Icefields ParkwayOne of the most beautiful drives we have ever taken is the Icefields Parkway. This drive is north of Banff, on Hwy 93. Part of the drive is in Banff National Park, and the other part is in Jasper National Park. You are required to have a pass for the national parks to be able to drive on this road. There is a checkpoint north of Lake Louise to continue on the road. There is so much to see on this road, besides just driving it. There are hikes all along the drive, some more popular than others. The road is lined with different mountains, glaciers, and alpine lakes. The different blues that you see here from sky to lake is breathtaking! Most of our driving happened in Banff, however we did make it up to the southern part of Jasper. The drive here is quieter than the hustle of Banff. We also found out that cell service is far and few between. We stayed at one of the only lodging places we could find along this road, and even they had limited internet on their premises. It was a nice way to unplug and just enjoy the scenery and company. You can drive yourself along this road if that is what works best for your family. However, there are many options for guided day trips between Banff and Jasper. They stop at many of the popular places along the parkway. We were traveling with young children, so we felt having our own vehicles made the most sense. However, it would have been nice to just enjoy the drive and not have to figure out where things were located or coordinate different activities. If you decide to take a tour, use the link below to see the different companies that offer a full day tour along this mesmerizing stretch of Rockies. The Crossings ResortWe stayed at The Crossings, just north of where the Saskatchewan River Crossing is along the border of Banff and Jasper National Parks. It is the only lodging in the area! They have hotel rooms, RV sites, cabins, two restaurants, a cafeteria, general store, and gas station all on their property. They have limited cell service and internet available as well, so plan accordingly. It is easy to get lost in the beauty of the land here, and not having access to the outside world isn't the worse thing! Because this is the only lodging in the area, be prepared to pay more for food, gas, and other conveniences. We had tried to stay here so we could limit the amount of driving from Banff. We thought we would save some money by doing this, however it really wasn't that much cheaper by the time we paid for everything. If we did this trip again, we would probably station out of Banff the whole time. Below are some of the views from our hotel patio and the link to their website for more information. Athabasca GlacierOne of the closest glaciers we encountered was Athabasca Glacier, in the southern part of Jasper. This glacier is less than a mile hike from the parking lot off Hwy 93. We didn't plan ahead for this after having full days prior. We wished we would have planned a glacier walk tour, and just couldn't make it work last minute. To make up for it, we hike the 3/4 mile out-and-back Toe of the Glacier trail. It is a short hike, however it is straight up at the beginning. Walking sticks would be a great idea for the beginning. I was carrying a two-year old, so it was challenging. However, it isn't an impossible hike. As you drive to the parking lot and hike the rest of the way, you see signs marking where the glacier was recorded over the last 100 years. It is a sobering sight to see how little is left of the glacier and how empty the valley is below it. We wondered what would be left for our kids when they are adults, if anything. We also wondered what happens to the valley when the glaciers are gone? This hike definitely gives you some perspective. We recommend seeing it while you can! Columbia IcefieldsThe one thing we did not do was schedule a tour at Columbia Icefields. This is probably the only thing we regret not doing on our trip. It was very sad hiking the Toe of Athabasca Glacier and seeing how little is left after 100 years of documenting it's decline. We wished we could have gotten up close and experienced walking on a glacier and drinking fresh glacial water. If you head to Jasper, this is something you should definitely look into. Included with a tour on Athabasca Glacier, you also can do the Skywalk looking over the valley from above. It is a glass bottom walkway, and the views look stunning. The website for tour information is linked below, and the images are used from the website. We tried to add this to our trip, but there were no morning tours available anymore and we just couldn't fit it in. I hope someday it will still be available for our kids to experience it. This facility has more than tours too! There is limited lodging available here. There is also a starbucks! It is the highest elevation Starbucks. We enjoyed breakfast here with a view from the patio overlooking the glacier. There is great souvenir shop here as well, were we stocked up on Jasper shirts! There are also a couple of restaurants you can eat at here, if you are staying. There really isn't anything else in the area, so plan on using the facilities here for most things.
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