a couple of hundred feet before quickly turning right onto Glacier Road. Sadly a boundary limits people from approaching the glacier itself, however the views from here are impressive nonetheless. Something you will quickly realize when searching for hotels. That's right, a short walk to the foot of the Athabasca Glacier is a must-do activity while touring the Icefields Parkway. The Saskatchewan Glacier is located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Ive marked the trailhead on the map above. Right across the street from the icefields and Athabasca Glacier is the Columbia Icefields Visitor Centre. that plans are made within the next couple of years to visit the Athabasca Glacier. We've actually been traveling non-stop for the last few years now, so we really are living a "destinationless" lifestyle! This nearly four mile (6 km) glacier, located in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies . If you plan on spending time in Canadas national parks then youre going to have to pay for a Parks Pass. You can only go to the skywalk from the discovery center as there is no parking on the road, so you will have to go check in there first. Learn more on our about us page! The World Pursuit LLC is not responsible for injury, loss, or damage while participating in an activity. from. A shuttle bus leaves from the discovery center around every fifteen minutes to the Skywalk which is 6 km away. Another popular option is to rent a campervan or motorhome (only for the brave in winter.) There are many reasons why to include the Athabasca Glacier hike on your Canadian Rockies itinerary. Using Motorhome Republic you can search hundreds of deals across multiple companies to pick a great vehicle and the cheapest price. The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier on the North American continent. Bear spray. BEST TIME TO VISIT. The Athabasca Glacier is just one of many beautiful stops along the world-famous Icefields Parkway. 3. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Postcard Athabasca Glacier Columbia Icefields Jasper National Park Alberta at the best online prices at eBay! Home Banff Columbia Icefield (Athabasca Glacier): 15 Tips for Visiting. We personally wouldn't buy this tour as it does not seem exactly environmentally friendly. Before you start the hike, enjoy the Sunwapta Lake's views (don't forget also to visit Sunwapta Falls later) which is located right next to the parking lot. Only you can answer this question. In fact, it's astounding just how much is packed into this route! On your walk through the dry glacier field you can see posts marking the glacier's retreat. The Columbia Icefield is roughly 325 square kilometers and covers a large area of Alberta between Banff and Jasper National Parks. To see even more of this incredible area, hiking with an experienced guide is a great option. Honestly, the views from the cafeteria and restaurant of the Discovery Center are fantastic for free. The peak is one of many in the Canadian Rockies famous for reaching an altitude of 11,000 feet. The toe of the Athabasca Glacier sit at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, some visitors might notice that the air is thinner here, and it's a little bit more difficult to breathe when you are walking up. At 11,453 feet in elevation with a massive glacier and convenient location, Athabasca proves to be a tremendous first 11,000er.. The hike starts from a gravel Athabasca Glacier parking lot. Save yourself the stress of worrying about getting on a tour or the long wait for an open spot by booking ahead of time. If you have found the content on this site helpful to your trip planning please consider supporting The Banff Blog. ). It has already lost more than half of its total volume in the past 125 years and is shrinking by 16 feet every year. But there was one activity we had no doubts about, and we put it on our itinerary firmly straight away. Rooms are adequate, however, this is one of the finest examples of paying extra for the location. I love this area of the world, so make sure you stop in eitherJasper,Banff, orLake Louise. The Athabasca Glacier has been around for centuries. Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday. Additional Information. The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is a glass-bottomed bridge thats just north of the Athabasca Icefield a popular stop on the Icefield Parkway. Hard. Once you reach the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier, youll have an incredible view of the glacier and icefield in front of you (pictured above.) You may opt out of personalised ads at any time. The Columbia Icefield Glacier Center serves as a hub for visitors who seek a closer look at the glacier. Youll spend a night in Calgary and a night in Jasper with days full of all the sights, including the glacier, Athabasca Falls and Maligne Lake. The Columbia Icefield is considered to be the most abundant ice mass in the Rocky Mountains, extending 25 kms across the Continental Divide. