Sunwapta Falls

Sunwapta Falls
Location within Alberta
Location	Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates	52°31′56″N 117°38′43″W / 52.5322°N 117.6453°W / 52.5322; -117.6453
Type	Class 6
Total height	18.5 m (61 ft)
Total width	9.1 m (30 ft)
Watercourse	Sunwapta River

Sunwapta Falls is a pair of waterfalls of the Sunwapta River in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

The falls are accessible via a 600-metre (2,000 ft) access road off the Icefields Parkway, which connects Jasper and Banff National Parks. The falls have a drop of about 18.5 metres (61 feet). Sunwapta is a Stoney language word that means "turbulent water". The falls is most spectacular in the late spring when the spring melt is at its peak.

There are two falls, a lower and an upper one. The one most people see is the upper falls, as access is easier. The lower falls are a short distance away. The water originates from the Athabasca Glacier, and volumes are higher in early summer because of glacial melting. It is a Class 6 waterfall, with a drop of 18 m (60 ft) and a width of 9.1 m (30 ft).¹