Crowfoot Glacier on the slopes of the Canadian Rockies with exposed rock faces, snowfields, and alpine forest below in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

    Crowfoot Glacier spreads across the rugged limestone slopes of the Canadian Rockies, where retreating ice and layered rock formations create a stark alpine landscape along the Icefields Parkway.

    ← Back to Icefields Parkway

    Crowfoot Glacier

    Glacier

    Crowfoot Glacier is a hanging glacier on the slopes above Bow Lake visible from roadside viewpoints along the Icefields Parkway. The glacier sits beneath steep mountain faces with clear sightlines from the valley floor. The composition resolves through the glacier framed by surrounding rock faces and foreground elements near Bow Lake.

    51.63398, -116.43407

    See what's nearby on the map

    Gallery

    Crowfoot Glacier on the slopes of the Canadian Rockies with exposed rock faces, snowfields, and alpine forest below in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

    Crowfoot Glacier spreads across the rugged limestone slopes of the Canadian Rock…

    Crowfoot Glacier stretched across a steep rock face above conifer forest in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

    Crowfoot Glacier spans layered cliffs above dense forest along the Icefields Par…

    Crowfoot Glacier above forested slopes and spring snow along the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, Canada

    Spring snow and exposed forest reveal the rugged face of Crowfoot Glacier along …

    Crowfoot Glacier descending between rocky cliffs and conifer trees in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

    The retreating ice of Crowfoot Glacier clings to the steep rock face above the I…

    Close-up of Crowfoot Glacier flowing over layered rock formations in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

    Detailed view of crevassed ice spilling over dark limestone cliffs at Crowfoot G…

    Quick Facts

    Access

    Roadside / Step-out

    0–5 min

    Elevation Gain

    5 m

    Best Light

    Sunrise
    Golden Hour
    Overcast

    Low sun defines the glacier shape and surrounding rock faces while diffused light preserves detail across ice and shadow areas.

    Why This Light

    Low-Angle Relief

    Season

    Seasonally Distinct

    The glacier is visible year-round, with snow cover in winter and more exposed ice and rock visible during summer months.

    Crowds

    Usually Quiet

    Restrictions

    Fee Common

    Accessible from roadside viewpoint along Icefields Parkway; subject to national park entry fees.

    Photography Notes

    Photographs are typically made from roadside viewpoints or from Bow Lake shoreline where the glacier aligns above the valley. Small positional shifts change how the glacier sits within the mountain frame and affect depth between foreground and background.
    ← Back to Icefields ParkwayView workshops in Icefields Parkway