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are actively discouraged by Parks Canada. Its full of viewpoints to admire the scenery, stunning waterfalls, and good hikes all along this scenic drive. 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. . If this experience sounds like the right fit for you, make sure you book this hike online now! There are a number of facilities at the Discovery Center. We now know what to avoid. This is also where you can meet one another when you need adventure buddies. It started forming at the end of the last Ice Age. Free WiFi is provided. Riders stay at Cliff Ranch, a modern lodge located 45 minutes away from Missoula. The perfect-blue streams of water making their way from this wall of ice, rushing down rocky slopes of rubble that have been carved up by the retreating behemoth the glacier itself is only one part of the experience - the strangely barren cliffs all around you exhibiting the glaciers effect on the landscape is what makes it feel like youre truly somewhere unique. It will take you onto the Athabasca Glacier for a 90-minute adventure. A picnic lunch is also included. The hike is straightforward, making it perfect even for families or visitors who are not that fit or experienced. Imagine that the glacier not that long ago reached beyond the parking lot where you started the hike, and in the next hundred years, there will be very little left from the Athabasca Glacier if nothing changes. Thanks for the response. The drive is one of the most beautiful in the entire world, and you should make time to divert off the road and check outour guide to some of the best stopswith viewpoints showcasing the incredible views. The Parker Ridge Trail is a short 2.7 km (1.6 miles) trail just south of the Discovery Centre. Only a small part of the Columbia Icefield is visible from the road. Here are the different tours you can choose from: On this tour, youll board a giant Ice Explorer vehicle to travel right onto Athabasca Glacier, where you can get out and walk around. Toe of the Glacier Athabasca. Soon, we might not have any glaciers left. 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. Less than a minutes drive (super close!!) from the Skywalk isTangle Creek Falls. 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. If you are planning a summer road trip to Jasper National Park, try to visit the icefield and glacier mid-week to avoid the very busy weekends. You can also stay at Glacier View Inn and take more time to explore the Glacier. The only reservations that are required are for the guided Ice Walk as it is with an independent tour operator not associated with Pursuit and the Icefield Discovery Center. km). 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). It was very similar to what we experienced, for example, on the West Coast in New Zealand or at Perito Moreno, Patagonia. Jasper National Park is just filled with fun things to do and see! 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. One of the things we want to do is to visit the icefields. 52.220281, -117.22405 . The price does vary though depending on the time of year and the type of car that you rent. If you can, visit Lake Louise and the gondola up Sulphur Mountain. According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Athabasca Glacier: Tread Lightly Glacier Hikes (From $138.10) 6 Day Rocky Mountain Explorer Private Tour; Circle West - Canadian Rockies Round Trip Bus Tour From Vancouver; Guided Glacier Hike on The Athabasca with IceWalks (From $98.25) Jasper to Banff One-Way Tour (From . The visitor center is very busy in the high season, but there is not much to do except for asking for directions, information about the hikes and tours, or visiting a modest museum with a small theater. In the summer - from May to October, you can also join the Columbia Icefield Adventure tour and experience the Athabasca Glacier. Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour. One thing that isnt at the visitor center is a gas station. The Athabasca Glacier flows into the Athabasca Glacier, filling it with vibrant blue water. It all depends on where youre staying the night before. Jasper is the closest at 105 km and 1.5 hours driving. They offer travel medical insurance thats super affordable (only $42 USD per 4 weeks!) If youre traveling in a group or with family, you can buy a single-day admission for your entire vehicle (up to 7 people in one vehicle.). It is a gorgeous area and the best time of the year to go is in the summer! The Athabasca Glacier is a large toe that extends down from the Columbia Icefield. You can also stay at Glacier View Inn and take more time to explore the Glacier. 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. However, this experience is not only about the raw beauty of Mother Nature. If you want to walk on the glacier, the Athabasca Glacier tours only operate from May until October. We visited the Athabasca Glacier twice already, and both times, it was super windy and chilly even at the foot of the glacier. To get to the Athabasca Glacier parking lot, follow the Icefields Parkway to Columbia Icefield Discovery Center (don't drive to the parking lot, though). 