Day 1 — Calgary → Jasper via the Icefields Parkway

The shape of the day: ~4.5 hours of driving, ~3 hours of visiting, and an infant who will spend most of the day in the car. This is the longest transit day; do not add stops beyond the four in your plan.

08:31 — Arrive YYC and install car seats. Your companion document puts arrival at 08:31; the first task at the airport is fitting car seats into both SUVs.

10:00 — Rental pickup and grocery stop at IGA Canmore. Allow 1.5 hours for the rental desk and 30 minutes at IGA Canmore for snacks, picnic supplies, and infant food. Canmore is the last full-service grocery before Jasper; stock enough for the Bow Lake picnic and the drive.

12:00 — Peyto Lake (45 min). A 200 m paved trail makes this stroller-friendly — a rare win on this route. The viewing platform is one of the Parkway’s signature stops; the large lot is free.

13:00 — Bow Lake (20 min, picnic lunch). Ten minutes from Peyto, with a free pull-off and space for the infant in a carrier. Eat here rather than at a restaurant — it keeps the day moving and avoids an unplanned hour-long stop.

13:45 — Scenic drive to Jasper (3 hours). The infant naps in Car 2 during this leg. This is the stretch where wildlife sightings are most likely; assign one adult in each vehicle as the “wildlife spotter” and remind the drivers: slow down, hazard lights, pull over only where safe, never stop in the driving lane.

17:30 — Athabasca Falls (45 min). Concrete railings make this safe for the 6-year-old, and the infant stays in a carrier. Large free lot.

18:45 — Sunwapta Falls (45 min). Golden-hour light and a safe bridge; medium free lot. This is your last stop before Jasper.

20:00 — Check in to Jasper Airbnb, 20:30 dinner at the Airbnb. Off-street parking for two vehicles and an easy evening — exactly what the group needs after a 12-hour day.