Athabasca Glacier & Ice Explorer
Athabasca Glacier
The tongue of the Columbia Icefield reaching the roadside. Ride a giant Ice Explorer snowcoach onto the ice to walk on it. This is the core attraction of a one-day trip along the Icefields Parkway.
The Athabasca Glacier is one of six tongues of the Columbia Icefield, and its terminus lies directly across from the Glacier Discovery Centre beside Highway 93. Ride an Ice Explorer giant snowcoach up the steep slope onto the ice. You can step out to walk for about 20 minutes and drink glacier meltwater. Snowcoach rides are often bundled with the Glacier Skywalk as a combo ticket. They are operated by Pursuit and require advance booking, and the midday slots in peak season are the most competitive. If you skip the snowcoach, you can walk the Toe of the Glacier trail (about 1 hour round trip) to the front of the ice, where signs along the way show where the glacier has retreated each year. Hidden crevasses lie across the ice, so no one may go onto it without a guide. The ice is windy and cold, so bring a jacket and non-slip shoes even in summer. It is about 105 km from Jasper town.
Opening hours
Snow coach approx. May–mid-Oct 09:00–17:00 (check the official website)
Nearby sights
- Icefields Parkway / Columbia Icefield
- Columbia Icefield Skywalk
- Sunwapta Falls
- Maligne Lake & Spirit Island, Jasper
- Athabasca Falls
- Medicine Lake
- Mount Edith Cavell & Angel Glacier
- Valley of the Five Lakes