Columbia Icefield Explorer Tour With Skywalk
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The Columbia Icefield Discovery Center is an interesting stop along the Icefields Discovery Center. Visitors can experience a glacier by walking atop its surface while surrounded by some of the Canadian Rockies’ tallest peaks. It operates as the base for the Icefield Explorer vehicles and the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, popular attractions that can be accessed with a combination ticket.
The Icefield Explorer vehicles are huge transport buses specially designed to cross the moraines of the Athabasca Glacier and deposit guests onto the glacier’s icy surface. The vehicles are truly impressive, and the small roped-off section of the glacier offers visitors a rare opportunity to stand atop these earth-shaping natural wonders in a controlled environment.
After standing atop the glacier, guests are shuttled to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. It’s a huge circular bridge extending from a cliff face over the Sunwapta Gorge. The bridge’s engineering is impressive as it hangs out from the cliff without suspension, and the glass walkway allows guests to peer down hundreds of meters below their feet. The bridge is pretty short, and along the walkway are some informative displays about the engineering, surrounding geology, and ecology.
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Columbia Icefield Experience
- Location: Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure Center
- Length: 2-3 hours
- Included: Guide, Glacier Explorer Vehicle, & Columbia Icefield Skywalk
- Pick-up: No
- Parking Lot: Yes
- Public Transport: No
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Columbia Icefield Experience Highlights
- Icefield explorer vehicles with narration from a guide
- Stop on the Athabasca Glacier
- The glass bottom Columbia Icefield Skywalk
Columbia Icefield Experience Season & Times
| Dates | Tour Times |
|---|---|
| June 1st – October 26th | 9:45 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. (departs every 15 minutes) |
Our Thoughts On The Columbia Icefield Experience
Of course, you don’t need a tour, as anyone can stop at the center to enjoy glacier views or hike to the toe of Athabasca Glacier. We love stopping along the Icefields Parkway to see the Athabasca Glacier but have mixed feelings about driving large diesel-burning trucks across it. We recommend that many who want to learn more take the Athabasca Guided Hike across the surface for a more relaxed and environmentally friendly experience. However, it’s hard not to acknowledge that many visitors enjoy the experience and cannot hike up to and across the glacier. This is a far more accessible and family-friendly experience.
The Skywalk is an extremely impressive piece of engineering that thrills many visitors. However, its views are far from the best we’ve seen along the Icefields Parkway. It is accessible, with wide paths, ramps, and plenty of interesting displays to learn about the region. It offers impressive views of the valley, but its name was changed from the Glacier Skywalk to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk because you can’t see much of the surrounding glaciers. Our readers feel underwhelmed by the Skywalk, but it’s included with the Icefield Explorer, so we wouldn’t suggest skipping the experience.
