Saskatchewan River Crossing Travel Guide

There is not much of a development at "The Crossing", which consists of a national parks ranger station, a motel/restaurant/store/gas station (summer only), the bridge and the junction of Hwy 93 and 11. It is however centrally located and serves as a rest stop for visitors travelling the Icefields Parkway in a day, or a base for those visitors who wish to explore the Park between Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefields region and adjacent Bighorn Country along Hwy 11, over the period of a few days.

This is highly recommended for nature lovers who like to hike on the many trails in the region AND steer clear of the busy tourist centers of Lake Louise, Banff or Jasper.
Services are limited but the location makes for an ideal base to explore the northern part of Banff Park and surrounding area. Saskatchewan River Crossing is the only location besides Lake Louise and Jasper, where the Icefields Parkway can be accessed from the outside (via Hwy 11 from the east). The Saskatchewan River Crossing Resort is closed between October and April, as is the Num-ti-jah Lodge to the south and the David Thompson Resort near Abraham Lake.
The only year round accommodations in the region are the Rampart Creek HI hostel north of the Crossing and Aurum Lodge (eco-tourism lodge and cabin), off Hwy 11 on Abraham Lake.
There are a number of campsites, but most are closed in the winter season and if you wish to camp in the region, remember to bring along all your groceries (there is a small convenience store at the David Thompson Campground in the summer).

Activities: Hiking and sightseeing along the Icefields Parkway and Hwy 11 (see Nordegg) are the main activities in the region. Many of Banff Parks best known hiking trails can be readily accessed from this location, including Helen Lake, Bow Glacier Falls, Chephren and Cirque Lake, Mistaya Canyon, Glacier Lake, Saskatchewan Glacier, Parkers Ridge. Wilcox Pass and the Athabasca Glacier are only a 35 minute drive from this location and for anyone able to walk 3-4km or more (2-3miles), the guided interpretive glacier walks on the Athabasca Glacier are highly recommended in the summer season (www.icewalks.com ).
In winter, the area is popular with ice climbers and snow-shoeing or X-country skiing are also possible.

Attractions: The Icefields Parkway is considered one of North America's top scenic drives and driving time from Lake Louise to Jasper is about 3 hours non-stop. However, the sheer number of amazing viewpoints, trails, natural attractions (rivers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, glaciers, etc.) and the many beautiful hiking trails (from easy walks to full day hikes) are ample reason for visitors to take their time and explore this area at a leisurely pace in more detail. Bighorn Country along Hwy 11 to the east has just as much to offer for the nature / outdoor enthusiast (see Nordegg). There is always a good chance of encountering wildlife along the Highways as well or even along some of the hiking trails (so be prepared, drive defensively and take the necessary precautions when outdoors).