Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, with over 11,000 square kilometres of park. The park is filled with so many beautiful waterfalls, hikes and lakes, you won’t believe your eyes! Especially when it comes to just how blue the water is. The summer months of June – August are the peak season and it’s understandable why. The area is a haven for hiking with so many trails of varying difficulty, white water rafting, cycling & scenic drives.
Jasper town itself is lovely to walk around, you’ll find most hotels are situated here along with a wide range of restaurants, activity booking centres & shops.
What to do in Jasper National Park
Maligne Lake
This is an absolute must do in Jasper, it’s the largest lake natural lake in the Rockies lake fed by glacial waters which is why it is a magnificent blue colour. The lake stretches for 22 km and you can’t even see the end of it. There are lots of different walks you can do here, ranging from short easy walks to more difficult hikes, or if walking is not your thing then sit by the lakeside and enjoy the peace and serenity! It takes about an hour to get here from the town of Jasper, but is so worth it!
Maligne Lake Cruise
You can take a Lake Cruise to Spirit Island, one of the most photographed places in Canada. Spirit Island sits 14km up from the dock of Maligne Lake. Therefore the only way to get there is by boat. Although, you could paddle yourself but that would take 4 hours! The lake cruise is the best way to go. As you get closer to Spirit Island you’ll notice the water becoming even more turquoise and this is due to the rock flour from the glaciers that feed the lake.
When you get to Spirit Island you have about 15-20 minutes to walk around. There is a short path that takes you round allowing you to see Maligne Lake from a different view. I’d definitely recommend this cruise the views from Spirit island are amazing! The tour guides share interesting info and are so friendly so you can ask any questions you have. Just remember to book your tickets beforehand or as soon as you get to Maligne Lake to guarantee your spot.
Maligne Canyon
Maligne Canyon is the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park. Walking along this canyon will see you crossing 6 different bridges depending on the hike you want. For an easy hike cross over the first and second bridge. Crossing the third bridge will enable you to reach a picture perfect spot for an amazing waterfall. For longer hike, walk all the way to the sixth bridge, we walked all the way here and we saw barely any other people on the way to the final bridge it was so peaceful. The sixth bridge is the lowest bridge and ends at another car park. In total it’s about 7km to the sixth bridge and back and so will take between 2 and 3 hours.
Bald Hills Hike
This is a 13.4km hike take which takes you high above Maligne Lake, gaining 708m elevation gain. From the summit you are able to see just how long the lake is – it’s unreal. The hike is quite steep and took us 3.5 hours to complete, so it’s worth allowing for extra time. This was one of my favourite hikes of the whole holiday you can read more about it here.
Miette Hot Springs
Similar to the Banff Upper Hot Springs, Jasper has its own hot springs, the Miette Hot Springs. It is made up of two pools of naturally heated water (between 37- 40 degrees Celsius). It’s a fantastic way to relax your muscles in such a beautiful setting.
Sulphur Skyline Hike
The Sulphur skyline is an 8km challenging climb with a 700m elevation gain. At the summit you are rewarded with amazing 360 degree views of the valley below. What’s even better, is that once you’ve finished you can treat yourself to a soak in the Miette Hot Springs, 2 pools of naturally heated water. I’ve written a more detailed post on the Sulphur Skyline Hike here.
Skytram
Jasper also has its own gondola, the skytram, which you can take up to the top of Whistler’s Mountain to gain panoramic views across the mountain ranges. Unfortunately we weren’t able to fit this in when we went but it’s on the list for next time! Given there are so many gondolas throughout the Rockies, if you go on all of them you can find yourself spending quite a bit!
Valley of 5 lakes
A relatively easy 4.5km hiking trail around 5 different lakes each a beautiful blue/green colour. The hike will take between 1 and 2 hours, don’t feel like you have to rush though, it’s really nice to leisurely walk round each of the lakes. This trail wasn’t too popular when we visited so it was really nice!
Jasper Raft Tours/ White water rafting
Jasper is home to the Athabasca River a perfect place for a raft trip whether that’s white water rafting or a gentle raft tour (where you’re not responsible for rowing). We opted for the latter as my mum is not the most confident in water. We booked with Jasper Raft Tours and they were amazing, I would definitely recommend this trip! It was so fun floating down the river over smaller rapids, it really is suitable for everyone! We were so lucky we managed to spot a bear and it’s cub on the grass verge.
Rock Climbing
Jasper National Park has some of the best climbing in Canada, the season can start as early as May. It’s an amazing place to climb among some of the most picturesque scenery. For more information check out Rockaboo, they offer a range of climbing experiences.
Drive the Icefields Parkway
This is a 232 km road that connects Banff and Jasper national park, winding round mountains, glaciers and overlooking valleys. It is one of the most scenic drives, there are so many points of interest along the way find out more about them here. Since there are so many make sure you leave a whole day for this drive – you won’t regret it!
For more things to do in the Canadian Rockies have a look at my 3 week itinerary!
