Last week, I was with a group travelling to Jasper, Alberta, and as a notorious back-seat car sleeper, I missed the announcement that we’d be taking a short detour to Athabasca Falls along the Icefields Parkway. Let’s just say when I opened my eyes, I thought I was in heaven.
I know, I know, it’s not like I discovered some hidden gem. The Athabasca Falls are a popular stop, and with their gorgeous scenery, wealth of information, and natural ferocity, it’s easy to see why. If you’re like me and have somehow made it this long living in Alberta without seeing the falls, here’s what you can expect.
Alberta’s natural beauty
The falls themselves are situated along the upper reaches of the Athabasca River, about 30 kilometres south of the town of Jasper. While the 80-foot drop of the Class 5 waterfall isn’t exactly the biggest or widest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies, it is considered one of the most powerful. (I know a swim looks refreshing, but falling into the falls is usually fatal, FYI).
This power comes from the large quantity of water. Even when river levels are at their lowest, large amounts of water still flow over the falls. While the top portions were still frozen from winter, gushing streams flowed beneath – a testament to the power of nature.
I got a great view of the falls from the many well-maintained viewpoints situated throughout the area. I also got to learn a little bit about the natural beauty I was observing.
Nature’s design
Potholes in the canyon wall are a result of sand, silt, and gravel spinning under the water’s direction for thousands of years, and will someday be suspended on the walls of an even deeper canyon. Meanwhile, erosion carves narrow steps and cracks where tiny plants and massive trees manage to find rootholds — despite the alpine-like environment, which can be 10 degrees colder than where the lookout points are located.
As for the fish who call Athabasca Falls home, 14 species of native fish are found below the falls, while only one native fish — the bull trout — is found above, but no one knows how it got there. For thousands of years, the Athabasca Valley was filled with glacial ice, which made the valley uninhabitable until the ice began to melt. At the falls, a cliff and a waterfall blocked the fish migration, making the bull trout’s presence a mystery.
A few of the paths were closed off due to winter conditions, but that just means I have a reason to return in the summer, when the waterfall is in its full glory. Maybe I’ll see you there!
Where: Directions here
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