Icefield Campground

Overview

About Icefield Campground

If you’re after glacier views without the RV crowd, Icefield Campground is your spot. This quiet, tent-only, first-come-first-served loop sits just south of the Icefields Centre, with 31 walk-in sites tucked into the trees and a short stroll from your car. It’s simple, scenic, and perfectly placed for exploring the Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefield.

Why stop

Tent-only, walk-in sites with real seclusion
Cook shelters with wood stoves and included firewood
Minutes from Athabasca Glacier and the Icefields Centre

Heads up

Rustic facilities only: pit toilets, no showers or power
First-come, first-served and can fill in peak summer

Location, location: you’re a couple of minutes from the glacier, the interpretive centre, the Skywalk, and big-mountain hiking.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhat makes it special

Map

Where it is

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CampgroundIcefield Campground52.22026, -117.20427

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Icefield Campground

Arrive before midday in summer—first-come sites go fast.
Pack serious warm layers and a solid sleeping bag; nights get cold even in July.
Watch for a small tent-symbol sign just south of the Icefields Centre.
Bring all food and basics; there’s no store on site and limited services nearby.
For extra privacy and soothing white noise, target sites near the back by the stream.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Season: Late June through September is the sweet spot; nights are cold even in midsummer.
Crowds: Mid-summer weekends fill fastest. Aim for weekdays and arrive before midday to secure a site.
Photography: Morning and evening light paints the glaciers beautifully; clear nights can bring excellent stargazing thanks to low light pollution.
Weather: Mountain weather flips quickly—bring warm layers and rain gear year-round.

Facilities & layout

Expect rustic, well-kept basics: pit toilets (clean), shared cooking shelters with wood stoves, bear-proof food lockers, picnic tables, and fire rings. Firewood is provided. Potable drinking water is available on site. There’s no electricity, showers, or store at the campground. Open season typically runs June–October, and the nightly rate is around $28.50 for an unserviced site (fire bans can occur during dry spells). RVs aren’t allowed here; if you’re in a rig, the nearby Icefields Centre offers separate overnighting options.

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

See all 8 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Jasper Tour Guide

Your drive to Icefield Campground, 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 tour

Recorded for this place

Icefield Campground: Tents-Only Near the Glacier

Listen

“The turnoff for the Icefield Campground is coming up. This is a quiet, first-come-first-served campground reserved just for tents, and it puts you just a short walk from the Athabasca Glacier.”

Plays as you drive up to Icefield Campground in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.

More about Icefield Campground

Wildlife & safetyYou’re in prime bear country. Use the provided lockers and keep a spotless camp.

You’re in prime bear country. Use the provided lockers and keep a spotless camp. Around camp you’ll commonly spot ground squirrels and birds; deer or elk are possible in the area. The broader Icefields region also sees mountain goats on nearby slopes.

Good to knowThe entrance turn-off is small and easy to miss; watch for the tent symbol just south of the…

The entrance turn-off is small and easy to miss; watch for the tent symbol just south of the Icefields Centre.
You’ll hear occasional highway noise by day; nights are generally quiet.
Bring supplies—there’s no store or restaurant on site, and options at the Icefields Centre are limited.

NearbyAthabasca Glacier, the Icefields Centre, the Skywalk, and a cluster of short hikes and…

Athabasca Glacier, the Icefields Centre, the Skywalk, and a cluster of short hikes and high-alpine trails are all a quick hop away. The geology here is the star: the campground sits beside the vast Columbia Icefield, whose glaciers carved the valleys and left moraines and outwash plains you can see from nearby viewpoints and trails.

What makes it specialSeveral sites peek at glaciers or peaks, and the back of the loop runs along a lively stream…

Several sites peek at glaciers or peaks, and the back of the loop runs along a lively stream and small waterfall—great white noise at night.
It stays calmer than the big Icefields Parkway campgrounds; the walk-in setup keeps things peaceful.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Jasper

All Jasper wildlife maps

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 map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Jasper. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.