Banff and Jasper were one of THE most magical places we have visited as a family. I often tell others how I have termed this place as ‘Heaven on Earth’. The unbelievable sights – the alpine lakes, the canyons with waterfalls, the mountains, they all reminded me of a fairy-tale book. One of the highlights of traveling from Banff to Jasper was the Banff to Jasper Road trip. The Icefields Parkway is one of the most scenic drives that takes you through curved roads along the beautiful blue lakes from Jasper National Park to Banff National Park.
In this Jasper to Banff guide, I will share more about the best time to visit Jasper and Banff, the drive from Jasper to Banff, Banff Jasper distance and the best stops to make along the way. You will get a chance to understand what each of the stops entail and then you can decide is this is the right stop for you and your family.
Best time to visit Jasper and Banff
Although we live in Canada, we did not visit Jasper and Banff till 2021. Our first visit was in August during the summer months. We loved it so much that we instantly decided to visit in all seasons. Each season brings the most enchanting views of the towns. A few weeks after we returned from our trip, we saw photos of Northern Lights that lit up the sky in most of the places we had visited just a few weeks back.
Something to keep in mind is that the road leading up to Moraine Lake closes for the winter months. If you are planning to visit during winter, you may not be able to drive up to Moraine Lake. However, Lake Louise is open through winter, and you can plan a trip to visit this lake.
Most other tourist attractions are open, and winter months sees fewer crowds than the summer months. Take lots of warm clothes because the Canadian Rockies gets extremely cold even during summer.
The best time to visit is a personal choice. If you don’t mind the crowds, the line ups, and the higher prices, summer is a great time to visit. If you want to take a shot at seeing the Northern Lights, consider visiting in the Fall. If you want to pay lower prices on airfare, hotels and car rentals as well as beat all the summer crowds, winter is a great time to visit. Specially if you want to enjoy the winter activities that the towns have to offer.
If you are keen to travel from Jasper to Banff during summer and are looking for ways to travel within a budget, read our article on Visiting Banff and Jasper on a budget.
How far is Jasper from Banff
Although the distance between Banff and Jasper is not much, I can assure you that you are going to need an entire day to make this drive. The distance from Banff to Jasper is only around 300 kms. This drive can be completed in approximately 3.5 hours BUT I haven’t met a person till today that has driven the Icefields Parkway in this much time. The distance from Jasper to Banff may be short but the journey can be as long as you want it to be and I can assure you, it is fun.
Here is a Jasper to Banff map to give you an idea of the stops you can make along the way. If you want to make the most of this scenic road trip, try to stop at as many spots as you can. We stopped at half of these stops on our way to Jasper and then the other half whilst driving back to Banff.
Driving Jasper to Banff
Once you are on the Jasper Banff highway, you are now officially on the world-famous Icefields Parkway. This drive is so scenic, and you are in for a visual treat throughout your drive. My eyes were glued to the roads. Every turn we made, there were even better views. Every stop we made; we found an even better spot after. I literally couldn’t get enough of the phenomenal views around me.
Something fun that I noticed is, while we were closer to Jasper, the water of the lakes and rivers were a dirty brown colour but the closer we got to Banff, the lakes were the pristine blue lakes we see in the Canadian Rockies.
Stops to make along the way
ALL these stops are very close to the parking are and there is no hiking required to get to them. Of course, if you have more time and would like to hike, there are options available! Some of the lakes even have canoeing and kayaking options. While thinking of places to stop along the way, also consider a day or two in Yoho National Park. Even though this park is located in BC, it is a 30 minute drive from Lake Louise. Read out post on 3 best things to do in Yoho National Park to plan your trip! Here is a list of my recommended stops along the way.
- Athabasca Falls
- Sunwapta Falls
- Goats and Glaciers
- Athabasca Glacier
- Peyto Lake
- Bow Lake
- Crawfoot Glacier
You can spend as little or as much time as you wish at each of these stops. A lot of them have picnic benches so if you have brought your lunch, why not eat your lunch with a stunning view? The only stop that will require you to spend a few hours is the Athabasca Glacier. Keep reading this article to find out what adventure you can take here!
TIP:
There is no parking fee at these spots. We purchased the Canada Discover Pass which meant we did not have to pay parking to enter Banff and Jasper National Parks or any of the stops we made within the parks. We bought the annual pass only because we visit Bruce Peninsula National Park quite often. You have options of purchasing a day pass or even purchasing a pass for a few days
Additional to these stops, there are multiple smaller stops you can make along the way. These stops have no name or signs but just something cool you can come across and stop during your drive. We were constantly on the lookout to find such spots and ended up making stops at some great less-explored places. We stopped at the Saskatchewan River Crossing to use the washrooms and for a quick stretch as well.
