Jasper National Park
A Rocky Mountain town at the north end of the Icefields Parkway, with the Columbia Icefield, Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, Angel Glacier and a world-class Dark Sky Preserve.
Jasper lies in western Alberta, Canada, and is the hub town of Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies (11,000 sq km, part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site). The Icefields Parkway leads south to Banff, and Highway 16 leads west to Mount Robson. Climate: Jun–Sep is best for hiking and lake outings; late Sep to Oct brings fall colors and the elk rut; winter is cold, with skiing, ice walking and stargazing, though some roads and attractions close. Main areas: around town are the Jasper SkyTram, Pyramid Lake, Lac Beauvert and Old Fort Point; to the southeast, Maligne Lake Road links Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake and Spirit Island on Maligne Lake; to the south, Highway 93A and the Icefields Parkway lead to Mount Edith Cavell, Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls and on to the Columbia Icefield; to the northeast are Miette Hot Springs; and Mount Robson can be visited as a day trip to the west. Getting there: it is about 4 hours' drive from Edmonton and about 3.5 hours from Banff via the Icefields Parkway (without stops); VIA Rail's The Canadian stops at Jasper. We suggest 3–4 days. Notes: A park pass is required. Distances between sights are long, so driving is the most convenient option. Wildlife is abundant, so keep your distance and never feed animals. After the 2024 wildfire, some trails and wooded areas are still recovering, so check Parks Canada notices before you go.
Top sights
- Icefields Parkway / Columbia Icefield – A 232 km stretch from Lake Louise to Jasper, known as one of the world's most beautiful roads, with glaciers, turquoise lakes and snowy pea…
- Maligne Lake & Spirit Island, Jasper – The longest glacial lake in the Canadian Rockies (22 km). A 90-minute boat trip takes you to Spirit Island in the middle of the lake, a sma…
- Maligne Canyon – A narrow limestone gorge about 50 m deep, with a trail crossing six bridges. In winter, you can descend to the frozen canyon floor for an i…
- Athabasca Falls – A waterfall about 23 m high with an astonishing volume of water, which has carved a deep quartzite gorge. It is a must-stop on the northern…
- Mount Edith Cavell & Angel Glacier – Below the north face of the 3,363 m snowy peak, a wing-shaped glacier called the Angel Glacier hangs down. Floating ice drifts on the morai…
- Athabasca Glacier & Ice Explorer – The tongue of the Columbia Icefield reaching the roadside. Ride a giant Ice Explorer snowcoach onto the ice to walk on it. This is the core…
- Jasper SkyTram – Canada's longest and highest aerial tramway. In seven minutes it climbs Whistlers Mountain to 2,263 meters, with views over Jasper town and…
- Patricia & Pyramid Lakes – Two lakes just a 10-minute drive north of town, with Pyramid Mountain reflected in the water and a wooden bridge leading to an island in th…
- Sunwapta Falls – The Sunwapta River plunges into a limestone canyon at a sharp bend. The upper falls have a small island covered in fir trees in the middle.
- Medicine Lake – A lake that “disappears.” Its water drains through a karst underground river system and nearly dries up in autumn. Indigenous peoples once…
- Miette Hot Springs – The hottest natural hot springs in the Canadian Rockies, with a spring temperature of about 54°C, surrounded by mountains.
- Lac Beauvert & Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge – The emerald-green Lac Beauvert is home to a historic log-cabin resort hotel that opened in 1922, and an easy trail circles the lake.
- Valley of the Five Lakes – Five small lakes ranging in color from emerald to deep blue, linked together by an easy 4.5 km loop trail.
- Old Fort Point – A quartzite hill on the edge of town. A short climb offers 360-degree views of Jasper town, the Athabasca River, and the surrounding mounta…
- Jasper Townsite – A small town within the national park, where the historic stone-and-timber visitor centre, the Jasper Yellowhead Museum, restaurants, and t…
- Jasper Planetarium & Dark Sky Preserve – A planetarium within the world's second-largest dark-sky preserve. After a dome-screen presentation, visitors observe through a large teles…
- Mount Robson – The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at 3,954 meters. The visitor centre faces its towering south face, and the Berg Lake trail is a to…
- Marmot Basin – The only ski area in Jasper National Park, with dry snow, short lines, and about a 30-minute drive from town.
- Columbia Icefield Skywalk – A glass-floored viewing platform suspended about 280 meters above the Sunwapta Valley. It is a popular attraction sold together with the Ic…
Where to eat
- The Raven Bistro – One of the hardest reservations in Jasper, serving Mediterranean-inspired dishes with local game and offering plenty of…
- Evil Dave's Grill – A playful local favorite with dishes named with the word 'evil,' quickly reopened after the wildfires and often booked…
- Jasper Brewing Co. – The first brewery pub inside a Canadian national park, brewing beer with glacier water and serving upgraded Alberta-sty…
- Bear's Paw Bakery – A longtime Jasper bakery, restored and reopened after the wildfires, often with lines from early morning, ideal for bre…
Itineraries
- Banff & Jasper Icefields Parkway Classic – Round-trip from Calgary, connecting Banff, Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway, and Jasper.
- BC & Canadian Rockies Grand Loop – A round-trip loop from Vancouver, passing through Whistler, Wells Gray, Jasper, Banff, and wine country.