Quick facts
- Located in
- Jasper National Park, Icefields Parkway
- Best time
- May to October (Discovery Centre season)
- Getting there
- 230 km north of Lake Louise; 103 km south of Jasper
- Days needed
- Half day to full day
The Columbia Icefield is one of the largest accumulations of ice south of the Arctic Circle — a vast ice cap straddling the Continental Divide between Banff and Jasper National Parks, covering approximately 325 square kilometres at elevations between 1,900 and 3,500 metres. From this ice reservoir, six major glaciers flow outward; three of them — the Athabasca, the Dome, and the Saskatchewan — are visible from the Icefields Parkway.
The Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, operated by Pursuit (the same company that operates the Banff Gondola), is the primary visitor facility — a large building on the west side of the parkway directly opposite the Athabasca Glacier, housing the booking operation for the Ice Explorer tours and the starting point for the Glacier Skywalk experience. Understanding what is paid, what to book, and what is actually worth doing makes this one of the most important planning decisions on the Icefields Parkway.
The Athabasca Glacier
The Athabasca Glacier is the most accessible glacier in North America — a tongue of ice descending from the Columbia Icefield that reaches to within 1.5 km of the Icefields Parkway. The glacier’s toe (the lower end) was at the parkway edge in the 1940s; it has retreated approximately 1.5 km since then, with interpretive markers along the access road showing the historical position of the ice front year by year.
Walking to the glacier: The free option, and an underrated one. From the day-use parking area below the Discovery Centre, a 1.5-km walk follows the access road (or the parallel moraine trail) to the glacier toe. You can step onto the edge of the Athabasca Glacier at the toe without paying for the Ice Explorer — but you cannot walk out onto the body of the glacier safely without the guided experience. The toe area has ice, grey moraine, meltwater streams, and interpretive signage about glacial retreat. Allow 1 hour return.
Warning: The glacier surface beyond the marked safe zone is crevassed and dangerous. Do not walk beyond the toe markers without a guide.
For a dedicated Athabasca Glacier guide (with full on-foot context), see our Athabasca Glacier visitor guide.
Ice Explorer glacier tour
The Ice Explorer is the signature Columbia Icefield experience — massive custom-designed glacier buses (with wheels taller than a standing adult) that drive from the Discovery Centre, down the moraine road, and out onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Passengers disembark and walk on the glacier surface for approximately 20 minutes, with guides explaining the ice, the crevasse systems, and the retreat patterns visible in the surrounding rock.
The experience: Being on the surface of a 300-metre-deep glacier, surrounded by ice in every direction, with the Columbia Icefield visible above, is genuinely memorable. The ice underfoot is blue-white; the scale of the glacier’s width and the surrounding ice-covered peaks produces an overwhelming sense of the cold world above.
Duration: Approximately 90 minutes from the Discovery Centre departure, including the glacier time. Total time commitment including transfers: allow 2-3 hours.
Booking: The Ice Explorer operates daily May through October. Booking in advance online is strongly recommended — the tours do sell out on peak summer days, and advance booking avoids queuing. The Pursuit website (banffjaspercollection.com) handles all bookings.
Cost: Approximately CAD $80-100 per adult (check current pricing). Children rates available. The cost is significant but the experience is genuinely unique — there is no equivalent glacier driving experience in Canada.
Browse Jasper and Icefields Parkway guided toursGlacier Skywalk
The Glacier Skywalk is a separate paid experience — a cliff-edge walkway extending 35 metres over the Sunwapta Valley, with a glass-floored platform at the end. The walkway provides views of the Athabasca Glacier, the Columbia Icefield above, and the valley floor 280 metres below. Interpretive panels along the walkway cover the geology and ecology of the Icefields Parkway.
Is it worth the extra cost? The Skywalk is visually impressive and the glass floor delivers genuine vertigo. However, it adds significant cost to what is already an expensive stop. Visitors on tighter budgets can enjoy the Icefields Parkway scenery (which is free) and the glacier walk (free to the toe) without the Skywalk and still have a memorable experience. The combination Ice Explorer + Skywalk package is the best value if you want both.
