Jasper National Park, Alberta Canada

Last Updated: May 2026

From Banff we drove four hours north to Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada along the jaw-dropping Icefields Parkway. The parkway is an absolute must when visiting the Canadian Rockies — do not rush it.

A female black bear with two cubs foraging near Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Icefields Parkway

The 232-kilometre Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper is widely considered one of the most scenic drives in the world. More than 100 glaciers are visible from the road, along with dramatic waterfalls, turquoise glacial lakes, and some of the most rugged mountain scenery on the continent. We would have loved to spend a week on this road alone — distance, reservations, and weather kept us moving.

Jasper

Address: 500 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0. Hours: The park is open year-round; the Jasper Information Centre is open daily with seasonal hours. Admission: CAD $10.50 per adult per day or CAD $21.00 per vehicle per day; Parks Canada Discovery Pass accepted. Phone: (780) 852-6176. Website: pc.gc.ca/jasper.

Jasper townsite was named after Jasper Hawes, who operated a North West Company trading post in the area in the early 1800s. The park was established in 1907 and at over four million acres is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. It is less crowded than Banff but equally — some would say more — spectacular, with the Columbia Icefield, Maligne Lake, miles of hiking trails, abundant wildlife, and the remote Miette Hot Springs.

Athabasca River

Below Jasper townsite the Athabasca River widens into a broad, shallow braid of channels — warm enough for wading in summer, with a gravel bed and gentle current that attracted both people and wildlife on the hot afternoon we visited.

A bighorn sheep drinking from the shallow Athabasca River, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A herd of female bighorn sheep crossing the gravel bars along the Athabasca River, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

People were splashing in the shallows while a herd of female bighorn sheep wandered along the opposite bank — one of those effortlessly wild Jasper moments.

A grizzly bear foraging in a rain-soaked meadow, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A female grizzly bear with two cubs foraging in the rain, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

We came across a female grizzly with two cubs foraging in a rain shower — three bears in one sighting, close enough for real photography. Jasper’s grizzly bear population is one of the most visible in Canada.

A bull elk with velvet-covered antlers grazing in a meadow after a summer storm, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A bull elk ventured out in the cooler air following a summer rainstorm — his antlers still in full velvet, a sign of late summer in the Rockies.

Maligne Lake

The 48-kilometre drive to Maligne Lake from Jasper townsite is a wildlife corridor unto itself — we spotted bighorn sheep, moose, a bald eagle, and black bears on the way in. Maligne is the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies and one of the most photographed in the world, famous for Spirit Island and its extraordinary turquoise colour.

Maligne Lake with mountain peaks and summer clouds reflected in the still turquoise water, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Wildflowers blooming along the paved lakeshore path at Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A paved, dog-friendly path runs along the lakeshore — one of the few in Jasper that welcomes leashed dogs — making it an ideal walk for all fitness levels and travel companions, including Jake.

A juvenile bald eagle waiting in a large nest above Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

We found a bald eagle nest with a juvenile — nearly full grown but still dependent, waiting with loud impatience for a parent to return with food.

A bull moose lying down in lakeside vegetation to escape the afternoon heat, Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A bull moose had settled himself comfortably in the lakeside vegetation to wait out the midday heat — completely unbothered by the parade of photographers who stopped to document his nap.

A black bear cub gorging on buffalo berries in dense shrubs near Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A black bear cub feeding in a berry patch near Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Two black bear cubs were gorging on buffalo berries along the roadside — an extraordinary sight. A foraging adult black bear can consume up to 250,000 berries in a single day during hyperphagia, the pre-hibernation feeding frenzy of late summer.

Annette Lake

Annette Lake sits just east of Jasper townsite and offers a lovely 2.4-kilometre paved loop trail around its shores — flat, accessible, and dog-friendly. The lake warms up enough for swimming in summer and is one of the most pleasant easy walks in the park.

A bull and cow elk standing together in the shallows of Annette Lake to cool off on a hot summer afternoon, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A bull and cow elk had waded into the lake together to escape the heat — standing belly-deep in the cool water without a care in the world. One of the more memorable wildlife moments of the trip.

Miette Hot Springs

Address: Miette Rd, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0 (within Jasper National Park — 61 km from Jasper townsite). Hours: Open daily in summer; hours vary seasonally — check the Parks Canada website. Admission: CAD $7.50 adult; CAD $6.50 senior; CAD $5.70 youth. Phone: (780) 866-3939. Website: pc.gc.ca/jasper/hotsprings.

Sign for Miette Hot Springs mineral pools in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Miette Hot Springs is the hottest natural mineral spring in the Canadian Rockies, emerging from the earth at 54°C (129°F) and cooled to a comfortable 40°C (104°F) for soaking. Records show the springs have been in use since the 1800s. Like Radium and Banff, the facility is clean and well-maintained — more of a mountain swimming pool than a secluded wilderness soak — but the remote canyon setting above the valley floor gives Miette an edge over the others.

Hinton

We based ourselves at a KOA in Hinton, about 80 kilometres east of Jasper townsite. It had 50-amp service, water, sewer, and marginal Wi-Fi — a significant upgrade from the Parks Canada campgrounds. The real draw was a proper off-leash dog park, which made Jake very happy indeed. The town of Hinton has full services and is a practical and affordable alternative to staying inside the park.

Folding Mountain Brewing

We made more than one visit to Folding Mountain Brewing — good food, excellent craft beer, and a genuinely inviting atmosphere. Sandy was particularly taken with the decorative firewood wall, which she said looked like candy corn art. We were not going to argue.

