If you have ever even remotely considered visiting Jasper National Park… DO IT! This place is currently #1 on my list of parks that I need to return to. My visit to Jasper was the first time I ever hiked up a mountain and I was in awe. Seriously, I think I said “wow, this is amazing” or “wow its so pretty” like 100 times a day.
My visit to Jasper was the first stop on a road trip from Vancouver to Jasper and then Banff. It was a trip that I spent months planning and it exceeded expectations in every way (check out my post on planning fly and drive trips here).
We drove an Evo from Vancouver and arrived to our campsite in Jasper in the dark. Arriving in the dark is always fun because you don’t know what you will wake up to in the morning. It was a cold night and by 7am I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore and had to get up and see what was outside the tent. Crawling out of that tent and seeing the absolutely stunning views of the Athabasca River and mountains at the back of our site, I teared up a bit.
I think about our campsite on a weekly basis. I mean look at that view! I’m hesitant to reveal the exact site that we stayed at but if you want to know send me a message over on instagram! I will tell you it was at the Wabasso campground.
If you need convincing….Reasons to visit Jasper National Park
(Based on my trip!)
1. Epic views and great hiking!
The views in Jasper National Park are outstanding. You’d be hard pressed to beat the mountain views, which surround you as you drive and hike through the park. There are over 1200 km of hiking trails throughout the park with plenty of options for all ages and abilities.
While in Jasper I hiked the Sulphur Skyline Trail. Its an 8.8 km out (or should I say up) and back trail with 700m of elevation gain a moderate rating. The trail starts behind the Miette Hot Springs which would make a good spot to relax after the hike. The way up the trail you will be ascending fairly consistently with a steep final push towards the end. The summit is WELL worth the ascent with incredible 360 degree mountain views. I suggest starting the trail early, bringing food and water (as always), and taking lots of breaks on the way up. We brought wraps and ate them at the summit. I didn’t have them at the time but trekking poles would be helpful on the ascent and descent to take some pressure off your knees. We did the trail in 4 hours total.
We also visited Athabasca Falls which is a short walk from the parking lot to the falls. The falls are not the tallest or widest falls in Alberta but are considered some of the most powerful with large quantities of water flowing over them even in the drier seasons.
When I return to Jasper I want to hike a lot more trails, the Skyline Backpacking Trail is top of the list.
Always be sure to check trail conditions before heading out! You can check the trail conditions for Jasper here.
Jasper is the second largest dark sky preserve in the world!
2. wildlife!
I saw so much wildlife while I was in Jasper! We saw a black bear on our first morning while exiting our campground. A reminder to ALWAYS properly store food and scented products at your campsite, and carry bear spray that you know how to use while hiking in bear country!
We saw a bunch of elk on the roadside at various points while driving through the park. As someone who has yet to see a moose (except for from a helicopter) the elk were definitely a highlight! A herd of big horn sheep were an unexpected highlight of the trip! There were even kids!
Please remember that when viewing wildlife to always keep a safe distance, even when approaching in a vehicle! All my close up photos were taken with a zoom lens from an appropriate distance!
3. Icefields Parkway
Frequently ranked as one of the most stunning drives in the world, the Icefields Parkway is a 232 km drive from Jasper to Banff. I would highly recommend this drive, there are so many great places to stop along the way. You can check out my other post which has all the places I’ve stopped along the parkway!
4. Less crowded
While still a busy park with over a million visitors every summer, Jasper felt a lot less crowded than Banff when I went. If possible visiting in June or September would allow you to avoid most of the crowds.
The parks Canada website has more tips on avoiding the crowds here.
5. Rock Climbing
One unique thing I did at this park was go rock climbing! We climbed at Lost Boys Craig. On the day we climbed we were the only two climbers there. The rock was very unique and different from anything I’d climbed before (although my outdoor climbing experience remains limited). Finding the parking was a bit tricky and we passed it the first time. Go slow, its just a small pull off with only room for a couple of cars.
Land Acknowledgement
I would like to acknowledge that Jasper National Park is located in Treaty 6 and 8 as well as the traditional lands of the Anishinabe, Aseniwuche Winewak, Dene-zaa, Nêhiyawak, Secwépemc, Stoney Nakoda, Mountain Métis and Métis. I travel with respect in the National Parks knowing that these lands were stolen from those to whom they first and rightfully belonged.
