Icefields Parkway

Infobox road
highway_name = Icefields Parkway
name_notes = (Highway 93)
marker_

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Jasper

Saskatchewan Crossing

Lake Louise

Banff

Calgary

Edmonton

length_km = 230
direction_a = North
direction_b = South
starting_terminus = Jasper
ending_terminus = Lake Louise
cities = Jasper, Lake Louise
established = 1940
system = Alberta provincial highway

The Icefields Parkway (French Promenade des Glaciers), also known as Highway 93, is a scenic road in Alberta, Canada. It parallels the Continental Divide, traversing the rugged landscape of the Canadian Rockies. It travels through Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, linking Lake Louise and Jasper. (Highway 93 runs concurrently with Highway 1 between Lake Louise and the Castle Mountain junction, where it continues into Kootenay National Park in British Columbia.)

The parkway, km to mi|230|abbr=yes in length, was completed in 1940; it is named for features such as the Columbia Icefield, which is visible while traveling the parkway.

The parkway is very busy in the summer months of July and August with peak traffic flow of 100,000 vehicles per month. The parkway is primarily a two-lane highway with occasional passing lanes. The highway is well engineered to minimize grades and hairpin turns but drivers must also be on the lookout for wildlife, touring cyclists, and vehicles stopped on the shoulder. Extreme weather conditions are also a factor, particularly during winter.

A national parks permit is required to travel on the Icefields Parkway; stations near Lake Louise and Jasper enforce the law. Commercial trucks are prohibited from using the parkway. The maximum speed limit is 90 km/h (55 mph) although the limit is reduced at Saskatchewan Crossing and the Columbia Icefield area. In winter, chains or all-season radial tires are required by law and road closures are not uncommon.

Route

Going northwest from Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway passes the following points of interest:
* Crowfoot Glacier
* Bow Summit [altitude of m to ft|2088|abbr=yes] and Peyto Lake
* Mistaya Canyon
* Saskatchewan River Crossing
* Parker Ridge
* Columbia Icefield (Athabasca Glacier)
* Icefield Centre
* Athabasca Falls
* Sunwapta Pass and Sunwapta Falls

Campgrounds spot the length of the Parkway, and offer basic amenities such as water and firewood. These are typically available for a low daily rental fee.

The Parkway is easily bikable between Banff and Jasper over a three-to-five day period, and self-supported riders are quite common in the summer. Bicycle tour operators also commonly use the Parkway route, although often extend the ride to five days in order to leave time to drive back to the starting point.

Limited services are available at Saskatchewan River Crossing and the Icefield Centre, and only from April to October. Gasoline is only available at Saskatchewan River Crossing.

Highway 93A

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Just south of Jasper, a short spur of the parkway branches off as Highway 93A, providing access to businesses on the south side of Jasper and an alternate route into the town itself. Another 93A spur is located farther along the parkway itself, providing alternate access to viewpoints and other attractions within Jasper National Park.

The stretch of highway south of Jasper is very narrow and the pavement is uneven, with an average speed limit of 60 km/h. Also, the brush grows right up to the side of the highway so animals can be very difficult to see.

External links

* [http://www.icefieldsparkway.ca/ Icefield Parkway.ca]
* [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/destinations/Banff_National_Park/Icefields_Parkway_Drive.html#tour National Geographic] - Icefield Parkway driving tour
* [http://www1.travelalberta.com/content/travellingto/take.cfm?roadtripID=7 Travel Alberta] - The Icefields Parkway