The Crossing Resort is located on Highway #93 North (Banff-Jasper Hwy) at the junction of Highway #11 (To Rocky Mountain House), in Banff National Park. Highway #93 North is also known as the Icefields Parkway.
The Crossing is:
- 137 km (85 miles) north of Banff.
- 153 km (95 miles) south of Jasper.
- 77 km (48 miles) north of Lake Louise.
- 48 km (29 miles) south of the Columbia Icefields.
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Depending upon the season one or more of the following activities can be enjoyed in close proximity to The Crossing.
Sometimes it is possible to hike, ski and mountain bike all in the same day.
The Crossing is located at the Saskatchewan River Crossing where the three rivers of the Saskatchewan, Mistaya and Howse meet to form the North Saskatchewan River.
The Crossing has always been a rest area for travelling horse packers, explorers, fur traders, hunters and the first tourists. Travel along the Icefields Parkway and discover for yourself the wonderful scenery and nature, still unspoiled, that these first visitors were able to enjoy.
There are many trail heads along the Icefields Parkway that range in ability from the very easy strolls to half day hikes and overnight hiking expeditions.
From the front door of The Crossing, one can take an evening stroll to the Saskatchewan River Viewpoint, or enjoy a half day hike to Warden Lake. Glacier Lake trailhead offers a 10 mile hike through a variety of terrain and, if you want to go UP- Sarbach Lookout is a hike along an old fire road that takes you above the tree line for spectacular views of the valley.
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A popular venture in the Canadian Rockies is to cycle the Icefields Parkway, either part of the way or all the way from Banff to Jasper. Cycling allows one the time to take in all of the majesty of the Rockies and a wide road shoulder provides the cyclist with a safe route.
Mountain biking can also be done at The Crossing. A moderate trail behind the hotel takes the cyclist along the Saskatchewan River out to the Siffluer Wilderness area where one can cycle along many different mountain paths or along the river.
The Alexandria River fire road, located approximately 20 km north of The Crossing is a designated mountain biking route in Banff National Park.
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In the late fall and spring months, The Crossing provides many ski opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast.
Downhill skiing is available at Lake Louise, only 76 km south of The Crossing, and at Marmot Basin, near Jasper, 185 km to the north. Overnight at The Crossing while enroute between these top class ski resorts.
Cross-Country skiing is available right from the door of The Crossing. Many of the hiking trails are suitable for cross-country in the winter and there are many level areas along the river which are suitable for ski travel.
Backcountry ski touring (mountaineering) is a unique sport which is popular at Parker's Ridge and the Bow Summit as well as at numerous other locations along the Parkway. Both of these locations are only half an hour by car from The Crossing.
Snowshoeing opportunities also abound in the area
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Twenty minutes north of The Crossing is the Weeping Wall, a mountain cliff that has magnificent ice formations on it in the winter. This is a world famous location for the sport of ice climbing. Other ice climbing locations in the area are listed in Joe Josephson's book "Waterfall Ice".
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Fishing is a sport enjoyed by many people of all ages. From The Crossing one can fish on the Saskatchewan River or from the shores of the Bow Lake.
The person seeking a more adventurous get-away can fish for trout after hiking in to Glacier lake.
Canoeing can be enjoyed on the many lakes in the area including Waterfowl and Bow lakes but, don't fall in as all of the lakes are glacier fed and are very cold.
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The Icefields Parkway is a great route for viewing a variety of wildlife that make Banff and Jasper National Parks their home. Many animals including moose, elk, deer, goats, sheep and the ever popular grizzly and black bears can be viewed from the road.
Smaller animals that can often be seen include ground squirrels, pikas, marmots and various different birds such as the noisy and gregarious Whiskeyjack.
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Touring the Icefields Parkway allows one to take in many famous sites such as Bow Lake with it's green colour and surrounded by it's many mountain peaks; Crowfoot Glacier with it's three "toes" of ice; Peyto Lake, probably the most photographed lake in the world; the Columbia Icefields which boasts an excellent interpretive centre run by the Park and where one can tour the Athabasca Glacier in the safety and comfort of the specially designed Snocoaches, and Sunwapta Falls where the power of the water against the rock is demonstrated.
As there is so much to see and do on Highway # 93, an overnight at The Crossing allows plenty of time to stop and see everything. Two nights at The Crossing allows you to spend day one visiting the sights en route from Banff and day two visiting Jasper National Park before returning to The Crossing for another comfortable night with us.
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