🏔️ The 144-Mile Scenic Drive That Tops My Bucket List

Howdy Roadtrippers, and Happy Wednesday!

A few weeks ago I asked if any of you were interested in international road trips, and a surprising number of y’all responded that you had already taken one!

Which, personally, is inspiring.

Because there is one such trip that I really want to take. And it includes one of the most beautiful drives in the world.

So, lemme tell you all about it — including why I haven’t done it yet — and what I might do to change that. 🚗💨

• 🏔️ The Route Report: The Icefields Parkway

• 🏨 The Check-in: How to save on expensive hotels

• 🪣 The Pit Stop Poll: Bucket list trips

🏔️ The Route Report: The Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway is a 144-mile scenic highway that connects Banff National Park and Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada.

The 3.5-hour drive winds through the Canadian Rockies, with jaw-dropping views of towering mountain peaks, turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, and the Columbia Icefields that lend the highway its name.

Most trips to the area will start with a flight into Calgary International Airport (YYC) before heading west to the town of Banff.

The parkway starts near Lake Louise, northwest of the town of Banff, and makes its way north to the town of Jasper. While it technically takes just 3.5 hours to drive, it’s definitely a stretch that will make you want to stop and take it all in over and over… so it’s easily a half-day activity.

The Icefields Parkway even has its own website, full of information and points of interest along the way, many of which I’ve detailed below:

• Bow Lake – Great stop for views of multiple glaciers 

• Peyto Lake – most photographed lake in the Canadian Rockies

  

  Peyto Lake, Banff National Park

• Bow Summit – highest point on the drive and great views of Peyto Lake

• Mistaya Canyon — walking trail to views of rushing water through the limestone gorge

  

  Mistaya Canyon, Banff National Park

• Saskatchewan River Crossing – the only stop for public bathrooms and gas

• Weeping Wall –Mountain face with a series of waterfalls, the largest of which is called Teardrop

  

  Weeping Wall, Banff National Park

• Columbia Icefield – largest ice field south of the Arctic Circle

• Tangle Falls – roadside waterfall perfect for photographs; popular ice climbing spot in winter months

  

  Tangle Falls, Jasper National Park

• Sunwapta Falls – 60-foot waterfall just south of Jasper

• Athabasca Falls – powerful falls with viewing platforms and walking trails

  

  Athabasca Falls, Jasper National Park

It’s a breathtakingly gorgeous drive in every season: the perfect summer road trip, a fall foliage escape, and a quiet, snowy wonderland in the winter months.

The highway is open year-round, but snow tires are legally required starting November 1^st , and weather-related closures are not uncommon.

There’s also no cell service along the parkway, so this is a drive you prepare for the old-school way, with downloaded (or paper) maps, pre-planned stops along the way, and enough fuel and emergency supplies for the trip.

And most importantly, check the weather and driving conditions before heading out – especially in the winter months.

Additionally, the entire journey lies within the two Canadian national parks and, therefore, requires a daily park pass for the drive. Time your trip during the summer months, and you might be able to take advantage of free admission with the Canada Strong Pass.

What to do in the area

• Book the Columbia Icefield Adventure for a tour onto the glaciers or do the Glacier Skywalk—both only available during the summer months.

• Cruise to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies

• Hike a Tea House Trail 

• Hike Johnston Canyon – well-maintained trails with catwalks to waterfalls

• Visit Banff Upper Hot Springs or Miette Hot Springs in Jasper

And if you’d rather see the mountains from the skies, you have your pick of scenic gondola rides in the area:

• Lake Louise Gondola – potential for spotting wild grizzlies as you pass overhead

• Banff Gondola – popular ride up Sulphur Mountain for 360-degree views with dining and interactive exhibits

• Sunshine Village Gondola — best for wildflower meadows and hikes to alpine lakes

• Jasper Sky Tram – the highest and longest aerial tram in Canada

Whether you’re an adventure seeker who wants to hike or a casual explorer content to enjoy the views, the sky — quite literally — is the limit for what you can see and do in and around the Icefields Parkway.

It’s an undeniably beautiful drive with plenty to do in the area, arguably a perfect road trip destination.

So why haven’t I done it yet??

Well… because, frankly, it can be a pretty expensive trip. 🥴

🏨 The Check-in: How to save on expensive hotels

Staying in Banff and Jasper can be expensive depending on the season, and properties bookable with points are few and far between.

Between flights, expensive lodging in town, a rental car, Canada Parks admission, any activities, and meals, this “road trip” really starts to add up.

More budget-friendly versions of this trip usually involve camping or visiting in the shoulder seasons when prices are lower, but several attractions may be closed due to weather.

There are a few ways to save on accommodations, though, if you know how to play your cards right. 😉

The Marriott Bonvoy Route: two roads diverged

There is exactly one Marriott property in the Banff/Jasper area, the Moxy Banff.

