Road Trip In My Dreams "Highway No. 93" (Icefields Parkway and Banff-Windermere Parkway)

I have been in Canada for three years. I like many things here especially the Rocky mountains and it has become my favorite destination to go to spend my quality time in this country. One of the ways to get close to the Rockies is driving on Highway 93.

Highway 93 is also known as the Banff-Windermere Parkway south of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) and the Icefields Parkway north of the Trans-Canada Highway. It starts from the Radium Hot Springs and ends in Jasper National Park.

The main tourist route is Calgary - Banff - Lake Louise - Bow Lake - Peyto Lake - Columbia Icefield - Glacier Skywalk - Jasper. But my road trip was a little bit different from the main. We started from Calgary - Canmore - Banff - Fairmont Hot Springs - Lake Louise - Moraine Lake - Yoho - Bow Lake - Peyto Lake - Columbia Icefields - Glacier Skywalk - and Jasper. We brought our tent and food, we slept at campgrounds that were available each night.

Highway 93 is one of the most scenic highways in the world. For me, it is the most beautiful road trip in my life. The Rockies scenery was beautiful and it kept me awake all the way long on the car ride. I felt like going into a heaven, snow-capped mountains along the roadside with spectacular turquoise blue or green colored glacial lakes, and blue sky even it was cloudy sometimes. "The mountains in my dreams are here in front of me. I can't put my camera down, I have to be ready to shoot anytime. Oh, I just love the Rockies". It was my thought...

This trip we didn't do lots of hiking but, we did stop at almost every view point to capture stunning photos to share with you all. I have posted summer and winter photos to show the difference between traveling in winter and summer. For me, I like the lakes in the summer because the water will be gorgeous colors. I like the mountains in winter because they are covered by snow. Blue skies and white mountains create such a cool scene.

Our journey started in Calgary, took 16 Ave NW or Trans-Canada Hwy to Banff

Our first stop was Canmore to use a washroom and refill my tea!

Then we headed to the Town of Banff, here I like a small local sandwich shop which I forget the name of. It was so good. We walked around the town and took a gondola up to the top of Sulphur Mountain which overlooks the Town on one side and into the mountain range on the other.

After that, we went to Fairmont Hot Springs, drove through Kootenay National Park using the Hwy 93 South Banff-Windermere Parkway. Actually, Banff has hot spring too but we just wanted to drive along the Highway.

Then came back the same way and turned left onto Trans-Canada Hwy to Lake Louise. The first pic is winter time, the lake becomes an ice skating rink. The second pic is a very nice lake in summer. The last one is the ski resort side in winter.

Continued to Moraine Lake, one of the most popular photographs on postcards.

Stopped at Yoho National Park for a couple hour to check-in the Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, and Takakaw water fall

Took Trans-Canada Hwy back, then turned left onto Hwy 93 North or Icefields Parkway

Next stop was at the Bow Glacier, Bow Lake and Num-Ti-Jah Lodge

Now it's time to show you the Peyto Lake which you will easily see on postcards.

Breath-taking views you will see on the Icefields Parkway from Peyto Lake to Columbia Icefield. We stopped like a Calgary transit bus (many stops)!

Columbia Icefield, winter white snow is more beautiful than in summer. We did not take a big red bus tour. It costs $85 if you want to do that. You can also buy a Glacier Skywalk pass from the service center located in this area but the other side of the road. Only their buses will be allowed to park up there and you cannot go on the Skywalk without a pass.

Glacier Skywalk, we did not buy a ticket from the Columbia Icefield so we couldn't get to see the skywalk but, we could park at an unofficial spot to see view around then we left.

Finally, here we were in Jasper! It is a nice town surrounded by mountains and friendly wildlife. I saw 24 Elk, 6 White-tailed Deer, 18 Mountain Sheep, and a coyote. We rode the Jasper SkyTram for stunning views of six mountain ranges, glacial fed lakes, with the Athabasca River past the town.

At the top of the SkyTram we were there on a lucky day, one of only 4 or 5 days per month that the white peak in the distance is visible. You will notice all of the red trees below. This is due to an invasive species of beetle that is killing thousands of trees in the area.