Know Before You Go:

• A very popular stop on the Icefield Parkway, the Athabasca Glacier is the largest ice field in the Canadian Rockies.

• This trail takes you up to the tail of the glacier, along the way you will see signs that mark the recession of the glacier over the years.

• If you want to get even closer you can take a glacier tour that will drive you up onto the ice.

• What the hike lacks in general scenery it makes up for in educational value.

• This spot can get crowded but parking is plentiful.