WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN THE JASPER NATIONAL PARK

The Jasper National Park It is the largest of the 4 parks that form the Rocky Mountains of Canada, and the gateway to these spectacular mountains if, as we come from Vancouver on the north road. The other three, which we will investigate throughout our roadtrip by the Canadian Rockies are Banff, Kootenay and Yoho.

Jasper is the ideal resort to base a couple of days or three and explore the many attractions of Jasper National Park. Among them there are spectacular spectacular viewpoints, scenic roads, some of the most beautiful glacial lakes in the Rockies, hiking options for all tastes, a natural hot springs spa and, of course, the Marmot Basin ski resort, open between November and May. If you are planning a trip through the Rocky Mountains of Canada, you can not miss the Jasper National Park. And for you to enjoy it to the fullest we tell you everything to do here:

This is the Jasper National Park map, where we have pointed out all the places of interest that you cannot miss around Jasper:

But first, we made the approach on highway 16, the call Yellowhead hwy, on the way to Jasper, we will be accompanied on our right by Moose lake, a long and narrow lake with the name of what was once its most common inhabitant. From what they told us, there are few moose seen here, although we saw a Canadian deer grazing quietly next to the asphalt. What is currently maintained, and hopefully for a long time, is its spectacular panorama. From the car it will be difficult to keep looking straight ahead, although as a precaution, stop at the boat ramp that is almost at the end of the lake.

A few kilometers before reaching Jasper you will have to pass the check point from the national park, if you don't have a pass, go putting your hand in your wallet because you have to pay. Oh, and remember that you are going to cross the border with the province of Alberta, where it is one more hour (you lose an hour of day, so organize yourself well).

Now yes, here goes everything what to see and do in Jasper National Park. All these are the Unmissable places around Jasper, but not the only ones! If you continue south on the way to Banff, you will travel on Highway 93, the well-known Icefields Hwy, one of the most beautiful in the world, if not the most, of which we speak in the following article.

On the same road you will have the option to visit these two lakes, northwest of Jasper. In the second of them there is a walkway that crosses to an island in the center of the lake, the Pyramid island, which by the way you can rent to celebrate an event. Also this lake has several beaches, which we assume will be crowded in summer, when the water is not at an almost deadly temperature! A good plan, if you want to do some sport, is to rent a bicycle in Jasper and arrive through the cycle track through forests and cool trails.

These three lakes are located east of Jasper, very close to the town. To make the visit it is best to go by car and stop at some panoramic points that you will easily see on the tour. Although there are also many trails that surround and connect the lakes. Our favorite place is the pier on Annete Lake, just before reaching the largest car park. As in most places of interest, there will be lots of non-flush bathrooms and picnic tables scattered around the area.

It is a trekking that accompanies the strait canyon of the river Maligne. The tour goes through up 6 bridges where you will leave the deep cracks in the rock under your feet. We recommend starting it near bridge 1, there is a large parking lot and a tea house (which is basically a restaurant), although there is the possibility of doing so from bridge 5 or bridge 6, which also have parking.

We left the car in the first zone and made a short tour, which first passed through bridges 2, 3 and 4, quite close between them, and then climbed up the other side of the canyon again towards the parking lot. At the end of the tour you continue to bridge 1 and end at the foot of the tea house. In total they are 2 km, for what we spend 45 minutes (photo time included, of course).

If you are left wanting more, after overcoming bridge 4, instead of taking the turnoff, you can continue to bridge 5, which is not far away, and from there to the furthest bridge 6. The return you can do the same way or in a loop. The long route is about 8 km, for which it takes about 3 hours. We went to visit Bridge 6 by car and the truth is that it is not worth it. Of course, the place is very cool for a picnic.

From the Maligne Canyon, get in the car and follow this beautiful road to these two lakes. It is a stretch of 47 km (about 45 minutes) where there are many possibilities that you find bears and other wild animals. We saw one swimming in Medicine Lake on the way (on the way back he was in the same place, but this time he was scratching himself), and back a family of a cub with his two little ones, devouring the grass so calm. There is another possibility to see animals in the Jasper National Park, and it is an excursion in search of wildlife by nature with local knowledgeable experts. This one has great reviews.

Halfway or so, you'll have the viewpoint over the beginning of the Medicine lake, a strange lake that loses its water almost completely in winter, when it is almost completely frozen and looks like a river rather than a lake. When the thaw period begins, it fills again and presents, this time, an image of a lake. We saw it in its bad hours ...

Although the best time will be when you reach the Maligne Lake, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the Rocky Mountains. We visited it in mid-May, and it was still frozen, but when the heat starts, there is a top attraction that is the little boat that takes you for a walk along the lake and to the famous Spirit island. The price is $ 72 and, for what we read, it is well worth it. More info.

This is definitely one of the most famous trekkings in the Canadian Rockies. It is a path that goes through 5 lakes, with very curious green hues. The tour of 4,5 km It is in the form of a loop, with some ups, for which we need 2 hours.

The first kilometer is a path through a very beautiful valley, you will pass a wooden bridge and, after a climb, you will find a first crossing. Continue on your way to the Valley of the 5 Lakes, and then you will see a second crossing. This is where the short loop through the 5 lakes (There is a much longer trekking that surrounds First Lake and which we believe is not worth it). We take the route on the left to make the tour clockwise, and visiting the lakes in ascending order: First Lake, Second Lake ... to Fifth Lake.

The panoramas offered by each of them are true postcards! Although the most famous point is where they have planted the typical red chairs that have been scattered throughout the country. In this case they face the Third Lake and just leave behind Forth Lake. The Fifth Lake has a very photogenic dock too.

It is the perfect climax to a day of hiking. They are bathrooms of natural hot springs which are regulated at 40 degrees, surrounded by mountains in an extraordinary place. They are about 60 km from Jasper, the first part of the route, although it is a very busy road (it is the Hwy that goes to Edmonton), will make you pass through an area of ​​lagoons and with very beautiful mountainous backgrounds. Then you will have to take a detour in the area called Pocahontas, and the last 20 km are uphill towards a mountain in the middle of the forest (the road is in perfect condition). In total it is 1 hour trip, which will definitely be worth it!

The bathrooms are made up of two large pools of hot water, and two other little ones of cold water, all outdoors. They also have changing rooms and cafeteria. The price is 7$ and you can rent the towel or swimsuit ($ 1.90 each). The ticket includes the use of a ticket office, although you can only open it once, if you want to use it again you will have to pay an extra.

We had no idea, but as forests or marine parks are protected, there is also an association responsible for protecting areas for night sky observation. And since 2011 Jasper has become one of them. Any of the lakes that we have presented before and that are far from the population will be excellent options to observe the stars on a clear night.

Photo by Jeff Bartlett, www.jasper.travel

Stop this trip you can base in Jasper, although one idea is to sleep only one night there, and take advantage of the next day that the attractions that are further south will come to find another place on the way, such as HI Athabasca Falls, the hostel where we we stayed. And what a great surprise! It is a sustainable accommodation, with wooden cabins in the middle of nature, so much that on our arrival we were welcoming, neither more nor less, than a bear! Keep in mind that the accommodation does not have showers, but they let you use those of Jasper's HI, also of the HI Canada chain.

These are the best things to see and do in Jasper National Park, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains of Canada.

Video: The Top 15 Sights in Jasper National Park 2019 (April 2024).