Located in Alberta, Canada, Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains at 11,000 square miles. Jaspe National Park is also a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are tons to do and see in Jasper National Park and a visit cannot be missed. If you are planning a trip to Banff and surrounding areas, you will want to plan day in Jasper National Park.
Like other national parks, you will be required to buy a Parks Canada pass to enter the park. Depending on how long you will be here, you can purchase a discovery pass online in advance or you can purchase a pass on entry into the park.
Athabasca Glacier
When visiting Athabasca Glacier you have two options – visiting the toe of the glacier or going on the actual glacier. Visiting the toe of the glacier will give you a closer glimpse and requires a short but entirely uphill rocky hike. If you want to actually go on the glacier, you can opt for an organized tour with Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure. This tour is quite expensive so if you don’t want to spend a ton of money you can also hike the glacier through a guided hike. The hike is approximately 5 km roundtrip and takes about 3.5 hours. If you are short on time, I recommend doing the toe of the glacier.
The Athabasca Glacier is half the size it was 125 years ago; receding at a rate of approximately 5 meters per year. At this rate, the glacier won’t last another 125 years.
Parking at the toe of the glacier is very limited and not well maintained so it is hard to find a spot when it’s busy. If you did decide to do a tour, there is tons of parking at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center where the tour leaves from. Please make sure you stay within the roped off sections as it is very dangerous to go outside of them.
Pyramid Lake
Visiting Pyramid Lake is another highlight to visiting Jasper National Park. The best time to visit Pyramid Lake is at sunrise or sunset. At sunrise or sunset you will have the best view, where you can see Pyramid Mountain in the reflection of the lake. There are several viewpoints around the lake for you to enjoy the view. You can also rent a canoe or paddleboard If you’d like to go out on the water.
Tangle Creek Falls
On the side of the road, you will find Tangle Creek Falls. Make sure you are paying attention to your GPS as it is easy to miss this beautiful waterfall. It is not very grand but it is a beautiful waterfall and an easy stop along the way.
The is small parking area or you can pull over on the side of the road but be careful of other motorists.
Maligne Canyon
Hiking Maligne Canyon is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park. The gorge is the deepest in the park, plunging 160 feet. There are various points throughout the canyon that you can start your hike from. If you choose to start at Bridge 1, the full hike from here is about 10 km. If you don’t have the time to do the full loop, I recommend hiking to Bridge 2 as the best views can be found at bridge 1 and 2.
Sunwapta Falls
The Sunwapta Falls consist of the upper and lower falls. Both are fed by the Athabasca Glacier so the water is a vibrant shade of blue. The upper falls are easily accessible from the parking lot. If you want to see the lower falls, you will have to hike 1.3 km to get there. The lower falls are much less busy than the upper falls.
There is plenty of parking here and the turn off is well marked so you shouldn’t miss it.
Maligne Lake
Maligne Lake is easily one of the most beautiful lakes in Jasper National Park. This lake is beautiful no matter the time of year so it’s definitely worth the visit if you are visiting Jasper. At 22 km, Maligne Lake is the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. It is also known for Spirit Island, which can be found in the middle of the lake and can only be reached by boat. You can also rent a canoe to take out on the water. If you plan to canoe to Spirit Island, it will take about 3 hours.
Athabasca Falls
The Athabasca Falls are one of the most popular stops on the Icefields Parkway. The trail to waterfall is easy and you get to walk alongside the river. After crossing the bridge and taking pictures of the falls, you can head down the gorge to hike alongside the opposite riverbank. The stairway down the gorge can be slippery so be careful going down it.
Although there is plenty of parking, this is a very busy stop. It is very popular so expect it to be busy. This was my first stop of the day as I chose to work my way back to Canmore and I wanted to beat the crowds.
Valley of Five Lakes
This 5 km loop winds past five beautiful alpine lakes with majestic views and emerald coloured lakes. Each lake is different and unique in colour. The fifth lake even has dock that is perfect for swimming if you are there in the summer. The hiking trail is about 4.5 km long but is easy and relatively flat. Depending on when you stop here, you may be losing daylight so keep that in mind when planning your stops.
