The Athabasca River (French: rivière Athabasca) originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. The impressive and scenic Athabasca Falls is located upstream about 30 km (19 mi) from the Jasper townsite.

In Woods Cree, the word aðapaskāw means "[where] there are plants one after another", likely a reference to the spotty vegetation along the river.