Best time to visit
Aim for early morning or late evening to beat the crowds and snag parking. Summer often delivers the most vivid pond color and floating ice. Check current road and trail status with Parks Canada if weather’s been wintry or wet.
Overview
About Angel Glacier
Angel Glacier clings to the sheer north face of Mount Edith Cavell, its “angel with outstretched wings” shape giving the viewpoint instant wow factor. It’s one of the easiest big-payoff stops in the park: a short walk leads to a front-row seat for active ice, steep cliffs, and a bright blue pond that often catches floating icebergs in summer.
Why stop
- Short walk from the parking lot with interpretive signs
- Dramatic hanging glacier over a blue pond that can hold icebergs
Heads up
- Parking fills fast and crowds build in peak summer
- Occasional safety closures and fenced areas limit how close you can get
Map
Where it is
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapLocal know-how
Tips for visiting Angel Glacier
Arrive early or late to avoid parking headaches and crowds.
Check Parks Canada for Mount Edith Cavell road and trail updates before you go.
Pack a warm layer and rain shell—the weather changes fast at this elevation.
Do not cross fences; calving ice can create dangerous waves in the pond.
Drive the steep, narrow access road cautiously and avoid stopping on it.
Plan your stop
Before you go
Best time to visit
8 active Jasper alerts
- ClosureWildfire-impacted areas and facilities closedStay out of closed wildfire-impacted areas and facilities in Jasper National Park; closures protect public safety after the 2024 wildfire and remain in effect while recovery and safety work continues.Official details
- Closure93A (Wabasso Road) no through travel during roadworkFrom mid-October to early November 2026, plan for 93A (Wabasso Road) to be accessible from the south entrance only; no through travel is expected during roadwork.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Jasper Tour Guide
Your drive to Angel Glacier, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Jasper National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Jasper audio tourRecorded for this area
When the Ghost Glacier FellListen
“Back in August 2012, a huge piece of the Ghost Glacier broke right off Mount Edith Cavell. It slammed into the small lake below, triggering a powerful surge wave—basically a mini-tsunami in a mountain lake.”
Plays on the road 1.3 km from Angel Glacier in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Path of the Glacier: An Easy Walk to Angel Glacier
- Cavell Lake: A Quick Stop for a Classic View
- Mount Edith Cavell: Glaciers and Alpine Trails
- Pikas and Marmots: Hay Farmers and Whistlers
- 157 audio storiesacross Jasper’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 91 trails, 129 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Angel Glacier
What You’ll SeeThe namesake hanging glacier, frequently shedding small ice chunks and, at times, calving more…
- The namesake hanging glacier, frequently shedding small ice chunks and, at times, calving more dramatically into the pond below.
- Cavell Pond and surrounding moraines beneath towering rock walls.
- Clear interpretive displays that explain the glacier’s story and rapid retreat.
The WalkThe Path of the Glacier starts at the far end of the Mount Edith Cavell parking lot, up a short…
The Path of the Glacier starts at the far end of the Mount Edith Cavell parking lot, up a short stairway, with a paved section at the beginning. Trip reports peg the outing to the main viewpoint at roughly 0.6 mi/1 km round trip—quick, family-friendly, and steadily uphill.
Safety and ClosuresStay behind barriers—calving ice can send dangerous waves across the pond, and rock/icefall is…
Stay behind barriers—calving ice can send dangerous waves across the pond, and rock/icefall is a real hazard. This area occasionally closes after significant events or poor weather; always respect closures.
WildlifeMarmots are the regulars here, and sharp-eyed visitors sometimes spot pikas among the rocks.
Marmots are the regulars here, and sharp-eyed visitors sometimes spot pikas among the rocks. Enjoy the wildlife from a distance and keep delicate alpine vegetation intact.
History & GeologyAngel Glacier is a classic hanging glacier named for its angelic outline.
Angel Glacier is a classic hanging glacier named for its angelic outline. It’s retreating quickly with a visibly shrinking “wingspan.” Notably, a nearby ice mass (Ghost Glacier) collapsed in 2012 at night, triggering a damaging outburst flood—part of why the area is closely managed for safety.
Tips for a Better VisitThe road up to the trailhead is narrow and steep—drive carefully and don’t stop on the road for…
- The road up to the trailhead is narrow and steep—drive carefully and don’t stop on the road for photos.
- It’s colder up here than in town; pack a warm layer and a rain shell even in summer.
- Services are minimal—bring water and snacks.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Jasper
174 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
43 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
40 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsCanada LynxMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
315 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,028 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Jasper. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
