In the late 1920s, Rocky Mountain House entrepreneurs, Ernie Ross & the Trail Blazers, laid the foundations of what would later become the David Thompson Highway, by proving that motor vehicles could traverse from Rocky Mountain House to the Banff–Jasper Highway. Their 1940 expedition proved feasibility, spurring provincial surveys in 1968 and the highway’s official opening in 1975.
The Icefields Parkway evolved from Arthur P. Coleman’s 1884 expedition to map the Rockies’ Great Divide. Surveyed in the 1920s as a future “Wonder Trail,” it became a 230 km gravel route built by hand & horse under a Depression‑relief program through the ’30s, employing over 600 men. By 1940, Alberta had created the first road in the world that could bring motorists to the toe of a glacier—the Athabasca Glacier. Fully paved and realigned by 1961, this road transformed a three‑week pack‑horse journey into a breathtaking few‑hour drive through Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Where the Highways 93 & 11 Meet
A historic confluence where Indigenous trails and fur trade routes once met. Today, it marks the junction of two iconic mountain highways—the Icefields Parkway and the David Thompson Highway. Long a place of passage, it now bridges cultural heritage with Rocky Mountain adventure, where past and present continue to converge in the remote wilderness.
via Jasper Townsite & Edmonton International Airport
Follow the meltwaters of glacier-fed rivers from Alberta’s farmland to the soaring heights of the Canadian Rockies. Travel through the remote Bighorn region, explore Nordegg & Abraham Lake, stand on ancient ice at the Columbia Icefields, and soak in the beauty of Jasper National Park. This route blends rugged landscapes, rich history, and alpine solitude into a journey shaped by ice & time.
via Banff Townsite & Calgary International Airport
Be inspired to take a scenic journey through Alberta’s untamed west, from Calgary along Highways 22, 11, 93 and 1, get immersed in Alberta’s cowboy heritage, fur trade sites, Nordegg’s rugged wilderness and Abraham Lake’s beauty. Follow the David Thompson Highway onto the Icefields Parkway, and explore Banff National Park’s lakes, glaciers & peaks, then return via the Bow Valley Parkway.