Beaver Boardwalk

Sandy Huntley walking on the elevated boardwalk above the beaver wetland in Hinton, Alberta, Canada

In 2006, West Fraser Mills sponsored the construction of a boardwalk through a marshland inhabited by a resident beaver colony. We went in the early evening and watched several beavers actively patching and reinforcing their dams — remarkable engineers at work.

A beaver patching a leak in its dam at the Beaver Boardwalk wetland, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

Aerial view of the Beaver Boardwalk winding through the wetland marsh, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

The conservation story behind this boardwalk is fascinating. When beavers exhaust their food supply they normally move on, but land constraints and safety concerns about beavers felling trees near the town prompted biologists and the forest service to find a creative solution. Each fall, the beavers receive truckloads of Trembling Aspen for their winter food cache. In summer they eat naturally occurring wetland vegetation and do not need the supplement. The beavers seem entirely content with the arrangement — and so were we.

Purple water iris blooming on the surface of the beaver pond at the Beaver Boardwalk, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

Yellow water lilies blooming across the calm beaver pond at the Beaver Boardwalk, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

The boardwalk is a genuinely beautiful and peaceful place to walk. When we were there, a group of classical musicians set up an impromptu session on the boardwalk — playing among the beavers and birdsong. Only in Alberta.

A muskrat swimming along the surface of the pond at the Beaver Boardwalk wetland, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

A muskrat diving under the boardwalk at the Beaver Boardwalk wetland, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

Muskrats shared the wetland with the beavers — smaller cousins distinguished by their long, thin, rat-like tails rather than the beaver’s flat paddle tail. They had a habit of disappearing under the boardwalk, which drove Jake absolutely wild.

A mallard duckling swimming among water plants at the Beaver Boardwalk wetland, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

A red-winged blackbird perched on a cattail reed at the Beaver Boardwalk wetland, Hinton, Alberta, Canada

The marshland hosts over 120 bird species. We spotted mallard ducklings, red-winged blackbirds, and several waterfowl species in a single visit — outstanding birding for a short walk right at the edge of town.

Practical Tips for Jasper National Park

Drive the Icefields Parkway slowly: The 232-kilometre stretch from Lake Louise to Jasper is one of the world’s great scenic drives — do not rush it. Allow a full day at minimum, and plan stops at the Columbia Icefield, Athabasca Falls, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake. Every pullout offers something extraordinary.

Base in Hinton for connectivity: If you depend on internet and satellite access, consider staying at the KOA in Hinton rather than inside the park. You get 50-amp hookups, a dog park, and full services, with Jasper townsite just an hour away. Inside-park campgrounds are beautiful but offer limited or no connectivity.

Drive to Maligne Lake early: The Maligne Lake road is a wildlife corridor — go early morning for the best wildlife sightings and cooler temperatures. The parking lot at the lake fills by mid-morning in summer. The 48-kilometre road from Jasper townsite is almost as scenic as the destination.

Miette Hot Springs requires a commitment: The springs are 61 kilometres from Jasper townsite on a winding mountain road — plan for a half-day excursion. The remote canyon setting is worth the drive, and the hot springs themselves are the hottest naturally occurring mineral springs in the Canadian Rockies.

Beaver Boardwalk is free and extraordinary: In Hinton, the Beaver Boardwalk is one of the most underrated wildlife stops in Alberta. It is free, flat, and takes about an hour. Visit in the late afternoon or early evening when beavers are most active. Bring a long lens — you can get remarkably close to the wildlife from the boardwalk.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Jasper compare to Banff?

Jasper is larger, less crowded, and arguably more wild. The wildlife viewing — particularly grizzly bears — is exceptional. It lacks some of the amenities and infrastructure of Banff but more than compensates with its scale, solitude, and the sheer diversity of landscapes from the Columbia Icefield to Maligne Lake. If you can only do one, do both — they are very different experiences.

Is the Icefields Parkway suitable for large RVs?

Yes — the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) is a well-maintained two-lane highway with no vehicle size restrictions, making it accessible for large motorhomes and fifth wheels. Pullouts are frequent, fuel stations are limited (fill up in Lake Louise or Jasper), and the views from a motorhome are spectacular. Allow extra time for stops.

What wildlife is most likely to be seen in Jasper?

Jasper offers exceptional wildlife viewing. On our visit we personally saw grizzly bears, black bears, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and a bald eagle — all in a single day. Wolves, caribou, and lynx also inhabit the park. The Maligne Lake road and the Athabasca River valley are the most productive wildlife corridors. Bring binoculars and a long lens.

Is Maligne Lake worth the drive from Jasper?

Absolutely. The 48-kilometre drive from Jasper townsite passes through outstanding wildlife habitat, and the lake itself is among the most beautiful in the Canadian Rockies. The dog-friendly paved lakeshore path makes it accessible for all visitors. For the famous Spirit Island view, book a boat tour well in advance — they sell out weeks ahead in summer.

What is the Beaver Boardwalk and is it worth visiting?

The Beaver Boardwalk in Hinton is a free elevated walkway through an active beaver wetland, home to resident beaver families, muskrats, over 120 bird species, and abundant aquatic plants. It is an extraordinary wildlife experience just off the highway, completely free, and takes about an hour. Go in the late afternoon when beavers are most active. It is one of the best free wildlife stops in Alberta.

Should I stay inside Jasper National Park or in Hinton?

It depends on your priorities. Inside the park you have immediate access to trails and scenery, but campgrounds book up months in advance, offer limited electrical service (typically 30 amp), and have little connectivity. Hinton offers 50-amp hookups, a dog park, full town services, the Beaver Boardwalk, and Folding Mountain Brewing — and puts you about an hour from Jasper townsite. For RVers who need connectivity and full hookups, Hinton is the practical choice.