Sunwapta Falls

Jasper National Park


Meaning 'turbulent water' in the native language of the Stoney First Nations, the 18m Sunwapta Falls formed when the glacial meltwaters of the Sunwapta River began falling from a hanging valley into the deeper, U-shaped Athabasca Valley. Close to the Icefields Pkwy and the Sunwapta Falls Resort and restaurant, the falls are a popular stop for travelers plying the scenic highway. They're also the start of a 25km biking and hiking trail to remote Fortress Lake in Hamber Provincial Park.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Jasper National Park attractions

1. Maligne Lake

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2. Mary Schäffer Lookout

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Mary Schäffer was the first non-indigenous woman to travel through much of the Jasper region – this lookout gives you a glimpse of the scenery she loved…

3. Athabasca Falls

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Despite being only 23m high, Athabasca Falls is Jasper’s most dramatic and voluminous waterfall, a deafening combination of sound, spray and water. The…

4. Horseshoe Lake

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5. Rest Stop

16.62 MILES

Pause at this picnic area on the east side of the road between Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake and watch for bears and mountain goats.

6. Jasper National Park

17.15 MILES

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7. Mt Edith Cavell

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8. Medicine Lake

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A geological rarity, Medicine Lake is perhaps best described as an intermittent lake with a porous bottom that functions rather like a bathtub without a…

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