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. The hotel has a convenient location, indoor pool, onsite restaurant, and clean and tidy rooms that should convince you to stay here. Visiting this unique spot is like stepping back in time in fact, some of the ice at the end of the Athabasca Glacier was snow that fell on the icefield some 400 years ago! More experiences in Banff & Jasper National Parks. These months inevitably collide with the holiday season, but there's not much you can do about it but plan your trip for the shoulder season months, such as late May and October. Its basically all the questions you thought you had and a few more! Located around halfway between Jasper and Banff on the Icefields Parkway, the Athabasca Glacier is one of the route highlights and one of the most accessible glaciers in the world.. You can take in the views from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre or book a Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour which will take you up onto the glacier on an Ice Explorer, a giant all-terrain vehicle, and includes . If gravel biking is your other favorite sport, this Montana dirt-focused camp is for you. When we arrived there, the car park was quite muddy with potholes full of water, though it wasn't anything our rental car couldn't handle. If you are driving here in the winter, make sure you have winter tires on your car and always check road conditions, as snowstorms are common. . The daily rate for these passes is $10.50 CAD per adult, $21 CAD per family, and free for all kids 17 and under. Photos (377) Directions. The only thing to note is that the insurance must be purchased once youve left your home country we typically buy it as soon as we land at the airport. We're a family who hike quite a bit - and so - are interested in. Because the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier are inside Jasper National Park, youll need a Canada Parks Pass. You can combine the tickets with the Lake Minnewanka cruise, Banff Gondola, or Maligne Lake cruise for a discount. The Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier are just over an hour (106 km/66 miles) south of Jasper, 1.5 hours (132 km/82 miles) north of Lake Louise, or about 2.5 hours (187 km/116 miles) north of Banff. Board the Ice Explorer, a large six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. 3-day tour from Calgary Airport If youre flying into Calgary,this touroffers the chance to see some of the highlights of this area with all the details taken care of. Athabasca Glacier sits at the base of several notable peaks such as Mount Athabasca, Andromeda, and Snow Dome. Mount Athabasca, Andromeda, and Snow Dome. check out our shop for unique prints and souvenirs, 26 BEST Banff Hotels Downtown Hotels & Elsewhere (2023), Washrooms (running water and flush toilets). At 6km in length, it is the only glacier in the area. These tours are VERY popular and often book out in advance. The Canadian Rockies are a top tourist destination, and the prices match this fact. Youll also get a pair of micro-spikes (crampons) included with these tours, which are necessary for extra grip while youre walking on the glacier. This short walk up to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier is located in the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains. That is approximately enough ice to cover a two-kilometer-wide (1.2 mile-wide) swath of land between New York and Los Angeles with an ice sheet that is one kilometer (0.62 miles) tall. The distance you need to keep between you and the glacier is for safety reasons, and the only way to get close to the glacier is with a guided tour. At the Discovery Centre, there is a large parking lot and this is where youll board the Ice Explorer bus to take you right onto the glacier. . The Ice Explorer vehicles are massive and operate all day in the summer, thats a lot of CO2 emissions doing damage to the precious environment. The Ice Explorer Vehicles leave every 15 to 30 minutes in the summer and can cycle through a large number of visitors. For more information, read our guide on Camping in the Canadian Rockies. 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. To avoid crowds at the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, it's best to be on one of the first tours of the day or the last. the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience. This makes the visit more enjoyable, and you can focus on the incredible experience in front of you. