Trip from Calgary to Jasper

Day 1: trip from Calgary to Jasper

We decided to move from Calgary to Vancouver by car, and instead of taking the fastest route, we picked the longest and most scenic one. 

Day 1 was the drive from Calgary to Jasper, and it turned out to be a day full of lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, and surprises.

Our first stop was Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. The water was glowing turquoise, calm like a mirror. Standing there, it felt like stepping back a hundred years—I could almost imagine travelers from the early 1900s arriving by horse and carriage, seeking the same peace and quiet we felt. The old lodge on the shore only added to that timeless atmosphere.

From there, we continued along the Icefields Parkway to Peyto Lake. The lake’s famous wolf-head shape and bright blue color were incredible to see in person, but we weren’t alone—crowds of tourists gathered at the lookout, all trying to snap the perfect photo. Still, the view was worth every bit of the bustle.

Further along, we reached the Athabasca Glacier, one of the most accessible glaciers in the Rockies. It looked both majestic and fragile—huge sheets of ice with deep cracks running through them, but also clear signs of retreat. The markers showing how far the glacier has shrunk over the last century made us pause. It was a powerful reminder of how quickly nature can change.

We made a quick stop at Tangle Creek Falls, a beautiful cascade right by the road. The water spills down in terraces, step after step, like nature’s own staircase. It was one of those stops where you expect to spend five minutes but end up staying much longer, just watching the water crash down the rocks.

The weather throughout the day seemed to have a personality of its own. Sun, wind, clouds, rain—we experienced it all. One moment we were in shorts, the next we were pulling on coats. It kept us on our toes, but it also made every stop feel different, as if the mountains were showing us a new mood each time.

Finally, we rolled into Jasper, only to be met with a sobering sight: wide stretches of burned forest, the result of last year’s wildfires. The blackened trees stood in sharp contrast to the green valleys, a reminder that the beauty of these landscapes is also fragile.

By the end of the day, our cameras were full, our clothes were layered in every possible combination, and our legs were tired from running to each viewpoint. Day 1 of the journey felt less like a simple drive and more like an adventure through history, nature, and the ever-changing moods of the Rockies.