Built during the Great Depression to boost the economy, the Icefields Parkway is a scenic road through the Rockies which links Banff and Jasper National Parks.
The spectacular road runs past more than 100 glaciers, waterfalls, rock spires, and emerald lakes - most visible from the road or within a few minutes walk... true lazy-man's sightseeing! We spent several days on the parkway both on the way up and down, as there was just so much stuff to stop and see. We did some walking around here too, hiking up to various cols and passes to gain better views of the icefields and valleys.
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| Looooong open roads... |
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| Putting our guidebook to good use on a tea stop - thanks Mary! |
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| Classic Icefields Parkway Scene: Flowers, mountains and MASSIVE RV! |
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| Bow Lake - one of many roadside wonders |
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| The halfway point on the Parkway was also home to the world's most expensive supermarket. That's £7.20 for cheap white bread and milk! |
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| The incredible Peyto Lake, again only 10 minutes from the road! |
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| One of the most impressive and scary looking waterfalls eating its way through the rock. This was tucked away and hidden from the road this time, we only found it after a heads up from a fellow driver! |
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| Bridal Veil Falls |
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| Crazy tree roots on the way up to Wilcox Pass |
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| Morning shadows on Wilcox Pass |
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| More lovely flowers peep out in the meadows! |
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| oooo I love flowers :-) |
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| Another morning, another pass... It was a cloudy start as we slogged up to Parker Ridge, but we were lucky as the peaks poked their heads through... |
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| Thankfully it cleared totally leaving us with a rather fine view, another glacier but this time hidden from the Parkway. Beautiful but stark evidence of global warming. |
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| The Athabasca Glacier creeping down to the road (note the car park at the base and coach track up the side!) |
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| Not many glaciers can be reached in 5 minutes in jeans... |
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| Sad evidence of how glaciers are retreating :-( |
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| Snatching a quick cup of tea on our first day of rain! One day in 24 is pretty good going though - we expected the Rockies to be very very wet! |
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| Athabasca Falls - don't fall in |
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| Spot me on the bridge! |
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| The flat beds of the Saskatchewan River |
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| Looking down on the Saskatchewan River Valley from Sunset Lookout. Reached by an hour's slog up through dense forests - tedious but well worth it! |
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