Wilcox Pass: Superb Hike on the Icefields Parkway
Wilcox Pass is a popular hike along the Icefields Parkway, only a short drive from the Athabasca Glacier. Read our Wilcox Pass travel guide, including trail description, how to get there, where the trailhead is, packing tips, and where to stay. We also share whether you should include Wilcox Pass Trail in your itinerary or if the Parker Ridge Trail is better.
The iconic Icefields Parkway is one of the best scenic drives in the world. There are many incredible places along the way you simply must include in your itinerary. Some attractions are just quick stops along the highway; some require much more time and effort.
However, a proper Icefields Parkway road trip wouldn't be complete without at least one hike.
Although it is tempting to admire the scenery from the comfort of your car, if you want to get a more authentic experience, we have one inspiring trek in mind.
We could actually recommend you more top hikes in Jasper and top hikes in Banff, but we would like to talk more closely only about Wilcox Pass in this blog post.
There are a lot of reasons to hike to Wilcox Pass. Whether you are an experienced hiker or a beginner, a fairly short Wilcox Pass hike is an excellent choice if you want to spend a few hours in the wilderness and stretch your legs.
Located on the border between Jasper National Park and Banff National Park near the Columbia Icefields, this hike offers the best of the Canadian Rockies.
Mountainous meadows, sub-alpine forest, snow-capped mountains, and stunning views of the Athabasca Glacier. This area around the Columbia Icefields is a special place, so take your time and enjoy it.
Furthermore, the Wilcox Pass hike is a great budget alternative to the super popular activities such as Glacier Walk, Skywalk, or a truck trip onto the glacier.
Put your hiking shoes on and learn more about this excellent hike, what to expect, and if it's worth including Wilcox Pass on your Canadian Rockies itinerary.
WILCOX PASS TRAILHEAD
Wilcox Pass trailhead lies about 110 kilometers southeast of Jasper.
Follow the Icefields Parkway all the way to Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, and if you have time, make sure to hike the short trail to the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier first.
From there, it's less than five minutes' drive to the Wilcox Pass parking lot.
HOW TO GET
Once again, follow the Icefields Parkway down south; in a few moments, turn left at the junction and follow a narrow road to Wilcox Creek Campsite.
The parking lot, which is relatively small, is after 50 meters on the left side. The parking is free of charge.
Lake Louise is 130 kilometers from Wilcox Pass, add 60 extra kilometers to get to Banff, and Calgary is another 130 kilometers from Banff.
Getting around the Canadian Rockies is very easy if you have a car or campervan. Consider renting a car and sleep in the motels or rent a campervan and stay at the campgrounds.
TOURS
If you don't want to rent a car but still look for a way to see the best places along the Icefields Parkway, consider a one-way sightseeing tour from Jasper to Banff.
WILCOX PASS HIKE
The trail starts at a small parking lot right off the Icefields Parkway in the elevation of 2040 meters. Wilcox Pass is 4 kilometers one-way, a moderately difficult hike with an elevation gain of less than 200 meters.
As you start climbing, you may notice one thing. The air is a little bit thinner here. Some hikers notice this difference; others don't. Nevertheless, it's an interesting thing to observe.
Slow and steady wins the race, so it is preferable to walk slowly and climb gradually rather than rush your pace. Said that we did exactly the opposite, as we wanted to hike to Parker Ridge on the same day and see other beautiful places along the way. Yes, it is doable as we still live to tell the tale.
The trail took us immediately into a thick forest. The first part is actually quite hard, steep, though it's relatively short.
As we were climbing up, we could still hear the noises coming from the highway, though they died away eventually.
This hike is also known as the Red Chair hike, and you will soon realize why.
A pair of red chairs are sitting along the trail and offer a stunning view of the Athabasca Glacier. These chairs are usually located in remarkable places in the Rockies. There are currently eight locations in total in the Jasper National Park itself, with many more chairs in all provinces across the country.
That's correct; you can find red chairs even in Nunavut or Yukon if you ever find a way to these scarcely populated northern provinces.
The best part about the Wilcox Pass hike is that at this point, the majority of the hikers choose to return to the parking lot.
But we are not done here. The first viewpoint was just a warm-up, and the best part still lies ahead of us.
On top of that, the second part is much easier than the first part, as the trail is not that steep anymore and walking up is more enjoyable from there.
Once you leave the forest and the red chairs behind you, you can enjoy the serenity of alpine meadows.
Continue your journey towards the pass, watch groups of bighorn sheep, and enjoy the epic views of Athabasca Glacier and its surrounding peaks.
Of course, if it's not cloudy. With its 3491 meters is Mount Athabasca, one of the most stunning mountains along the Icefields Parkway and the views of the mountain and its glacier are the highlight of this hike.
The peak on the right of Mt. Athabasca is Mount Andromeda (3450 meters).
Wilcox Pass is nestled between Mount Wilcox on the left (2884 meters) and Nigel Peak on the right (3211 meters).
Weather is changing rapidly in the mountains; check the Parks Canada reports on the trail conditions before you set off.
On the day of our hike, the dark clouds were chasing each other above the peaks and the Columbia Icefields.
It looked like a big storm was coming, but the mountains were able to hold off the clouds, and instead of a storm, we experienced a couple of light showers and sun rays as well.
The clouds were obscuring the views of the glacier most of the time, but that's something very common in this part of the Alberta province.
The winds were strong at the top; make sure you bring a proper rain jacket with you.
