Calgary is sitting 90 minutes from one of the greatest national parks on earth — and most people just drive through it on the way to a ski resort. Not you. You're picking up a Wicked Camper, pointing west toward the Rockies, and doing this properly. Banff, Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway, a glacier you can actually walk on — this is the Canadian road trip that makes everything else look average.
Calgary — Pick Up & Head West
Collect your Wicked Camper in Calgary, stock up on groceries, fill the tank, and get out of town. The city's fine, but the Rockies are waiting. Highway 1 west will have you watching the flat prairie suddenly explode into jagged mountain peaks — that moment never gets old, no matter how many times you've seen it.
Tip: Hit a Superstore or Co-op on the way out of Calgary for supplies. Options get pricier and thinner once you're in the mountains.
Canmore — Mountain Gateway Town
Canmore is the first mountain town you'll hit and it's worth a stop. It's less touristy than Banff, more lived-in, and has a solid main street with cafes and craft beer. The views up the Bow Valley from here are already stop-and-stare worthy.
Walk the riverside trail, grab a coffee, and mentally prepare yourself for the next few days — because the scenery is about to get relentless.
Banff Townsite — The Classic for a Reason
Yes, Banff townsite is touristy. Yes, Banff Avenue has a lot of souvenir shops. But it's also surrounded by mountains so dramatic they look photoshopped, and it's got everything you need as a base camp: gear shops, restaurants, hot springs, and a gondola that takes you up Sulphur Mountain for views that justify the price.
Spend at least one day here. Walk along the Bow River, check out Vermilion Lakes at sunrise or sunset (serene, moose territory, highly recommended), and drive up to Tunnel Mountain for a panoramic overview of the valley.
Campgrounds: Tunnel Mountain Village campground is right next to town and has powered and unserviced sites. Book well ahead in summer — this place fills up fast.
Lake Louise — Worth Every Single Tourist
Drive 45 minutes northwest of Banff to reach Lake Louise — the postcard lake with the famous turquoise water backed by a glacier and the Fairmont château. It sounds cliché. It isn't. The colour of that water is genuinely unreal and no photo does it justice until you're standing there.
Get there early (before 8am) or late afternoon to beat the crowds. The lakeside walk to the teahouse is one of the best easy hikes in Banff National Park. If you want more of a challenge, the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail continues beyond the teahouse for incredible glacier views.
Icefields Parkway — The World's Most Scenic Drive
This is the centrepiece. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) runs 232km from Lake Louise up to Jasper — and it is genuinely one of the most spectacular drives on earth. Icefields, glaciers, turquoise lakes, waterfalls, elk on the road, mountain goats, and peaks that go on forever.
Don't rush it. Allow a full day at minimum — there are pullouts, short hikes, and viewpoints every few kilometres and you'll want to stop at most of them.
Key stops along the way:
- Bow Lake — one of the most photographed lakes in Alberta, with a historic lodge and easy shoreline walks.
- Peyto Lake Viewpoint — a short uphill walk to a wolf-shaped turquoise lake surrounded by peaks. Do not skip this.
- Mistaya Canyon — a quick 500m walk to a narrow slot canyon with rushing water carving through ancient rock.
- Saskatchewan River Crossing — good fuel stop and last services before Jasper.
Columbia Icefield — Touch an Actual Glacier
Roughly halfway up the parkway sits the Columbia Icefield — the largest icefield in the Rockies and one of the hydrological apexes of North America (water from here drains to three different oceans). The Athabasca Glacier is right beside the road and you can walk up to the toe of it for free.
If your budget allows, the Ice Explorer glacier tour takes you out onto the glacier in a giant vehicle — genuinely surreal experience. The Skywalk nearby is also worth doing for the cliff-edge glass floor views over the valley.
Note: The glacier is receding visually year by year. Markers along the walk show where the ice reached in previous decades. It's a sobering but important bit of context.
Jasper — Northern Rockies Base Camp
The parkway ends in Jasper townsite — quieter and more laid-back than Banff, with the same jaw-dropping mountain backdrop. Jasper National Park is bigger than Banff and less crowded, which means more wildlife, more space, and more of the feeling that you've actually found something wild.
Don't miss Maligne Lake (another impossibly turquoise glacier-fed lake), Maligne Canyon (deep gorge with great short walks), and the Miette Hot Springs if your legs are done after all that hiking.
From Jasper you can either retrace the parkway back south (still incredible the second time), or continue west through Mount Robson Provincial Park toward Prince George and Vancouver for a one-way trip.
Road Trip Tips
- National Park Pass: You need a Parks Canada Discovery Pass to enter Banff and Jasper. Buy it online in advance or at the park entrance. A multi-day pass is much better value than single-entry tickets.
- Best time to go: June to September for accessible roads, open facilities, and long days. July–August is peak season — campgrounds fill up fast so book ahead. Late September has fewer crowds and golden larches.
- Bear safety: This is real bear country — both black bears and grizzlies. Carry bear spray, make noise on trails, store food in your camper (not outside), and check Parks Canada wildlife alerts before hiking.
- Fuel: Fill up in Canmore, Banff, and at Saskatchewan River Crossing. Don't run low on the parkway.
- Weather: Mountain weather changes fast. Bring warm layers even in summer — it can snow any month at elevation.
- Trip length: Allow 5–7 days minimum to do the full Calgary → Banff → Icefields Parkway → Jasper route without rushing. A week feels about right.
The Calgary to Jasper road trip via the Icefields Parkway is genuinely one of the best drives in the world. Not just Canada — the world. Do it properly with a Wicked Camper, take your time, and stop every time you feel the urge. You'll be glad you did.