Canada was at the top of our list when we were planning out our cross country travels! We had seen so many beautiful pictures of the mountains and incredible blue water; we just could not wait to get out there and experience it for ourselves.

When most people think about the outdoors and traveling to Canada, Banff is usually the first place that comes to mind. Jasper, in my opinion, has more of a wild feeling. It is less commercialized, less touristy, and less crowded, but it still has all the things you would hope for in a vacation destination! Jasper National Park is a great place for hiking, relaxing, and sight seeing in the Canadian Rockies. One of my biggest tips I learned from our time in Jasper, the weather will change. If it is raining, it won’t last long. If it is cloudy, they will go away. If it is sunny, it won’t last forever. Don’t let the weather hold you back from a hike or activity, just come prepared with the gear to do it anyway! Here is my must-dos for anyone planning a trip to Jasper National Park!

GETTING AROUND

Jasper is divided into five sections, which makes it really easy to plan out your trip! Jasper area, Miette Hot Springs, Maligne Canyon, Edith Cavell, and Icefields Parkway. I’ve listed the map down below and written the areas on the map. I’m going to give my to-dos for each section of Jasper National Park!

JASPER AREA

I always recommend going to the visitors’ center first thing when going to a National Park. Even if you’ve done your research and planned out your hikes (like I did, haha); they always have more useful information. For example, when we arrived in Jasper, we had no idea that the elk were in rut. This is good information to have! The visitor center is located right in the middle of the city.

PYRAMID LAKE

We wanted to have a “lazy day” after having done several big hikes in a row, so we spent a couple of hours just sitting by Pyramid Lake. It is easily accessible, you are able to park just a few steps away from the lake itself. Our time was really peaceful while we were there. Only a few other people were there at the same time. A lot of people recommend going there for sunset, especially if you want good sunset pictures.

WHISTLERS MOUNTAIN

We were told the views from Whistlers Mountain are incredible; however, we did not enjoy them for ourselves. The hike up is 13.6km with 1200 meters elevation gain that takes 5-8 hours to complete. We made the decision to opt out of this hike in favor of others. There is also the option of taking a gondola up, but our budget just didn’t have that in it.

EATING & SHOPPING

Jasper is a city, so it does have plenty of eating and shopping options that are all in walking distance of one another. We ate at Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria while we were there. We loved it - and bonus! It had vegan pizza options! We also heard great things about Bear’s Paw Bakery!

XPLORER PROGRAM

We did ask and find out that Canada’s National Parks have a program similar to the States’ Junior Ranger program, and it is called the Xplorer program! It is a little less involved than the Junior Rangers, but Etta Rose enjoyed in nonetheless. The rangers gave her a book to color and fill out that she was able to return and get a badge! She always loves the Junior Ranger program so I thought it was awesome to be able to do it at the Canadian National Parks as well.

MIETTE HOT SPRINGS

This was one of my absolute favorite places in Canada. I really feel like it is overlooked quite a bit, but it is worth checking out! Every time I talk about our trip or show pictures, this is always at the top of my list.

SULPHUR SKYLINE TRAIL

Sulphur Skyline Trail is an 8km out and back with 700 meters of elevation gain and takes approximately 4-6 hours to complete. The trail is rated by the park as difficult, but it is rated by all trails as moderate. I would rate it as more of a moderate trail, but the last kilometer is certainly difficult. This trail is probably on my top three in Canada.

The trail is switchbacks all the way up. I imagine there are some pretty views on the way up, but we were hiking through the clouds during our hike. TIP: the weather changes all the time in Canada. Be prepared and go anyway because the weather will probably change. Luckily for us, it did. As soon as we reached the top, the fog started to break and opened up to the most spectacular views (which is a nice reward since the last kilometer really kicks your butt!). The views really are 360 just breath-taking. On our hike down, we even got to see long-horned sheep!! It was so cool. As luck was on our side, we passed hardly anyone on the trail.

SOAK AT MIETTE HOT SPRINGS

After a long and strenuous hike, there is nothing better than taking a dip in a hot spring! Or even if you want to skip the hike and go straight for a hot spring, haha! For around CAD 7 you can enjoy the healing and relaxing hot springs. The pools are outdoors with amazing views of the mountains around you. There are four pools, two hot and two cold. I totally recommend checking them out! There are locker rooms there with showers. They also have rental swimsuits and towels in case you forgot to pack yours!

MALIGNE CANYON

This is a really fun spot of Jasper National Park for one major reason alone: the wildlife! This is the best place to spot any wildlife. While we were there we were able to see several moose and even a black mama bear with her cubs on our drive! You’ll pass by Medicine Lake on your way to Maligne Canyon, which is worth stopping by for pictures or just to take in the beauty!

MOOSE LAKE LOOP

This is a fun little loop trail with awesome perks! Moose Lake Loop is a 2.7 kilometer loop trail with almost no elevation gain that takes around 1-2 hours. Like the name suggests, Moose are often found in or around the lake. We were lucky enough to see three moose and one calf while we were there, one moose even passing us right beside the trail!

