The turquoise water of Moraine Lake below the jagged Valley of the Ten Peaks

51.1784° N, 115.5708° W · North America

Banff & the Icefields Parkway

Turquoise lakes, a glacier highway and grizzly country

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Best time: Late June to September; late September for larches
How long: 6–8 days
Language: English and French
Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)
Weather: Mountain climate. Summer days reach 22°C with cold nights; snow can fall in any month at altitude. Winter is deep cold with excellent skiing.
Coordinates: 51.1784° N, 115.5708° W

The overview

Canada's oldest national park, connected to Jasper by 230km of mountain highway that is among the most scenic drives anywhere.

The Bow valley holds Banff town, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, all of which are now managed with shuttle systems because the parking simply cannot cope. North of Lake Louise the Icefields Parkway runs beside the Columbia Icefield, past Peyto and Bow lakes, to Jasper — a drive of three hours without stops and a full day with them. The lakes get their colour from glacial rock flour suspended in the water, which means they are at their most vivid from late June, once the ice has gone, through September. This is genuine bear country: both black and grizzly bears are common, and the food storage and hiking-in-groups rules exist for good reason.

Highlights

Moraine Lake at sunrise, by shuttle
The Icefields Parkway with unhurried stops
Plain of Six Glaciers tea house walk
Larch Valley in the last week of September
Johnston Canyon's catwalks early or late

Best seasons

Summer

Autumn

Peyto Lake seen from above, its bright blue arm reaching between forested ridges — Peyto from Bow Summit — twenty minutes uphill from the car park.

A grizzly bear grazing at a distance in a wildflower meadow — Keep 100m from bears — this was shot on a long lens.

Golden larch trees along a mountain trail in Larch Valley in autumn — Larch season is about two weeks in late September.

What to do

Things to do in Banff & the Icefields Parkway

Book the Moraine Lake shuttle

Private vehicles are banned. Reservations open in spring and sunrise slots go within minutes.

Walk to a tea house

The Lake Agnes and Plain of Six Glaciers routes both end at working tea houses with no road access.

Drive the Parkway slowly

Allow a full day, fuel up in Lake Louise or Saskatchewan Crossing, and stop at Mistaya Canyon.

Canoe on Bow Lake

Quieter than Louise, with the Crowfoot Glacier ahead of you.

A suggested route

6–8 days in Banff & the Icefields Parkway

A structure that works, not a schedule to follow to the minute. Move the days around to suit the weather.

Days 1–2
Banff town
Tunnel Mountain, hot springs, Bow valley parkway wildlife drive at dusk.
Days 3–4
Lake Louise
Shuttle to Moraine at sunrise, tea house hikes, Larch Valley if in season.
Days 5–6
Icefields Parkway
Peyto, Mistaya, the Columbia Icefield, on to Jasper for two nights.

What to eat

Alberta beef
The province's ranching output shows up on every menu; a steakhouse here is not a tourist trap.
Bannock
A pan bread with Indigenous origins, served with jam or as a base for other dishes.
Poutine
Fries, cheese curds and gravy — a Quebec export that has become the standard post-hike meal.

Local etiquette

The parks sit on the traditional territory of several Indigenous nations; interpretive centres address this well.
Leave no trace is enforced by fines, not just signage.
Tipping of 15–20% is standard in restaurants.

Practical notes

A Parks Canada pass is required and cheaper bought as an annual pass for stays over a week.
Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and make noise on wooded trails.
Fuel between Lake Louise and Jasper is limited to one expensive stop.
Book accommodation months ahead for July and August; the valley genuinely sells out.

Combine it with

Nearby destinations

Lake Wakatipu with the jagged Remarkables range rising behind Queenstown

45.0312° S, 168.6626° E

Queenstown & Fiordland

New Zealand · Oceania

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