A Tour of Jasper National Park

Somewhat lesser known than Banff, its twin to the south, Jasper National Park is home to majestic mountains, glaciers, pristine lakes and abundant wildlife; and is a nature lovers paradise. I had the chance to visit Jasper in the summer of ’23 as part of a road trip from Seattle to the Canadian Rockies.

Having spent a couple of days in Calgary we had two options to get to Jasper, the first being Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway) via Banff and the other being Highway 2 via Edmonton. All other things being equal, i.e. no closures on 97, it is the recommended route, not only is it the quickest but also the most scenic way with several interesting stops on the way. The many picturesque lakes, waterfalls and of course glaciers can be viewed from or near the highway. For the nature buff, there is plenty of wildlife sightings on the roads in the area.

We had reserved a cabin at the Jasper Gates Resort, a 40 min drive from the town of Jasper. The resort has been recently renovated, the cabins have a fully functional kitchen and there are several activities for kids at the resort. There are a couple of restaurants within walking distance, Folding Mountain Brewery is virtually on site and Stone Peak Restaurant is a 30 min walk but quite worth it. Although it is a little distance away from Jasper, I would highly recommend the place. The town of Jasper itself, is a typical mountain town, with quirky shops, cafes and restaurants set up for tourists, a unique landmark in town is the two brothers totem pole near the train station. We had lunch at the Jasper Pizza Place, really loved the ambience and the food. Jasper town is also a good place to stock up on groceries and essentials when in the area.

Jasper is one of the largest national parks in Canada, most of it being back country, accessible only by trails; we explored the more developed part, with road access on our trip. Besides the sights on the Icefields Highway, another route to explore is the Maligne lake road. Some of the more popular stops include Medicine Lake, Pyramid Mountain, Maligne Canyon, and of course Maligne lake with its historic boathouse. It get a bit busy during the summer season, so I would recommend starting early in the morning to avoid the crowds and enjoy the serene surroundings. There are boat rentals and boat tours available on Maligne Lake, the tours are best booked in advance and are well worth the effort, for the more adventurous I would recommend renting a canoe and exploring the lake themselves.