Athabasca Falls is a powerful waterfall that roars down into a short canyon not far from the Icefields Parkway in Glacier National Park. Meltwater from the slowly receding glaciers of the Columbia Icefield converges in the Athabasca River, which over countless years has pounded unique potholes and gulleys into the rock around it.
While Athabasca Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls in all of Alberta and a must-do on any Icefields Parkway itinerary, the accessibility and popularity if this stunning glacier-fed waterfall means you’re unlikely to have it all to yourself. If visiting in the middle of the day in summer, this place is crowded. Athabasca Falls is probably one of the most popular and busiest stops along the Icefield Parkway. Still, whether you’re able to time it right to avoid the crowds or not, this place is beautiful.
In addition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike to Silverton Falls a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience Athabasca Falls in Jasper for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
Note: Athabasca Falls is located in Jasper National Park, meaning that a valid park pass is required. Day passes can be purchased at the park gates and are per day per person, but if you’re staying a week or longer, it’s more cost-effective to just buy an annual pass instead.
Before visiting Jasper National Park it’s essential to read up on the Parks Canada rules that must be followed to avoid tickets and/or fines. When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Athabasca Falls as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
When to Visit Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls is visitable year-round, and the powerful Athabasca River sends a torrent of water over the falls even in the driest of years. In winter the waterfall freezes beautifully and the short and flat trail makes it one of the more accessible frozen waterfalls in the park. In the winter there aren’t very many visitors to Athabasca Falls but in the summer it can get quite busy. If looking to avoid the Disneyland-sequel crowds I suggest visiting early or late in the day. These photos were taken just before sunset and I had the views mostly to myself.
How to Get to Athabasca Falls
The turn-off for Athabasca Falls from the Icefields Parkway is well-signed, about 25 minutes south of Jasper or three hours north of Banff. When driving the Icefields Parkway make sure to have a paper map or digital one downloaded onto your phone, as for most of the drive you won’t have service.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Walking to Athabasca Falls
The large parking lot for Athabasca Falls, probably about as empty as it gets in summer.
Following the sound of rushing water.
The concrete bridge offers a great viewpoint down over the raging waters of the Athabasca River.
The water rushes away through the short canyon.
Having followed the path around to the viewpoint on the other side of the falls. The spray here is intense, and the views fantastic.
Beautiful Athabasca Falls as seen from the viewpoint.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.