Sometimes referred to as Banff’s unassuming little sister, but just as well endowed in natural beauty, Jasper is becoming the place to visit in the Canadian Rockies.
In fact, I think there are more iconic experiences and things to do in Jasper compared to the more popular national park to the south.
The mountains are more jagged, the townsite is more laid back, the views are breathtaking and the outdoor activities are endless.
I normally visit Jasper several times during the winter to go skiing, but the summertime is when the rugged mountain beauty really shines.
The town of Jasper has a couple of main streets with restaurants, shops and cafes.
Besides strolling through the adorable mountain boutiques, souvenir shops and enjoying dinner or happy hour on the many patios, most of things you’ll want to check out are outside of town but within the national park.
But don’t worry, the townsite is perfectly situated right in the middle of everything, with dozens of things to see and do within an hour or less.
If it’s your first time visiting, I recommend spending 3 full days (4 nights) in Jasper to see and experience all the main attractions.
You will be able to visit several waterfalls, lakes, see roadside wildlife, go on a couple hikes and soak in the hot springs in 3 days.
To help you plan your itinerary, here are the things you should not miss in (and around) Jasper.
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Best Things to Do in Jasper
Maligne Lake Cruise to Spirit Island
This is probably one of the most iconic images of Jasper and one of the most popular attractions when visiting Jasper National Park.
Everything about this experience is breathtaking.
Your vessel carries you down the largest, naturally formed glacier-fed lake in the Canadian Rockies (fun fact I learned from the tour guide on board).
As you get deeper into the lake, the water color changes to a more brighter, vibrant turquoise from the higher concentration of rock flour due the the glaciers above you.
Then you arrive at Spirit Island, almost completely encircled by the Queen Elizabeth mountain ranges that surround you.
I only recently did the Maligne Lake cruise after often wondering if it’s worth the money (just over $50 CAD per adult).
I loved every second of it and seeing Spirit Island with your own eyes is something you can’t miss when visiting Jasper.
I recommend booking your tour to Spirit Island in advance – it will sell out.
Plus, there’s a great restaurant on site, The View – and if you can snag a spot on the patio, you’ll want to stay for hours.
You can also rent canoes and kayaks on the lake at the vintage Maligne Lake Boat House.
You can even paddle out to Spirit Island yourself. It’s 28kms round trip, so plan for 8 hours minimum! I think I’ll leave this one up to the ‘travel influencers.’
Jasper SkyTram
For some of the best and most accessible alpine views in all of Jasper, take a ride up the Jasper SkyTram, the highest aerial tramway in Canada.
The ride up the mountain is 7.5 minutes and a guide provides commentary the whole way.
As you climb higher you get staggering views of the town below, the powerful Athabasca River and the all the glacier lakes (which is neat seeing the different shades of turquoise from above).
At the top station, you’ll be over 7000 feet above sea level.
From here you can stay on the accessible boardwalks, or hike up the 1.4 kilometers to the summit for the most expansive views of the 6 mountain ranges that surround you.
If you’ve ever been on the Banff Gondola, the tram in Jasper is so much better! The views are more jagged and it’s a legitimate, steep hike up some rugged terrain to get to the summit.
You really start to feel the thin air towards the top.
As an added bonus, there’s still some snow up there in July!
Hiking
A visit to Jasper National Park would be wasted without a little bit (or a lot) of hiking.
No matter your age, skill level or ability, you can experience some of the most beautiful hikes in the world here.
Of course, you can find all kinds of difficult or backcountry hikes – but if you’re only in Jasper for a few days, there are some trails that are short on time but big on rewarding mountain views.
Old Fort Trail
My favorite hike in Jasper is the Old Fort Point Trail. Follow the trail head to the left of the stairs – going this route seems to be the opposite of where most people start, and can be turned into a loop so that you don’t miss any great views on this trail.
There are some steep sections, but we tackled them no problem wearing runners and with a small dog. We also saw lots of families with small kids along the way.
Great views of the town of Jasper, plus there’s a viewpoint with the iconic red Adirondack chairs. Then follow the trail back toward town to enjoy the full loop.
Jasper tip – want to have dinner while you’re up there? Book a ‘Peak-Nic’ experience, where a local food guide takes you up the trail with a basket of ingredients, and teaches you how to cook a delicious mountain meal at the top.
Valley of the Five Lakes
Valley of the Five Lakes is just a few more minutes down Highway 93 and is a really unique spot. You don’t get as much elevation, but on this loop you pass by 5 vibrant turquoise and azure blue lakes.
We started counterclockwise to get the best views of the lakes as you reach them. This one is peaceful and picturesque (plan to get there early as this trail does get busy).
Travel Tip – add a fun experience to your Valley of the Five Lakes hike. If you’ve ever seen images of canoeing down the turquoise water of Lake Louise, you can replicate that here, but better (and cheaper)!
There’s a rowboat that stays at the 5th lake, and you pick up the keys in Jasper! Check out Currie’s Guiding for how to book.
Wilcox Pass Lookout
Wilcox Pass Lookout is further down Highway 93 near the Columbia Icefields centre. Another good bang for your buck hike!
It’s about 3kms return (you can go further and longer but we didn’t) and you get views of the valley below, the Athabasca Glacier and the Icefields Parkway.
Mt. Edith Cavell
A couple of Jasper National Park’s best hikes are at Mt. Edith Cavell, one of the highest mountains in the area.
