Bob

What would be the advantages and disadvantages to these three possible ways to do the Icefields Parkway?<BR><BR>1. Drive from Banff to Jasper, spend the night in Jasper, drive back the next day.<BR>2. Drive from Banff to the Icefields Chalet, spend the night their and drive back the next day.<BR>3. Drive trom Banff to Columbia Glacier and back the same day.<BR><BR>Or are there better suggestions?

Bob Brown

None of the above. The parkway is worth more than a cursory drive along the full length. And it is indeed worth driving the full length. I would try to spend the night along the route so I could walk some of the trails, e.g. Peyto Lake, Athabasca Falls, Beauty Creek. Besides, there are things to see near Jasper that are worth the time and effort. <BR>The logical budget place along the parkway is the motel at The Crossing. The Icefields Chalet is pricey, but nice. It is right were the ice cats go out on the glacier. Spending one night in Jasper so you can visit Mount Edith Cavell is also one of my suggestions.<BR><BR>The parkway does not look the same on the return trip, at least not to me.<BR>I have driven it several times both ways, and if I will drive it again, if my health holds up.<BR><BR>As my son said on the day we drove from Jasper to Banff, &quot;Ho hum, another world class view.&quot; A lot of truth to that.<BR>After three hours of world class views, one tends to become saturated with beauty.<BR>

ltt

drive all the way to jasper. ideally, it would be good if you spent two nights there and then did the return trip.

JMM

Number 1 - drive all the way to Jasper or better yet as Bob suggested - all the way to Jasper but stop overnight on the way.<BR>This REALLY is one of the most spectacular drives anywhere. Bring lots of film and stop frequently - the photo ops and wild life are great.

bob_brown

You don't really have a lot to select from between lake Louise and Jasper.<BR>I can recall these three places, other than hostles and campgrounds:<BR>Num ti Jah Lodge very near the Bow Glacier.<BR>The Crossing where the David Thompson Highway comes in from Red Deer.<BR>The hotel at the Icefields Center.<BR>It has a few rooms, and is expensive as said earlier. But, it has a location that cannot be beat.<BR><BR>Because there are no villages of any size at all along the parkway, your average speed is relatively high because you don't get bogged down in traffic.<BR>the Icefields chalet or whatever that establishment is called does have nice rooms. I stopped there one day, and took my self up to the lodging floor and looked in while the maids were cleaning. Looked nice.<BR>The drawback is that the hotel rooms are upstairs over the visitor center.<BR>It closes at night, but you don't just drive up to your room and park at the door. <BR>