8 Observation Decks in Jasper That Live Up to the Photos

1.Columbia Icefield Skywalk and Ice Explorer Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,444 reviews · 1 day · from $96Our pick

Meet at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre for an Ice Explorer ride onto the 25,000-year-old Athabasca Glacier, with live English commentary from guides such as Andy, Kulvinder, and Morgan. You get about 20 minutes on the ice, then ride a shuttle to the glass-bottom Skywalk, where you can take your time above the Sunwapta Valley.

“It is a great itinerary. Jasper National Park is a long road from Calgary so all of the lake stops are great to break up the trip. I would suggest doing the Icefield adventure but at 2pm and not 2:30 as they suggest. To get it all in needs extra time so as to not be late for bus departures. Gorgeous! Worth the whole 12 hours and big bucks to walk on the glacier.”

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2.Columbia Icefield Tour with Glacier Skywalk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,860 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $99

Ride a rugged Ice Explorer from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre to Athabasca Glacier, with guide commentary and time to walk on the ice. Then cross the glass-bottom Glacier Skywalk. Guides such as Andy, Leanne, Lars, and Jackson have earned praise for lively, informative tours. Allow three hours, dress warmly, and arrive early to print your ticket.

“Highly recommend the icefield tour! Our guide, Andy, was awesome! This was probably the highlight of our 9-day trip!”

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3.Columbia Icefield Skywalk

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 916 reviews · 1 day · from $37Best value

Ride from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center to a glass-floored walkway 918 feet above the Sunwapta Valley. You’ll follow a 1-kilometer cliff-edge route with views of waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, and possible wildlife. An audio guide is available in several languages, while drivers provide commentary in English.

“It was amazing. The drive to the center tho was a little rough because it was snowing the whole day but regardless of that fact, the Skywalk was open and staff were accomodating to all visitors. I would definitely recommend it.”

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4.Columbia Icefield Tour with Glacier Skywalk from Jasper

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 184 reviews · 7 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $249

Travel from Jasper along the Icefields Parkway, stop at Athabasca Falls, ride an Ice Explorer across Athabasca Glacier, cross the Glacier Skywalk, and enjoy a hot buffet lunch. Pickup is offered at select Jasper hotels. Guides may include Sophie, Chiara, Dustin, Jamie, or Alistair, depending on the departure.

“Amazing experience. The bus driver Sophie and guide Chiara went above and beyond to make the experience special. Every detail was perfect. Walking on the glacier was the highlight of my 13 day trip Sam our ice Bus driver was also terrific. This is a must do and using Brewster company is a must.”

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5.Columbia Icefield Skywalk Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 142 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $38

Drive yourself along the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, then take a coach to the Glacier Skywalk. Spend about 45 minutes or more on the 1-kilometre cliff-edge route, with geology, wildlife, fossils, ecology, and Aboriginal history displays before reaching the glass-bottomed Discovery Vista.

“It was a great view from the Skywalk. No much waiting time, bus rides every 15 minutes and hence a pleasant experience”

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6.Columbia Icefield Tour with Glacier Skywalk from Calgary

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 72 reviews · 14 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $407

Travel from Calgary into Banff and along the Icefields Parkway, with stops at Lake Louise, Crowfoot Glacier, Peyto Lake, Athabasca Glacier, and the Glacier Skywalk. You will ride an Ice Explorer onto ancient ice, eat a hot buffet lunch, and return to Calgary late. Guides may include Colin, Jamie, Rob, Grace, or other Brewster staff.

“I took this tour on 31 May 2016, and it was incredible! There is a lot packed into the day which itself is long - around 6am to 9pm if you're travelling from Calgary, like I was, but it really was sensational and worth every penny. I was in Calgary for a conference, and so decided to book this tour because I didn't have much time for sightseeing, and wanted to fit in as much of the Rockies as possible. The day certainly didn't disappoint, and, as well as all the sights listed on the itinerary, we were also treated to the site of two grizzly bears, and one brown…”

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7.Jasper and Columbia Skywalk Icefield Parkway Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) Top rated

Spend 12 to 13 hours on a private Banff to Jasper-area journey along the Icefields Parkway. Your guide, possibly Rahul, drives you to Athabasca Glacier, the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, and Crowfoot Glacier. Bottled water is included, but glacier and Skywalk tickets cost extra.

“The trip to Jasper was amazing. We were able to get some breathtaking views. We visited many places like Herbert lake, Athabasca lakes, Maligne Lake, Maligne Caniyon, Sunwapta falls, Medicine lake and some additional view points on the way. Rahul has been very polite and awesome throughout the journey explaining the importance of each and every place which has been the wonderful part of this journey. We enjoyed this travel a lot and would recommend this to others as well.”

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8.Glacier Adventure on the Icefields Parkway Hidden Gems Skywalk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $347

Travel from Banff along the Icefields Parkway in a small group of up to 12, stopping at Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, Athabasca Glacier, and the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. Your local guide handles the long drive, photo stops, short walks, and park stories. The advertised package includes the Ice Explorer and Skywalk, but confirm this before booking.

“We had a great time and our guide Ollie was amazing. He is very knowledgeable about all the sites along the trip to and from the glacier. He kept the trip fun and made sure we stopped at all the right places for amazing photos. Highly recommend Radadventures.”

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