The Most Iconic Canadian Road Trip - The Rocky Mountains


When people think about visiting Canada, the West - and especially the Canadian Rockies - is usually high on the list. And for good reason. If you’ve never been, I’ll do my best to take you on a little virtual road trip in this post. Photos can give you a hint of what to expect, but they don’t quite capture the massive scale, the stillness, or that feeling of standing there, completely in awe.

As a Canadian, I’ve done the drive from Calgary to Jasper 4 times now, and I’m still blown away every time. It’s not just a scenic route - it’s one of the most extraordinary stretches of road you can take anywhere in the world.

Leaving Calgary: From Prairie to Peaks

The best place to begin the journey is Calgary, a city that sits between the vast Canadian Prairies, and the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It's a great place to fly into and spend a few days if you have time.  This is where you'll want to rent your car.

Starting out in Calgary, you'll notice the landscape is all open skies and gentle rolling fields. After heading west on the Trans-Canada Highway, it won't be long before the horizon changes. Within an hour, the mountains rise like a wall in the distance, and suddenly you’re no longer driving toward the Rockies - you’re in them.

Even for those of us who’ve seen it before, that first sight of the peaks never gets old.

Banff: Canada's Mountain Gateway

About 90 minutes from Calgary is Banff, a small town nestled within the first national park in Canada. Banff is both historic and popular, a place where you’ll see international visitors mingling with locals and backpackers sipping coffee with beautiful mountain views.

Photo by Louis Paulin on Unsplash

Banff is touristy, but seems to be able to maintain a quaint "mountain village" charm. The setting is spectacular, and the town is filled with character. You can ride the gondola up Sulphur Mountain, to see some never-ending views, soak in the hot springs, or walk the Bow River trail through the trees. Even the main street offers picturesque views that will have you reaching for your camera.

It’s the kind of place where you slow down—not because you’re on vacation, but because the mountains ask you to.

Lake Louise, Moraine Lake: Two Lakes Almost Too Beautiful to Believe

Lake Louise

Another hour up the road is Lake Louise, and, just down the road,  Moraine Lake. Both lakes are two of the most photographed lakes in the world. And yes - the colour really is that turquoise. It’s not a camera trick. It comes from rock flour, created by glaciers grinding against stone, suspended in the water.

Moraine Lake

People often come here expecting it to be beautiful - and still find themselves speechless. You can walk along the shore, rent a canoe, or hike up to the tea house in the mountains if you're up for a bit of a climb. It’s all stunning.

The Icefields Parkway: A Drive That Will Leave You Speechless

Photo by Ali Kazal on Unsplash

Between Lake Louise and Jasper lies the Icefields Parkway - a 230-kilometre stretch of highway that many Canadians consider one of our country’s greatest treasures.

This is more than just a scenic drive. It's a three-hour drive that stretches into 5 because you have to keep pulling over to take more pictures.  Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife sightings along the way - elk, mountain goats and big-horn sheep are always around, You may even see a bear or two. 


I guarantee you'll be stopping often but one stop you'll make for sure is at the Athabasca Glacier, which is part of the Columbia Icefield.  Here you can walk out onto a 10,000 year-old glacier. 

Photo by Gene Dizon on Unsplash

Jasper: Quiet Wilderness

The Town of Jasper, the northern end of this route, is smaller and more relaxed than Banff. It feels more like a true mountain town—less polished, a little more rugged. It's here where you can do a lot of hiking, as well as some wildlife sightings (there seems to be as many elk as there are people). 

Hiking Maligne Canyon is always the first thing we do in Jasper.  Every time it's like seeing it for the first time. It's breathtaking.




If you’ve made it this far, thanks for coming along on this little virtual ride through the Rockies. It’s one of those places that sticks with you - big skies, bigger mountains, and moments that make you stop and wonder if it is actually real. Whether you get to experience it in person or are simply exploring from afar, I hope this gave you a taste of what makes this corner of Canada so unforgettable.

Comments

  1. Wow!! These photos are stunning and the descriptions you provided make me long to take this trip! My husband and I love a good road trip, I'm going to send him this blog right now!

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    Replies
    1. It's an amazing place to go.

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  2. Yes, please!! I-70 across southern Utah has a similar "speechless" effect... that Rocky Mountain corridor is breathtaking - north to south.

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  3. So beautiful! A year or so ago, I had the opportunity to go to Boulder CO to see the Rockies -- and they are beautiful here too. However, those lakes are something I would love to see!

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  4. Unbelievable beauty! I loved every second!!

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  5. Barbara, the destinations you're talking about are among the most gorgeous I've ever been to, especially Lake Louise and Banff. We walked on the glacier, and we noticed that not too long ago it ended where the parking is today. Climate change right in front of your eyes. I purchased a jacket in Jasper which I still wear and love.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the glacier has receded a fair bit. There was quite a change in 12 years between visits.

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  6. Wow, I love your photos. The water in the lake looks so clear.

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  7. It's been a few years since we've made those drives. Our last drive out was to Kelowna and Vancouver.

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