MALIGNE LAKE

After Moose Lake Loop and getting to spot the wildlife, we headed toward Maligne Lake to explore around the gift shop and area. There’s a boat dock and the option to ride or rent kayaks to go out to Spirit Island, an island in the middle of Maligne Lake. If you’re planning to kayak, however, you should also bring your camping gear as it’s a full day’s paddle. The gift shop is also located here with a nice restaurant. Another option is the Waffle House that has all kinds of tasty waffle options and, of course, maple syrup.

EDITH CAVELL

Mount Edith Cavell is a stunning mountain with a turquoise blue glacier melt pond at the base. It is home to Angel Glacier, a large glacier named for its shape like an angel with its wings out. While it is still quite large, it is unfortunately melting quickly.

PATH OF THE GLACIER TRAIL

This trail is an easy 1.4km out and back that takes an hour or less, depending on how much time you spend looking at the glacial pool and mountain. This is one of those views that just kind of puts you in awe. Seeing the Angel Glacier melt right before your own eyes, forming this unreal colored pool of water is just magical. We were actually able to witness a massive break off causing large waves and thunder-like noises.

CAVELL MEADOWS TRAIL

The Cavell Meadows Trail is a 7km loop trail with 500 meters elevation gain that takes 3-5 hours to hike. My tip about the weather totally didn’t work on this hike… it rained the entire time, haha! While we were there, we did do this hike, but I’m going to be honest. I don’t think it is worth it. The Path of the Glacier Trail that I mentioned above provides stunning views of the mountain, glacier, and pool. The second best views are about a quarter of a mile up the Cavell Meadows Trail. The rest of the hike is simply looking back down at the same view, getting further away. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed the hike, and it is beautiful. However, I would save my legs and time for something that can only be reached by hiking there.

ICEFIELDS PARKWAY

Okay, wow. WOW. This drive… I will never be the same. We almost made part of this drive during the night, and I am SO HAPPY we did not. The Icefields Parkway is the road that connects Jasper National Park to Banff National Park and is home to some of the most stunning views that you can get right from your car. It is certainly a do not miss!

SUNWAPTA & ATHABASCA FALLS

If you love beautiful waterfalls, these are the stops for you. They are very easily accessible and less than 1km to walk to. The waterfalls are definitely worth a stop at since they are so easy to get to and located so easily off of the road. I will say they were both crowded even on a rainy day, due in part to their ease of access. We were able to see both in the same day as we worked our way from Jasper to Banff.

TOE OF THE ATHABASCA GLACIER

This is a 1.8km out and back that takes less than an hour. The Athabasca Glacier is just amazing. Even from a distance, it looks huge! The pure beauty just cannot be put into words. There is the option to pay around CAD 100 to go on a guided tour by bus out onto the glacier to walk on the Athabasca Glacier. However if you, like us, are on a budget, the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier is a free and easy way to be able to see and walk on the glacier.

If you are interested in going on a guided tour, tickets can be purchased at the Columbia Icefield Center right across the street. I suggest stopping in here even if you’re not interested in the guided tour. The downstairs is full of interesting facts and information about the Icefields Parkway. It also has a gift shop and dining. It’s basically the visitors center of the Icefields Parkway.

HIKE TO WILCOX PASS

Another top rated trail! This is a great hike that people visiting both Jasper and Banff love to do. Wilcox Pass is a 8km loop trail with 390 meters of elevation gain that takes approximately 2-3 hours to hike. The views are just incredible with opportunities to see big horn sheep! It was on our list of hikes to complete, but we started to run tight on time and had to make the decision to pass it up. I looked at so many pictures of this trail before our trip, and it really just looks spectacular.

PACKING TIPS

Hiking Shoes - snow or rain, the trails can be a bit muddy! Be sure to break your hiking shoes in before making your trip - blisters can be a damper on a fun trip!
Hiking Clothes - even in the summer months Canada can be hot during the day but cold at night. I always suggest hiking in layers! Be sure to back lightweight quick dry base layers with a mid-weight layer to put on as needed. I usually start a hike with all of my layers and shed as I warm up! Definitely bring a warm jacket. Like I mentioned, even in the summer months it get cold at night. Also, don’t forget gloves and a knit hat!
Rain Gear - the weather is so unpredictable when you get into the mountains. I didn’t go anywhere without my rain jacket.
Day Pack - anytime I hit the trail (short or long hikes) I always bring my daypack! I use it to carry my water, snacks, a few first aid items.
Trekking Poles - I usually don’t use trekking poles unless I am backpacking; however, most of the hikes in the Canadian Rockies have a lot of elevation gain in a short amount of time.
First Aid Kit - it’s always good to have a few things when you hit the trail
Headlamp - it can get dark quick when you’re on the trail!
Bear Spray - this is totally necessary! TSA doesn’t allow bear spray on flights. You can buy it at several stores in the city of Jasper.
Refillable Water Bottle - always bring more water than you anticipate! And go green by using refillable :)
Snacks - there is only a small grocery store in the city of Jasper, so it’s a good idea to bring your favorite trail snack - mine is Cliff bars!

Jasper National Parks is a place that our family will never forget! I really just have no words for the Canadian Rockies. They are spectacular, and all I can say is, if you ever have the chance to visit - DO IT!

If you are planning a trip to Jasper National Park, let me know! I would love to dream and plan with you :) Be on the lookout for our blog all about Jasper’s more famous neighbor… Banff National Park!

OUR GUIDE TO JASPER NATIONAL PARK