We also wore good hiking pants and proper hiking boots.
You will have to cross several creeks at the meadow, and the trail can often be wet, muddy, and slippery. In spring, many alpine plants bloom in this area.
The pass itself is a vast barren meadow, and you can walk as far as you want, though there is not that much to see at this point.
When we had enough of breathtaking views, we turned and started hiking to the parking lot.
Trekking poles can make a real difference, and your knees will thank you once you emerge from the forest down at the parking lot.
This trail offers you with more choices once you reach the flat meadows, you can climb either to Wilcox Peak or Nigel Peak, but these are challenging hikes.
You can actually cross the Wilcox Pass and follow the trail all the way to the other side. You will appear at the Tangle Creek parking lot, 10 kilometers from the Wilcox Pass trailhead (and your car).
You can try to hitchhike to get back to your vehicle if you choose to follow this option.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
HOW MUCH TIME YOU NEED
There is no definitive answer for how much time you need for the Wilcox Pass hike.
We completed this trail in less than two hours. But it really depends on your pace and how much time you will spend exploring the meadows around the Wilcox Pass.
If the weather and time allow, the vast meadows are a really great place to eat your snack or lunch.
When we descended back to the parking lot, we ate some energy bars and continued to the Parker Ridge parking lot.
WILCOX PASS OR PARKER RIDGE
Options and then even more options. Icefields Parkway presents you with so many decisions that your head will spin.
There are just so many unique places, but the majority of visitors have only limited time to spend there.
The most common dilemma is whether a traveler should hike to Parker Ridge or Wilcox Pass?
We asked ourselves exactly the same question when we were planning our Icefields Parkway itinerary.
Which hike is better? At the end of the discussion, we decided to push ourselves a little bit more this time and did both of the hikes on the same day. And what's the result of our effort?
Unsurprisingly, both have pros and cons. But since you've asked, we might have an answer here.
We both agreed that the Parker Ridge Trail offers 'more' of everything.
More incredible views, more diverse scenery, and more people. Wilcox Pass is quieter (at least the upper part) and definitely less popular, though the views this hike offers are incredible too.
And you have probably already seen the Athabasca Glacier from up close, so it's only up to you if the view from above is worth your time.
So if we had to really choose between those two hikes, we would have opted for Parker Ridge Trail over Wilcox Pass mostly because of the views.
We also hiked to Parker Ridge twice as we drove Icefields Parkway several times and only once to Wilcox Pass, but you won't make any mistake with either of them.
And that's the best thing about these two hikes, as they will allow you to get breathtaking views that are usually reserved for much longer hikes without a lot of effort.
That's something you shouldn’t take for granted, as you usually need to push much harder to be rewarded by mountainous scenery like this.
WHERE TO STAY ALONG THE ICEFIELDS PARKWAY
Accommodation on Icefields Parkway is very limited, and in most cases, you will pay extra for staying in this unique environment.
It's better to stay overnight in popular towns such as Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper, although don't expect the prices to be that much lower.
Said that these towns offer a wide range of accommodation and the hotels offer better service for your hard-earned dollars.
Demand is heaviest from June to September, and regardless of your lodging choice, all accommodations need to be reserved several months in advance.
Even the campgrounds in Banff and Jasper.
The Canadian Rockies is one of the most premier destinations in the world, and that's something you will soon realize by looking at the prices when searching for accommodation.
Believe us; you don't want to arrive in Banff or Jasper in high season without a reservation.
For us, booking hotels or campsites this well in advance was one of the most annoying things to do when planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies, but it was worth the effort.
Here are our top picks for accommodation along the Icefields Parkway in the mid-range category.
Icefields Parkway | The Crossing - Located in Saskatchewan River Crossing on the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff, The Crossing is one of the few hotels along this stunning road. The hotel offers an excellent location, basic rooms, and facilities. Rooms are adequate, however, this is one of the finest examples of paying extra for the location. Is it worth it? Only you can answer this question.
Jasper | Jasper Inn & Suites - When traveling north, Jasper is the best place to end your Icefields Parkway road trip. Jasper Inn & Suites offers good value for money. The hotel has a convenient location, indoor pool, onsite restaurant, and clean and tidy rooms that should convince you to stay here.
Banff | Banff Inn - Banff is a little bit further from Icefields Parkway, however, this mountainous town offers one of the widest selection of hotels in the Canadian Rockies. Banff Inn is a perfectly located hotel and a great place to stay both in the summer and winter. Except for modern rooms, guests can enjoy a hot tub, steam room, and sauna, and useful facilities such as luggage storage and ski storage.
Lake Louise | Lake Louise Inn - Newly renovated rooms, on-site restaurants, fitness center, and a heated indoor pool, this hotel is a perfect place to stay either during the summer and in the winter as well (they even provide a free shuttle service to the Lake Louise Ski Resort). Free WiFi is provided.
CAMPGROUNDS
There are quite a few campgrounds along the Icefields Parkway, however, don't get excited too soon. These campgrounds are all first come first served, pretty basic (some have washrooms, some only pit toilet), and fill up pretty fast too.
You need to make a reservation for the big campgrounds in Banff or Jasper well in advance, or arrive there very early and hope that they will have availability.
Said that there is campground very close to the trailhead.
Wilcox Creek Campground has first come first serve sites, and it's a great choice for all visitors who want to stay close to the Athabasca Glacier, Wilcox Pass and other points of interest.
For more information, read our guide on Camping in the Canadian Rockies.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
