David and I had completely different childhoods. His family vacations consisted of camping and venturing out west to explore its many national parks. My family vacations consisted of being beach bums along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly after David and I started dating, I tagged along on one of his family’s western adventures. Our destination was Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada – the trip that triggered my obsession with national parks.
We drove the length of the Icefields Parkway, which connected the two parks together. Below are some highlights of what we saw along the way:
Lake Louise – A beautiful crystal-clear lake surrounded by mountains, glaciers and the iconic Fairmont Chateau. We causally hiked around the lake watching the people in canoes bob in the water.
Moraine Lake – A glacier-fed lake known for its distinct shade of blue. We climbed a rock scree to get the perfect view of the lake and its frozen waterfalls.
Spirit Island – A tiny island in Maligne Lake that’s one of the most famous views of the Canadian Rockies. We took a boat across the lake to see the island and to do some hiking.
Athabasca Glacier – The most accessible glacier in the Columbia Icefields. We took a Snowcoach tour out to the glacier where we were allowed to walk around and drink the glacial water.
Peyto Lake – After climbing a short distance to the overlook, we were greeted with one of our favorite views in Canada – a postcard perfect lake in the shape of a wolf!