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. If youre looking for a tourist-free rugged wilderness experience, sorry but this is not it. The driving distance to the Icefields Discovery Center is 195 km and takes just under three hours from Downtown Banff. Even if you dont have plans for one of the tours its worth stopping for a refreshment, to stretch the legs, or use the washroom. The glacier is losing depth at a rate of 16 feet per year (5 meters), and has receded over 1.5km, and has lost half of its volume, in the past 125 years. You can check out guided ice walk tours here. Instead, theres a short Athabasca Glacier hike that will give you some impressive views of the icefield for free. Youll be given headphones to enjoy a self-guided audio tour on this walk. 7. The Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier are scenic spots you shouldnt miss stopping at if youre nearby. Planning ahead and booking one of the many Athabasca Glacier tours is the best way to see it up close. Then travel 125 km (78 miles) north from Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway Highway 93N to the Columbia Icefield. You need to make a reservation for the big campgrounds in Banff or Jasper well in advance or arrive there around check-out time and hope that they will have availability. You can book ahalf-day tour like this onewhere youll spend 3 hours hiking on Athabasca Glacier with an experienced guide. The Icefields Parkway itself is a fantastic drive with a ton of great places to stop. Easy 4.5 (1302) Jasper National Park. The self-guided tour showcases how a glacier moves along with information on the local area. It costs $16.75 CAD to park your RV here overnight. Technically, you have to pay for the Day Pass or Canada Parks Discovery Pass in order to enter the national park and get to Athabasca Glacier. Information is also available at 406-888-7800. After enjoying the views, we walked slowly back to the car park. You can also see markers along here showing how the glacier has shrunk over the years due to global warming. This means you can easily get to the Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefield and back to wherever you are staying without the need to have your own car or a rental. Day 4 - The Rocky Mountaineer to Banff. Cheers for joining us on our adventures! From $5,499 per person, twin share - Save $500 per person! While you can drive the Icefields Parkway in the winter, weather dependent, the Columbia Icefields Discovery Center does close. 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. The ice goes between the summits of two mountains Mount Columbia on the west and Mount Athabasca on the east. It's estimated to be at least 12,000 years old. A tour is, after all, the only way you are allowed to actually step foot on the glacier. This flat 2.5 km (1.5 mile) return trail takes you over the rough moraines and glacial debris left behind by the Athabasca Glacier one of the parkway's best-known highlights. Within . 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. The best way to get from Canmore to Athabasca Glacier (Land) costs only $100 and takes just 4 hours. I hope this guide has given you all the information you need for your own visit to the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier. Pictures cant capture just how massive this glacier is and how little you will feel while standing on it! . Experiencing the magnificence of nature among the rugged icefields of an ancient glacier has never been so exciting. Rapidly receding, the Athabasca Glacier draws visitors from around the world. Its likely youll want to visit the Columbia Icefield when in the Canadian Rockies as its one of the best things to do in Banff. The Athabasca Glacier is one of the six 'toes' that comes out of the Columbia Icefield. As with most attractions in Banff and Jasper its best to arrive early in the morning or late afternoon to beat the crowds. The glacier is about 13 kilometers (8.1 mi) long and covers around 30 sq km . Receive travel guides, stories, tips and photos to inspire your wanderlust and save money while on the road! Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience. But with this popularity comes a few challenges when it comes to planning your visit. The walk should only take 10-20 minutes and is easy enough for kids to tag along. If you can, book your tour in the morning or late afternoon to avoid that peak of 12-3 p.m. when most people are out on tours. See the Acropolis, an ancient citadel perched on a hilltop overlooking Athens and visit Thessaloniki, the cultural capital of Greece. Having a motorhome is a stunning way to see Canada, and using crown land and campsites, you can often camp for free or very cheap in the most beautiful places imaginable! Unlike the above hiking tour, this hike is a little more difficult and is best suited to those with a moderate level of fitness. Youll find Rockies camp mugs, totes, phone cases and more! Nevertheless, the hike itself is free. Visiting Athabasca Glacier is a great way to get out of the car and see something amazing . It makes you wonder how big of the impact we (people) have and if there is something we can do differently. We think this is one of the most spectacular areas and the perfect place for an outdoor vacation. These tours dont include transportation from nearby towns, so youll need to get yourself to the Columbia Icefields Discovery Centre on the Icefields Parkway. We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Full Day Guided Glacier Hike on The Athabasca with IceWalks. 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