Booking: Available on the same Pursuit booking platform, as a standalone or in combination with the Ice Explorer.
The Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre
The Discovery Centre itself (free to enter, on the west side of the parkway opposite the Athabasca Glacier) is worth a stop even for visitors not doing the Ice Explorer. The building has:
- A glacier-view observation deck with direct sightlines to the Athabasca Glacier
- A restaurant (Altitude Restaurant — standard cafeteria fare, serviceable)
- A small interpretive exhibit on glaciology and climate change
- Washroom facilities (the most reliable washroom between Lake Louise and Jasper)
- The booking desk and shuttle pickup for Ice Explorer and Skywalk
The view from the Discovery Centre observation deck of the Athabasca Glacier — the blue-white ice mass filling the valley above, the lateral moraines marking its historical extent — is one of the defining Icefields Parkway views. It is free and takes 10 minutes.
The Icefields Parkway context
The Columbia Icefield sits at the 230-km mark on the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise (Jasper is 103 km further north). It is the natural midpoint of the full Lake Louise to Jasper drive and the busiest single stop on the route. For visitors driving the full parkway, the Columbia Icefield is typically a 2-3 hour stop (with or without Ice Explorer) in a full-day itinerary.
Key stops near the Icefield:
- Sunwapta Falls (55 km north of the Icefield toward Jasper): A dramatic double waterfall where the Sunwapta River drops through a limestone canyon. Easy 10-minute walk from the parking area
- Peyto Lake viewpoint (Bow Summit, 77 km south of the Icefield toward Lake Louise): The most spectacular single viewpoint on the full parkway — a wolf-shaped turquoise lake below the Bow Summit. See our Peyto Lake guide
- Bow Lake (93 km south of the Icefield): A large glacial lake at the base of the Crowfoot Glacier, with a historic backcountry lodge (Num-Ti-Jah Lodge)
Best time to visit
July and August: Peak season. Maximum daylight, best weather probability, all facilities open. The Ice Explorer is fully operational. The trade-off: largest crowds and most vehicles on the parkway. Arrive at the Discovery Centre by 9am to avoid the worst queuing.
June and September: Excellent months. Slightly cooler, fewer crowds, similar scenery. The Ice Explorer operates through September. September mornings on the parkway are often spectacular — low angle light, early snow on the peaks, quiet roads.
May and October: The Discovery Centre and Ice Explorer operate but weather is more variable. Snow can close the parkway temporarily at these shoulder months. The scenery — particularly with fresh snow on the mountains — can be extraordinary.
Winter: The Discovery Centre is closed. The parkway is open to private vehicles but driving conditions require significant preparation and awareness. Guided winter tours operate from Banff and Jasper.
Getting there
The Columbia Icefield is 230 km north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North). From Jasper, it is 103 km south on the same highway. There is no public transit on the Icefields Parkway — a rental car or a guided tour is required.
Guided tours: Several operators run full-day Icefields Parkway tours from Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper. These typically include the Columbia Icefield stop (often with Ice Explorer pre-booked) and several parkway viewpoints.
Book Icefields Parkway guided tours from Banff and Lake LouisePractical information
Fuel: No fuel at the Icefield. The nearest fuel is at Saskatchewan River Crossing, 77 km south (toward Lake Louise), or in Jasper, 103 km north. Top up in Lake Louise or Jasper before the drive.
Park pass: Both Banff and Jasper National Parks require a valid park pass. The Icefields Parkway passes through both parks; a Parks Canada Discovery Pass covers both. The daily vehicle permit is also valid.
Cell service: Very limited to none on the Icefields Parkway. Download offline maps and have a paper backup route if needed.
Facilities: The Discovery Centre has the only washrooms, food, and services for 77 km in each direction. Budget additional time for the facility stop even if not doing tours.