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Jasper & Icefields Parkway

Jasper National Park

Jasper offers breathtaking sites and memorable experiences. Adventurers can take advantage of incredible backcountry locations, alpine day hikes, adrenaline pumping mountain biking and great paddling. For a more relaxed pace, take in one of the many scenic drives, picnic amongst majestic peaks, and enjoy unique wildlife viewing. Winter highlights include snowshoeing, skiing on groomed trails, fat biking, skating and more!

Observing wildlife as they go about their natural lives is one of the most fascinating experiences that Jasper can offer. Jasper National Park is home to 53 species of mammals that rely on a variety of habitats, some of which we share with them. Wildlife sightings are common across Jasper’s varied landscape and can be spotted year-round. Bears; such as grizzly bears (with their notably large humps) or black bears (with their tan muzzles), are most commonly seen in the valley bottoms in the spring and early summer. Among the many other species, you may also see elk, moose, two species of deer (mule and white tailed deer), bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves and coyotes to name a few. Lucky hikers, might even spot a rare woodland caribou.

Jasper town

Jasper, situated right in the heart of Jasper Park, is world-famous as a ski destination and offers numerous other opportunities to explore the great outdoors.

The small township of Jasper is tucked away amid the mountains of the Canadian Rockies. Situated on a plateau overlooking the Athabasca Valley, it commands a view of the Colin Range to the east and of the jagged peaks along the Icefield Parkway to the south. Jasper retains its timeless appeal, with home-valley charm and an intimate community that originated as a railway town surrounded by some of the most incredible protected wilderness in the world.

However you choose to spend your time in Jasper National Park, whether it’s soaking in a natural hot spring, taking a stroll through timeless gorges, taking the cable car amongst the snow-capped mountains or sampling Swiss cuisine, Jasper makes a fantastic base for all your adventures.

Take me to the Mountains

Whilst in Jasper, take time for a trip on the Jasper SkyTram, which whisks you up Whistlers Mountain to an elevation of 2,263 m, providing stunning vistas of mountain ranges. On a clear day, you can even see the white pyramid of Mount Robson in nearby British Columbia. Interpretive panels explain the alpine environment, and a 1.4 km hiking trail leads you to the summit of the mountain. 

Pyramid Mountain in Jasper National Park stands at an elevation of 2,763 m (9,064 ft), the highest peak in the vicinity and one of the most photogenic. Aptly named for its shape in 1859 by geologist and naturalist, James Hector, the peak is part of the Victoria Cross Range and is a favourite among scramblers and mountain bikers. The panoramic views overlooking the Athabasca River Valley from Disaster Point lookout make this intermediate-level hike well worthwhile.

At an impressive 3300-metre peak, Mt. Edith Cavell is named after a British nurse executed during World War I for her part in helping allied prisoners escape occupied Brussels. A narrow 14 km road brings visitors close to the mountain’s awesome north face, an area famous for interesting moraines, the Cavell Meadows, and spectacular views of Angel Glacier. During the summer months, the short day hike to Cavell Meadows is a must-do. Between the backdrop of Edith Cavell and the alpine wildflowers in full bloom, it’s a photographer’s dream!

Icefields Parkway & Columbia Icefield

Along the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) jaw-dropping scenery is punctuated by more than 100 ancient glaciers, waterfalls cascading from dramatic rock spires and turquoise lakes set in sweeping valleys. There are so many places where you can pull over to take spectacular photos or find a trailhead to hike. You’ll want to take your time, with many must-see stops along the way.

The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies, covering some 230 sq km (89 sq mi) to a depth of 365 m (1,200 ft) and some 28 km (17 mi) long. Draped over the continental divide on a high alpine plateau along the Alberta-BC border, it receives an average of 7 m (23 ft) of new snowfall per year. Not all of that snow can melt in the short summers so it accumulates, turning to ice which flows outward through the surrounding passes, creating fingers of ice known as glaciers, the Athabasca Glacier being the most well-known.

The Icefields Parkway has been recognized as one of the most scenic drives in the world, with over 100 visible glaciers, turquoise lakes, rushing waterfalls and numerous hiking trails and picnic spots. Experience epic adventures at the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, and then some warm and quieter ones indoors. Life at the edge of the Columbia Icefield is both precious and grand and few places in the world offer this kind of natural majesty, so take the time to soak it all in.

Skywalk & Athabasca Falls

Capture a feeling of absolute wonder on the cliffs of the Sunwapta Valley. The Columbia Icefield Skywalk experience features fossils, waterfall views and incredible glacier landscapes along a one-kilometre interpretive walkway, situated near routes frequented by mountain goats and other wildlife. The journey is memorable, but your destination is unforgettable — a suspended platform where glass is all that separates you from rugged and wild terrain 918-foot (280 m) below.

Located 19 miles south of the town of Jasper, you shouldnt miss Athabasca Falls. At 23 m (75.5 ft) in height, it may not be the tallest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies but it is one of the most powerful, due to the sheer volume of water flowing into the gorge from the Athabasca River, fed by the massive Columbia Icefield. There are a number of platforms and walkways where you can safely view and photograph the falls. 

Experience & Explore

Suggested Itineraries

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