Hike Details
- Difficulty: 1/6 (Very Easy)
- Distance: 1km
- Duration: 0.5hrs
- Elevation: 20m
- Type: Out & Back
- Exposure: None
- Season: Jan - Dec
- Dogs: Yes (On Leash)
- Camping: No
- Wheelchairs: Yes
- Public Transport: No
- Strollers: Yes
Description
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Only a few metres from the highway, watch as the Athabasca River thunders over this impressive waterfall. Athabasca Falls are located in a wide valley with stunning mountains as a backdrop.
There are a number of stops along the Icefields Parkway that wouldn’t necessarily catch your eye unless you knew about them. This is one of those – do not miss this viewpoint; you won’t be disappointed!
Entry to almost all viewpoints along the Icefields Parkway is included in your Banff / Jasper National park admission. Buying this pass ensures that you are helping support the local environment and ecosystems for generations to come.
Navigation
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The trail: Well-signed, marked or frequent on trail maps. Always carry a map. Phone signal in BC is not reliable when hiking. Always carry an OFFLINE map. I recommend and use AllTrails+ and Gaia Maps.
Hike Difficulty And Conditions
The great thing about Athabasca Falls is that they’re so accessible. The main viewpoint is 1km from the parking lot, making it a perfect leg stretching stop for almost everyone.
The trail is mostly well paved and it is possible to see the first viewpoints without navigating any steps. However, some of the later sections do require you to navigate steps.
Athabasca Falls are 257km from Banff and 32km from Jasper.
Camping
- Camping Possible: No
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Stroller Accessible: Yes
- Dog Friendly: Yes (On Leash)
Location & Access
- Public Transport: No
- From Vancouver: 8.5hr(s)
- Region: Jasper National Park
- Trailhead: 52.66557, -117.88298
- Vehicle Requirement: Any Vehicle
Getting There
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The falls are located 32km south of Jasper, making it one of the first major stops on the Icefields Parkway road trip between Jasper and Banff.
It forms one section of the powerful Athabasca River, which originates at the Columbia Icefield further south. It makes an interesting lesson in physical geography to observe the source and the river itself.
Although there are no public transport options, some tours operate in the area including Moose Travel Network.
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Rent a car, or better still, reduce the demand for cars with Evo Car Share, Vancouver's car sharing network.
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