Icefield Centre

Midway between Lake Louise and Jasper lies this complex, an oasis of activity amid the stark mountain landscape. Home to a hotel, restaurant, gift shop and visitors center, the Centre opened in 1996 and has become a popular tourist attraction. It's also the point of departure for a number of companies that offer excursions onto the nearby Columbia Icefield. The facility houses the Glacier Gallery, an exhibit that explains, via models and videos, how glaciers form, advance and retreat. A history of the area and its significance to Canada's rivers and landscape is also mentioned.