Things to do at Sunwapta Falls

Sunwapta Falls sits on the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) between the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Falls, roughly a 2 h 15 drive from Banff (about 180 km to the Icefield area, with the falls a further stretch north).

A paved, wheelchair-accessible path of under 5 minutes leads from the car park to a viewing bridge where the Sunwapta River makes a sharp right-angle turn before dropping into a narrow canyon. Flow peaks in June and July with glacial meltwater and drops noticeably by September, changing the falls from a heavy roar to a thinner curtain.

A Parks Canada pass is required to stop here, about 11 CAD per adult per day or 22 CAD per vehicle. Don't confuse this stop with Athabasca Falls further north, which draws larger crowds.