An Epic RV Trip to Western Canada and the Canadian Rockies PT. 2 (Jasper, Icefields Parkway)

Some RV trips are about the destination. Others are about the drive. And then there are those rare adventures where every single part of the journey feels like the destination. That is exactly what happened during the second leg of Gretchen Holcombe’s epic Western Canada RV trip.
In Part One of this three-part series, we followed Gretchen and her family through Calgary and Banff National Park. This week, the adventure continues north along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park, then back south to the Lake Louise area of Banff National Park, with an unforgettable side trip into Yoho National Park.
This is the kind of RV trip that belongs on a bucket list. There are glacier-fed lakes, waterfalls, wildlife encounters, mountain hikes, incredible campgrounds, surprisingly good food, and some very important lessons about towing an RV through the Canadian Rockies.
And while Banff may get more attention, Gretchen surprised us by admitting that if she could return to only one of the two parks, she might choose Jasper. It felt more relaxed, more rugged, and less crowded—and she left feeling like there was still plenty she hadn’t had time to see.
To listen to our interview with Gretchen please click on the media player above or subscribe to the RV Atlas podcast wherever you get your favorite shows!
Driving the Icefields Parkway With an RV
The Icefields Parkway connects the Lake Louise area of Banff National Park with Jasper National Park.
The drive is about 144 miles, but this is absolutely not a road you should think of simply as transportation between two destinations.
The Icefields Parkway is an attraction all its own. Towering mountains surround the road almost continuously. There are glacier views, waterfalls, alpine lakes, hiking trails, and scenic overlooks scattered along the route.
Gretchen’s best advice is simple:
Do not rush it.
Many travelers devote an entire day to the drive, stopping frequently for scenery and short hikes along the way.
The Challenge of Scenic Pullouts With a Larger RV
There is one significant downside if you’re towing a bigger travel trailer or driving a large motorhome.
Not every scenic pullout is particularly RV friendly.
Gretchen and her husband frequently found themselves looking at a turnout and debating whether they could safely fit.
Sometimes they decided to keep driving.
A Class B van or smaller RV will give you much more flexibility along this route. If you’re traveling with a bigger setup, be prepared to pass some of the smaller overlooks and concentrate on the larger stops.
One of the easiest major stops is the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, which has a large parking area with dedicated RV parking.
The family stopped there for lunch and enjoyed views of the Athabasca Glacier from the visitor complex. It’s also the departure point for the popular glacier tours that carry visitors onto the ice.
Don’t Underestimate the Mountain Driving
Here is one piece of advice Gretchen wished she had heard more clearly before the trip:
The Icefields Parkway is still mountain driving.
The road is well maintained and large RVs travel it every day, but there are substantial grades.
Gretchen had actually worried more about other mountain passes later in their Western Canada journey. Instead, one long grade just past the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre caught her off guard.
She estimated that portions reached around a 12% grade.
Their 2003 van handled the route, but they manually downshifted and found themselves using the brakes more than they normally would on mountain roads.
Her advice for other RVers is not to avoid the Icefields Parkway. Quite the opposite.
Just arrive prepared.
Know how your tow vehicle performs on steep grades, understand how to downshift appropriately, and don’t assume that beautiful scenery means an effortless drive.
Jasper National Park Feels Different From Banff
Both Banff and Jasper showcase the spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies, but they have very different pe...