Meaning 'turbulent water' in the native language of the Stoney First Nations, the 18m Sunwapta Falls formed when the glacial meltwaters of the Sunwapta River began falling from a hanging valley into the deeper, U-shaped Athabasca Valley. Close to the Icefields Pkwy and the Sunwapta Falls Resort and restaurant, the falls are a popular stop for travelers plying the scenic highway. They're also the start of a 25km biking and hiking trail to remote Fortress Lake in Hamber Provincial Park.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.15 MILES
Encompassing 11,228 sq km of Rocky Mountains wilderness, including jagged peaks, vast forests, glacial lakes and the magnificent Columbia Icefield, Jasper…
12.24 MILES
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29.33 MILES
About halfway between Lake Louise village and Jasper Town, you'll glimpse the vast Columbia Icefield, covering an area the size of Vancouver and feeding…
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Despite being only 23m high, Athabasca Falls is Jasper’s most dramatic and voluminous waterfall, a deafening combination of sound, spray and water. The…
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14.73 MILES
This idyllic, blue-green horseshoe-shaped lake just off the Icefields Pkwy is missed by many visitors, making a stopover here all the more alluring. A…
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22.82 MILES
A geological rarity, Medicine Lake is perhaps best described as an intermittent lake with a porous bottom that functions rather like a bathtub without a…
Nearby Jasper National Park attractions
12.24 MILES
Almost 50km from Jasper at the end of a stunning road that bears its name, 22km-long Maligne Lake is the recipient of a lot of hype. It's the largest lake…
13.28 MILES
Mary Schäffer was the first non-indigenous woman to travel through much of the Jasper region – this lookout gives you a glimpse of the scenery she loved…
13.59 MILES
Despite being only 23m high, Athabasca Falls is Jasper’s most dramatic and voluminous waterfall, a deafening combination of sound, spray and water. The…
14.73 MILES
This idyllic, blue-green horseshoe-shaped lake just off the Icefields Pkwy is missed by many visitors, making a stopover here all the more alluring. A…
16.62 MILES
Pause at this picnic area on the east side of the road between Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake and watch for bears and mountain goats.
17.15 MILES
Encompassing 11,228 sq km of Rocky Mountains wilderness, including jagged peaks, vast forests, glacial lakes and the magnificent Columbia Icefield, Jasper…
19.69 MILES
Rising like a snowy sentinel over Jasper Town, Mt Edith Cavell (3363m) is one of the park’s most distinctive and physically arresting peaks. What it lacks…
22.82 MILES
A geological rarity, Medicine Lake is perhaps best described as an intermittent lake with a porous bottom that functions rather like a bathtub without a…