A revamped and reimagined version of Banff’s original commercial motel, The Voyager Inn, which first opened in 1964, the Moxy Banff reopened two years ago with a fresh look, paying homage to its history with heavy 1960s retro-ski vibes.

Nightly rates can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year, from $167 a night during the shoulder season to over $850 a night during peak summertime. 🤯

And as Marriott award nights are dynamically priced, the points price fluctuates just as much.

Four nights in late June, one of the best times of year to drive the Icefields Parkway, are currently priced at 236,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or $2,219.

That’s a lot of points to burn on 4 nights, IMO. To me, those points are better spent on airfare than one expensive hotel.

If you’ve got points to burn, though, you could book with points and get the 5th night free thanks to Marriott’s 5th night free perk.

If you’re like me, though, and that feels a little out of reach, I’ve got an even better solution.👇

Certain Marriott co-branded credit cards, like this one, sometimes have welcome offers that include Free Night Awards.

And while Marriott’s Free Night Awards say they can be used for nights up to 50,000 points, as of this year, they can now be topped up with an additional 25,000 points per night.

If each of those nights in Banff is priced at 59,000 points, you could apply 4 Free Night Awards and top them up with a total of 36,000 points.

And you could potentially save even more if you time it up with the frequent 30-40% transfer bonuses we see from UR points or MR points throughout the year.

So, if you recently picked up this card during its elevated offer and are wondering what card might complement it, a co-branded card that comes with a few free nights could help make a Banff road trip a reality for you.

Plus, you could detour on your way back to Calgary and spend a night at the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Autograph Collection, a resort getaway destination that is also part of Marriott Bonvoy.

And Marriott Bonvoy members with lower-level elite status (a perk offered by some cards) can save 15% at the highly acclaimed Nordic spa when staying on property.

Something to consider if you’re planning a longer trip. 🤔

The Accor Live Limitless Route: the dark horse option

If the trendy, youthful vibe of the Moxy isn’t your speed, and you’re more “Castle in the Mountains,” then look no further than the historic Fairmont Banff Springs.

It literally is a castle in the mountains.

Massive, imposing, gorgeous, and… expensive.

And bookable with points as a member of the Accor Live Limitless loyalty program.

Their program is a little different because instead of traditional award nights, Accor lets you redeem points at checkout to reduce your bill.

The way it works is that their points have a fixed value where 2,000 points = €40 off your stay.

That’s about 2 euro cents per point, or roughly 2.1 to 2.3 U.S. cents per point, depending on the exchange rate.

Rates vary based on date and room type, but you can estimate how many points you’d need by looking at the total (in euros), dividing it by 40, and multiplying by 2,000 to get the estimated number of points.

Let’s take a look at the math

For instance, this stay over Memorial Day is priced at €587 with taxes and fees.

• €587/40= 14.675

• 14.675 x 2,000 = 29,350 ALL points

Capital One and ThankYou Points both transfer to Accor at a 2:1 ratio, and Bilt transfers at a 3:2 ratio.

So to make the math simple, you’d multiply the total ALL points needed by 2 to figure out how many Capital One miles you’d need.

• 29,350 x 2 = 58,700 miles

Keep in mind, Accor points are unique in that you can use them to pay for all or just part of your hotel bill, though they do require you to redeem in increments of 2,000 points, so you’ll likely have a few points left over.

And while normally Accor is known to let you redeem points to cover extra charges – like room service, spa services, parking, etc. — I have it on good authority (my trusty colleague, Mike) that Fairmont doesn’t partake in that feature. 😢

But you could use them to discount what would otherwise be a rather expensive stay, even if you didn’t have enough to cover the whole booking.

Food for thought. 💭

This also works at the other Accor properties in the area, Rimrock Banff and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, two frequently recommended and pricier stays.

If you’d like to live it up for a few days as king or queen of the mountains, this could be your ticket to affording a bucket list stay in Banff or Jasper.

The Open Road: use a card with credits

If you find yourself somewhere between those options, or preferring to stay at one of the many local hotels in the area, a credit card with travel credits you can use in their portal might be the way to go.

For example, accommodations are pretty limited in Jasper, so a local hotel like this one might be the most affordable option.

If you hold a card like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card, you could use the $300 credit towards a night here to break up your Icefields Parkway drive.

And use the points from the welcome offer to book a couple of fancy-pants nights at the Fairmont Banff Springs like we just talked about. 😉

How’s that for a trip basically planning itself?

🪣 The Pit Stop Poll: Bucket list trips

There’s also a whole winter version of this trip that we didn’t even get to. 🌲❄️⛷️

Regardless of when you go, this is very much a trip that requires planning, and prices vary a lot throughout the year.

So, if it’s on your list, be sure to plan ahead, and if you’ve already driven the Icefields Parkway, I’d love to hear about it!

That’s all for this week, friends!

Katie Begnoche
Writer, Daily Drop
29.7604° N , 95.3698° W

With contributions by April Wilson and Mike Dodge.