Banff 
Columbia Icefield Adventure and Skywalk in Jasper National Park opens for the 2023 season on May 6th.
Columbia IceField Skywalk
If you want to step back in time and experience an ancient sheet of ice, look no further than the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park. The Athabasca Glacier, which is one of six glaciers fed by the Columbia Icefield, is easily accessible to visitors travelling on the Icefields Parkway. Although it has receded approximately a mile in the past century and is still receding, you can walk to the toe of the glacier from the visitor center for free (just don’t climb on it!).
For a more immersive experience, hop on an Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle and take a guided tour of the glacier. You’ll be able to walk on the glacier and even drink from it. You can stay on the glacier for 20 minutes but must stay within the clearly-marked safe area.
Pursuit Banff Jasper Collection Ice Explorer
After your glacier tour, the tour takes you to the glass-floored Skywalk for a breathtaking walk at the cliff’s edge.
Columbia Icefield Skywalk is an interpretive walkway offering incredible Sunwapta Valley views. And, if you’re lucky, you may even spot some local wildlife, like mountain goats.
But the real highlight of the Columbia Icefield Skywalk is the suspended glass platform that extends 35 meters out from the cliff face, 280 meters above the Sunwapta Valley. It’s not for the faint of heart, but the experience of standing on glass with nothing but rugged terrain beneath your feet is truly unforgettable.
The Columbia Icefield Skywalk experience is designed to draw inspiration from and integrate with the wilderness. Six interpretive stations spaced along the 400-meter cliff-edge walkway highlight the unique environmental aspects of a glacial valley, and interactive displays, audio commentary systems, and roving interpretive guides provide plenty of learning opportunities.
The Skywalk doesn’t offer views of the Athabasca Glacier. Instead, it provides panoramic views of the Sunwapta Valley, and surrounding snowcapped mountains.
Visitors to the Skywalk and Athabasca Glacier Bus tour must park at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre and take the included shuttle. Admission to both attractions starts at $97.00 per adult and $63.05 per child.
Though the tours are available as a package, you can choose to visit Skywalk separately. Pursuit attractions have dynamic pricing and will change day to day based on projected visitation.
Tours depart every hour, and booking your ticket and reserving a tour time in advance is strictly recommended. And, if you have little ones, don’t worry – children ages five and under ride for free with a ticket.
Your admission to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk ($37 & up for adults) includes shuttle transportation between the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre and the Skywalk, a hand-held audio guide available in a variety of languages, access to the interpretive walkway, and, of course, the glass-floor platform. And, if you’re an Alberta resident, you can save up to 20% on your admission.
The Columbia Icefield Adventure is accessible for guests requiring wheelchair access. Two Ice Explorers are equipped with wheelchair lifts, and accessible vans are available to transport guests to the Ice Explorer and then to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, which is also wheelchair accessible.
Trip Planning — Columbia Icefield Adventure & Skywalk
What: On this incredible experience you’ll travel on a massive Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle to the Athabasca Glacier, a 10,000-year-old sheet of ice, where you can walk on, feel and drink from the glacier. From there, you’ll head to the glass-floored Skywalk for a jaw-dropping walk at the cliff’s edge.
When:
Columbia Icefield Adventure
May 6 – May 19 | 11 AM – 4 PM
May 20 – September 30 | 10 AM – 5 PM
October 1 – 9 | 11 AM – 4 PM
Skywalk
May 6 – May 19 | 11 AM – 5 PM
May 20 – September 30 | 10 AM – 6 PM
October 1 – 9 | 11 AM – 5 PM
How Much:
Skywalk & Ice Explorer Tour:
Adults (age 16+): $97.00
Child (age 6-15): $63.05 per child & up
Skywalk:
Adults (age 16+): $37 & up
Child (age 6-15): $24.50 & up
Prices will change day to day based on projected visitation.
Alberta residents save up to 20%.
