The glacier is losing depth at a rate of 16 feet per year (5 meters), and has receded over 1.5km, and has lost half of its volume, in the past 125 years. You follow along through an audio guide that is available in a wide range of languages that should cover most visitors. Soon, we might not have any glaciers left. Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below. A giant one kilometre wide and six kilometre long tongue of the Athabasca Glacier hidden beyond the mountains. If youre traveling in a group or with family, you can buy a single-day admission for your entire vehicle (up to 7 people in one vehicle.). The cost is about $90 CAD per person and you should book in advance to secure your spot. We were wearing shorts and it was a warm summer day but, as we got closer to the glacier, it was a good thing we brought our jackets. To get to the Athabasca Glacier parking lot, follow the Icefields Parkway to Columbia Icefield Discovery Center (don't drive to the parking lot, though). The trailhead is two hours from Banff, or just over an hour from Jasper. Admission Prices. Athabasca Glacier is about 3.7 mi (6 km ) in length with an area of 2.3 sq. You can check out guided ice walk tours here. Also, campervans or RVs will allow you to see everything you put on your itinerary, and thanks to it, your trip will be more flexible. For more information, read our guide on Camping in the Canadian Rockies. You can also watch the award-winning film Through Ice and Time, which was specifically created for this gallery. It is a gorgeous area and the best time of the year to go is in the summer! The Columbia Icefield is home to one of the most accessible glaciers in the world and is a great experience to take in along the Icefields Parkway. If you'd like to support our work check out our shop for unique prints and souvenirs or support us directly here. Because the Athabasca Glacier is so accessible, its the most popular glacier to visit in the world. It will take you onto the Athabasca Glacier for a 90-minute adventure. The Athabasca Glacier has been around for centuries. You can combine the tickets with the Lake Minnewanka cruise, Banff Gondola, or Maligne Lake cruise for a discount. Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include . If youre just looking for a coffee, theres also a Starbucks inside! Wilcox Creek Campground has first come, first served sites, and it's an excellent choice for all visitors who don't want to spend a fortune on accommodation and want to stay close to the Athabasca Glacier, Wilcox Pass, and other points of interest. Board the Ice Explorer, a large six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. There is so much to do in this part of the Canadian Rockies. Its field staff is rigorously trained, especially for the glacier tour, which also includes educational facts . Tickets for the experiences operate on time slots so its best to purchase your tickets in advance to avoid a long wait or the tickets being sold out entirely. from. Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. The Icefields Parkway is widely regarded as one of the most scenic drives in the world. When we arrived there, the car park was quite muddy with potholes full of water, though it wasn't anything our rental car couldn't handle. The hike starts from a gravel Athabasca Glacier parking lot. Print/PDF map. So, yes, there are people everywhere, though it wasn't that bad as we expected or experienced in some other top locations, for example, in the Yellowstone National Park. and even have coverage in case you get that dreaded c-word. Length 0.9 miElevation gain 200 ftRoute type Out & back. However, this experience is not only about the raw beauty of Mother Nature. You cannot attempt this on your own without mountaineering experience, it is a serious mountain. Then turn onto Snocoach Road, and after 50 meters, turn right to Glacier Road and follow the road all the way to the parking lot. Tours from $214 . peak is one of many in the Canadian Rockies. To avoid crowds at the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, it's best to be on one of the first tours of the day or the last. Pack a lunch to eat at the head of the Athabasca Glacier, where shattered ice and rock make an incredible lunchtime view. This is also a great opportunity to take in fantastic views from the Glacier Skywalk. A tour is, after all, the only way you are allowed to actually step foot on the glacier. Wilcox Pass is a moderately challenging 4 km (2.5 miles) hike that starts at the Wilcox Creek campground. You can even get lowered into a "well" in the glacier using their equipment. This nearly four mile (6 km) glacier, located in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies . Theres a fine dining restaurant here focused on Canadian cuisine called Altitude or a cafeteria-style restaurant with a grab-and-go menu called Chalet. In case you don't want to read them, in short, several meters deep and hidden crevasses appear every few years, and there is a risk of falling inside. When it comes to the Skywalk the views and the novelty of a glass bottom are a bit of a letdown. Look for the trail markings that lead you across a bridge and up towards the glacier. Saskatchewan Glacier is the largest outflow glacier out of the Columbia Icefield. Athabasca Falls. There are about 100 sites here. Athabasca Glacier Icewalks is a more intimate way to explore this massive glacier. Articles & Photography by Lucie Hermankova and Martin Tychtl, what to see and do, travel guide, top attraction, calgary guide, day trip, museum, what to see and do, travel guide, top attraction, best things to do, north america, british columbia, road trip, Johnston Canyon: The Most Popular Hike in Banff, Maligne Canyon: Must-Visit Place in Jasper National Park, Best Things to Do in Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, The Ultimate Canadian Rockies Travel Guide, A Guide to Johnston Canyon Hike in