So let’s discuss each of these spots a bit more
1. Athabasca Falls
The falls are located literally a 2-minute walk from the parking lot. There are a few viewing galleries along the falls. The first stop is always crowded so make your way to the next stop and enjoy the views with fewer crowds. There are picnic tables and an area where the kids can run and burn off some energy. If you plan to hike, you can spend about an hour to hike around the falls. Athabasca Falls are considered the most powerful waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies. They are not the highest or widest falls, but the water is extremely powerful. If you have kids with you, be mindful of this and keep them within arm’s length.
2. Sunwapta Falls
Like most stops on the icefield’s parkway, the falls have a viewing gallery close to the parking lot. There are picnic tables and bathrooms located in this area. A 1.3 km hike will take you down to the lower falls. The lower falls will give you a chance to see three waterfalls spread over the Sunwapta River. These falls have a drop of about 18.5m and the views are breathtaking.
3. Goats and Glaciers
Although this spot does not exist on a lot of lists, I would recommend stopping here. The viewing gallery is a minute walk from the parking lot and the views are stunning and worth the stop. We stopped here for around 10 minutes and the kids loved this stop the most. You can see mountain goats from the viewing gallery and hence the name, Goats and Glaciers.
4. Athabasca Glacier
If you are visiting the Athabasca Glacier, you can take the Columbia Icefields Adventure with Pursuit Banff Jasper Collection. This adventure is part of Pursuit’s Banff Jasper Collection, and it is worth your time and money.
You board a bus and are taken closer to the glacier. At this point, you are transferred on the massive Ice-explorer. This ride is such a fun (and scary) ride. You literally descent a road that is close to a 75 degree drop. You get time to spend at the glacier. Make sure you take a sweater because it gets quite cold up there. Also make sure to take an empty water bottle if you want to fill some glacier water to drink later.
After this, you are transferred back to the bus which then takes you to the glass-floored skywalk. You can get off and spend time at the skywalk and a bus will pick you up to take you back to the parking. To read more about these adventures, the different types of packages you can purchase from this collection or where to book, Click Here.
5. Peyto Lake
When we visited Jasper and Banff, Peyto Lake was closed. It opened shortly after we returned and although we did not make it to this lake, it was on our list of places to stop.
6. Bow Lake
We could go all the way up to the water at one of the stops we made to see Bow Lake. The water is so blue and beautiful. You can even kayak or canoe on this lake while you are surrounded by mountains.
7. Crawfoot Glacier
This was a great quick stop. We knew we were going to go up to the Athabasca Glacier and decided to keep our stop here short and sweet. We saw the glacier, took a few photos and started driving back on the icefield’s parkway.
Our Jasper to Banff drive involved multiple stops along the way. We took 8 hours one way and then another 6 hours to drive back. The time we spend on this Icefields parkway was nearly not enough but that is all we had, and we made the most of it.
We made lots of stops as we drove from Jasper to Lake Louise. After this point, we did not stop anywhere because these were going to be our day trips from Banff.
Things to know
- There are lots of portable toilets along the way. Most stops also have portable toilets – a big relief when you are (or are not) traveling with kids.
- Make sure you fill gas before leaving. The highway has no gas stops and we only saw one at the Saskatchewan River Crossing
- Take lots of snacks and water for your road trip
- If you see any wildlife along the way, be respectful and give them their space
- Just something we observes – the lakes and rivers closer to Jasper National Park were a dark brown. The closer you get to Banff National Park, you see the bright blue lakes and rivers.
Final thoughts
The Banff to Jasper Drive is so famous for a reason. I couldn’t believe photos I had seen on social media till I saw it through my own eyes. The beauty of this drive is never ending and the more you look, you will keep finding something better. While the Jasper to Banff drive is hands down one of my favourite drives, I have to say, the Garden Route drive in South Africa has swiftly taken the second spot.
If you haven’t already done so, here is your chance to plan a trip to Banff and Jasper. I hope our ultimate road trip guide helps you plan your perfect road trip form Jasper to Banff. The Icefields parkway is a dream for those that love to drive or go on road trips.
If you have any questions on this drive or places to stop, send us a DM or an email and we will be happy to help you plan your dream trip.
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