must-visit in BanffNational Park & Nature

Columbia Icefield

📍 Columbia Icefield, Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

1 photos

4.6/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: Canada, Banff
Category: National Park & Nature
Duration: The Adventure runs 2.5–3 hours with 20–30 min on the ice; Skywalk alone about 1 hour.
Opening Hours: Seasonal: 2026 ended 12 Oct; next season 1 May–11 Oct 2027. Peak hours (15 Jun–6 Sep) 09:00–17:00. The Discovery Centre opens daily.
Ticket Price: Adult: Free · Dynamic: Adventure (glacier drive + Skywalk) about CAD 116–126 adult, CAD 75–82 youth 6–15, under 5 free; Skywalk alone CAD 45–48. Tax extra; Alberta residents save about 10%; parking free.
Address: Columbia Icefield, Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates: 52.2200, -117.2300

Introduction

The Columbia Icefield straddles the Alberta–British Columbia border in the Canadian Rockies and is the largest icefield in the range: roughly 325 square kilometres with ice 100–365 metres thick, spanning the northwest corner of Banff National Park and the southern end of Jasper National Park. It sits on the Continental Divide, so meltwater reaches the Pacific, the Atlantic via Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean. Its meltwater feeds six major outlet glaciers, including the Athabasca Glacier, one of the most accessible large glaciers in North America. Visitors ride a six-wheeled Ice Explorer onto the ice, walk about thirty minutes on the glacier, then shuttle up to the glass-floored Columbia Icefield Skywalk cantilevered 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley. Neither runs year-round.

✨ Highlights

Ice Explorer onto the ice

A six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle descends one of the steepest commercial roads in North America onto the glacier, taking about 20–30 minutes with commentary on ice motion and glacial formation.

Athabasca Glacier retreat

The snout has retreated roughly 1.5 km since the 1980s, exposing bedrock and moraine across the melt zone — a direct marker of warming.

Skywalk over the valley

A horseshoe glass platform cantilevers 280 m off the cliff above the Sunwapta Valley, with panels on geology and Indigenous history; a gentler inner path serves visitors uneasy with heights.

Discovery Centre

The free exhibition and lounge at the entrance covers rockfall, glacier geology and a large terrain model before you head uphill.

Free toe-of-glacier trail

An easy kilometre from the parking area reaches the edge of the Athabasca snout at no cost; stepping onto the ice itself is not permitted.

Icefields Parkway add-ons

About 105 km from Jasper and 232 km from Banff, pairing naturally with Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, Crowfoot Glacier and Athabasca Falls.

🛈 Practical Info

→Operating season：Seasonal: 2026 ran 1 May–12 Oct and has ended; next season is 1 May–11 Oct 2027. Everything closes in winter, though the icefield is still viewable from the car park.

→Prices：Dynamic online pricing: adults about CAD 116–126, youth 6–15 about CAD 75–82, under 5 free; Skywalk alone about CAD 45–48. Prices exclude tax and fall when booked early.

→Resident discount：Alberta Resident Rate takes about 10% off with local ID; Kids Go Free applies to departures before 11:00, one free child aged 6–15 per full-price adult.

→Duration：The Ice Explorer Adventure runs 2.5–3 hours including three shuttle legs, with roughly 20–30 minutes actually on the ice; the Skywalk adds about an hour. Half a day is enough from Jasper.

→Free alternatives：The Discovery Centre exhibition and the toe-of-glacier trail are free; Skywalk-only admission is available if you just want the view.

→On foot：A flat kilometre from the parking lot reaches the glacier snout; it is cold at the ice, so do not linger.

→Worth it?：Worth fitting in on a first Rockies trip if time is tight, but it is not a must-see wonder. If you have already done Banff and Yoho, trade this for Yoho's trails.

→Pitfalls：Traffic on the Parkway is heavy 1 July–15 September, so take an early departure; the glacier is windy and cold even in midsummer, so bring a jacket and sunglasses; nothing operates November to April.

→Opening Hours：Seasonal: 2026 ended 12 Oct; next season 1 May–11 Oct 2027. Peak hours (15 Jun–6 Sep) 09:00–17:00. The Discovery Centre opens daily.

→Transportation：Mid-Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93), about 105 km from Jasper and 232 km from Banff. Day trips with admission run from both towns from about CAD 382 adult; parking free.

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	Free

Dynamic: Adventure (glacier drive + Skywalk) about CAD 116–126 adult, CAD 75–82 youth 6–15, under 5 free; Skywalk alone CAD 45–48. Tax extra; Alberta residents save about 10%; parking free.

💡 Tips

• Ice Explorer seats sell out in peak season — book online and take an early departure for fewer people and better light.

• Do not run or approach crevasses on the ice; stay inside the roped-off area and follow your guide.

• If heights on the glass floor unsettle you, the solid inner path at the Skywalk gives a similar view.

• The free toe-of-the-glacier trail is flat and easy, and the best way to see ice without paying.

• Bring a warm layer, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat: reflected light off the ice is intense and ordinary glasses can be uncomfortable.

• The full experience runs 2.5–3 hours with three shuttle legs, so allow generous time with children or older relatives.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Columbia Icefield?

Seasonal: 2026 ended 12 Oct; next season 1 May–11 Oct 2027. Peak hours (15 Jun–6 Sep) 09:00–17:00. The Discovery Centre opens daily.

How much is the admission for Columbia Icefield?

Adult: Free; Dynamic: Adventure (glacier drive + Skywalk) about CAD 116–126 adult, CAD 75–82 youth 6–15, under 5 free; Skywalk alone CAD 45–48. Tax extra; Alberta residents save about 10%; parking free.

Any practical tips for visiting Columbia Icefield?

Ice Explorer seats sell out in peak season — book online and take an early departure for fewer people and better light. Do not run or approach crevasses on the ice; stay inside the roped-off area and follow your guide.

How long should I spend at Columbia Icefield?

A typical visit takes The Adventure runs 2.5–3 hours with 20–30 min on the ice; Skywalk alone about 1 hour..

Season dates checked against the official Pursuit site banffjaspercollection.com (Oct 2026): 2026 has ended, next season 1 May–11 Oct 2027. Prices are dynamic and exclude tax; expect peak-season traffic.