Banff National Park, Where to Stay in Banff: The Best Hotels & Travel Tips, A Complete Guide to Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Extra $550 per person from Perth. Athabasca Falls are accessible year-round, thanks to the nearby well-maintained highway and the parking lot close to the falls. The best way to get from Canmore to Athabasca Glacier (Land) costs only $100 and takes just 4 hours. With a million people coming every year between May to October, you wont be alone in wanting to stop here. There are so many breathtaking places along the way that you will have to plan your itinerary very carefully and find a balance on what is, according to you, worth seeing and what is better to skip. Travelingfrom Banff in the direction of Jasper, it will take you around 2.5 hours to get the 187 kilometers (116 miles) to the glacier. It all depends on where youre staying the night before. . Read our disclosure policy for more info. Best glacier tour on Athabasca!! Find the travel options that best suit you. Glscier-fed Sunwapta Lake to the rear looking somewhat gloomy. You could easily spend an entire summer here! Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday. IE 11 is not supported. C$203.96. So, your tickets to the Skywalk include roundtrip transport from the Discovery Centre as well as your admission to get on the Skywalk itself. The Ice Explorer Vehicles leave every 15 to 30 minutes in the summer and can cycle through a large number of visitors. Day passes can be purchased at the park gates and are per day per person, but if youre staying a week or longer, its more cost-effective to just buy an annual pass instead. We think this is one of the most spectacular areas and the perfect place for an outdoor vacation. Glacier Adventure will allow you to travel onto the glacier in an Ice Explorer, a giant vehicle that's modified to conquer the glacier's icy surface. Riders stay at Cliff Ranch, a modern lodge located 45 minutes away from Missoula. Accompanied by a My Travel Experience tour escort*. HeyMondo offers competitive rates for all travelers. Visiting this unique spot is like stepping back in time in fact, some of the ice at the end of the Athabasca Glacier was snow that fell on the icefield some 400 years ago! Using Motorhome Republic you can search hundreds of deals across multiple companies to pick a great vehicle and the cheapest price. It is shocking to see how much it has retreated . Learn More. The Columbia Icefield formed around 240,000 years ago. Icefields Parkway is a major tourist attraction, and the Columbia Icefield is one of the biggest highlights on this road. Answer 1 of 6: Hi, My family of 4 is heading out to the Canadian Rockies this summer and we'll be in Jasper on the 25,26,27 of June. When approaching the Columbia Icefield, in which the Athabasca Glacier resides, one of the first things you will notice (after the glaciers themselves) is the large visitors center on the east side of the road. Location: Athabasca Falls is located in Jasper National Park just off the Icefields Parkway on Highway 93A. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are actively discouraged by Parks Canada. Photos (377) Directions. Youll see sights like Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, and Crowfoot Glacier. It will take you onto the Athabasca Glacier for a 90-minute adventure. Mount Athabasca, Andromeda, and Snow Dome. The thing is that there are many lookouts and stops along the way where you don't have to pay, that the Skywalk makes sense only for visitors who really want to try the glass walk. Most notable is an effect called a Katabatic Wind, this is created as cool air draws off the glacier down to pockets of warmer air. As time passes, the snow transforms into ice and begins to flow outward through gaps in the mountains surrounding the icefield, creating great tongues of ice called glaciers. A massive tour bus with wheels the size of a car drive visitors across the glacier to a large parking area on the glacier. The walk should only take 10-20 minutes and is easy enough for kids to tag along. mi (6 sq. If youre hiking the free trail, theres a small parking lot near the trailhead. We'll talk about it later in this blog post. Jasper is 100 kilometers away from here. You can check out guided ice walk tours here. Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin . 7. Day 5 - Banff National Park. Leaving Banff, travel 55 km (34 miles) west on the Trans-Canada Highway #1 to Lake Louise. Youll be given headphones to enjoy a self-guided audio tour on this walk. TheGlacier View Lodgehas rooms overlooking the glaciers and mountains and is close to all the activities here. Its safe to say that travel insurance has saved us thousands over the years! Explore this 0.9-mile out-and-back trail near Improvement District No. If youre just interested in exploring the glass-bottomed walkway high above Jasper National Park,this tourgets you there! The Icefields Parkway, where the icefield and glacier are located, is maintained by Parks Canada, and youll need a Parks Canada Pass to drive along it, even if you dont plan on stopping anywhere. Athabasca glacier has receded approximately a mile in over a century and is still receding by about 2-3 m per year. The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier on the North American continent. Board the Ice Explorer, a large six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. When you see this behemoth slowly driving across the receding glacier, you might start questioning yourself if this is what this unique environment really needs. Informative panels describe the slow retreat of the glacier. Length 0.6 miElevation gain 82 ftRoute type Out & back. As we still had plenty of time, we hiked to Wilcox Pass and tremendously enjoyed Parker Ridge Trail. It's incredible way to explore this . for the possibility of wildlife encounters. 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