The Path of the Glacier Trail at Mt. Edith Cavell is an easy (mostly) paved trail that offers gorgeous views on the most beautiful mountain in Jasper.
A perfect way to spend an hour, this is another iconic spot in Jasper National Park that offers breathtaking views for little work.
Follow the trail further to enjoy the Cavell Meadows Trail for closer views of the Angel Glacier, even better scenery and alpine wildflowers.
Beauty Creek to Stanley Falls is another scenic hike, only a few kilometres long to some great waterfalls.
The trail head is about an hour down the Icefields Parkway, but is relatively easy and super scenic as you follow the edge of a narrow canyon, pass many small waterfalls and then end at Stanley Falls which you can get quite close to.
Crystal Clear Lakes
Jasper is dotted with tons of glacier lakes in all shades of turquoise and blue. If you’re visiting on a hot summer day, I recommend planning a visit to a couple lakes.
Annette Lake
Annette Lake is the ‘warmest’ and most swimmable lake in Jasper National Park.
I recommend parking at the first parking lot you pass by and hanging out here for the day, as this spot has a nice dock to jump off, and the area is a little quieter than the main beach.
If you’ve got a warm day in the weather forecast on your trip to Jasper, I highly recommend setting aside an afternoon to lounge around on a floatie in Annette Lake.
Travel tip – this floatie is perfect for traveling since it folds flat like a pair of jeans and requires minimal air to blow up.
Lac Beauvert
Lac Beauvert is nearby and is the lake that the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge looks out onto. The water here is crystal clear and you can jump in, but it’s colder than Annette.
Checkout the Fairmont Boathouse onsite to rent a standup paddle board or canoe to enjoy the water instead.
Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake is 20 minutes south of Jasper and this is where you go to get your fill of cliff jumping!
The water is deep and super cold, but it’s that perfect clear-blue color that makes you want to get in! There’s a trail around the perimeter of the lake so you can scope out a flat spot on the rocks to hang out for the afternoon.
My photo from when I visited in 2010 isn’t of the best quality, but gives you an idea of the rock and cliffs that surround the lake. The second image shows the water color much better!
Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake is a beautiful spot, not quite 10 minutes from town. You can rent canoes and kayaks from the hotel (Pyramid Lake Resort) and spend a couple hours enjoying the perfectly glossy water.
Or if you drive passed the hotel, take the beautiful boardwalk across the lake to the picturesque island (where part of Amazing Race Canada was filmed).
The far end of the island has the best spot to view Pyramid Mountain and its ‘fools gold’ coloring.
Miette Hot Springs
These commercial hot springs are run by Parks Canada, and are so much better than the Banff Hot Springs and definitely rival the Radium Hot Springs.
The Miette Hot Springs are only open in the summer season (usually May-October) and they’re absolutely gorgeous.
They’re set higher in the mountain top, so you’re surrounded by gorgeous views of the peaks as you soak.
Stay in a Cute Cabin
What I love about visiting Jasper is that there are so many great options for renting cabins.
If you want to be close to the Miette Hot Springs, stay at the Pocahontas Cabins (which is the closest accommodation).
This place is great because it’s pet friendly, there’s a nice pool and hot tub area, you get views of the mountains from your balcony and they’ve got BBQs for guests to you and a mini-golf area.
There’s also the Tekarra Lodge and Cabins closer to town. This place is on my list for next time – it’s always booked up so far in advance so definitely book early to get a spot here.
You can also find cabins at the Jasper House Bungalows which are just a few minutes outside of town located on scenic Highway 93 and right on the Athabasca River.
>> Read More here about the best places to stay in Jasper for all budgets.
Wildlife Viewing
Jasper National Park is home to incredible wildlife. It would be rare if you didn’t see a wild animal on your trip here.
You will usually see elk along the highway, and they are almost always hanging out in the grassy airport field, so keep an eye out as you pass by.
Pilots who come in and land here usually have to buzz the area a few times before they can land to get the animals to move out of the way!
Last trip we also saw lots of mountain goats, deer, marmots and a fox.
We didn’t see a bear on this trip, but you might see on traveling down the Icefields Parkway.
Remember, wild animals are dangerous and you should always keep a safe distance away from them (stay in your car) and never feed wildlife.
If you want the best chance at seeing wildlife in Jasper, definitely take part in the evening wildlife tour with an expert guide who is super familiar with the areas that bears, deer, elk moose and eagles like to frequent.
Powerful Waterfalls
One of the best free activities and attractions in Jasper is all the stunningly powerful waterfalls due to the rivers that start from the glaciers nearby.
Athabasca Falls are the most impressive since you can get so close (and are easy to access).
There are a few different boardwalks and viewpoints where you can get close enough to the falls where you will definitely get sprayed or at the very least, feel the mist.
The Sunwapta Falls are further down the Parkway, and therefore a little less visited.
These falls are neat because the river curves around a small treed-island at the top of the falls.
And along the same highway you’ll be able to see Tangle Falls which are also quite impressive being so close to the highway. There’s a small parking lot if you want to walk up the big rocks and get a little closer.
In addition to Stanley Falls already mentioned above, you can check out Punchbowl Falls, which are located up Miette Road near the Pocahontas Cabins.
These little falls are appropriately named due to the water that has literally ‘punched out’ a few bowls where the water now pools.
I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see these falls, but if you’re staying at (or near) the Pocahontas Cabins, you could hike to these falls in combination with the Pocahontas Mine Trail and that would be worthwhile!
Maligne Canyon
Maligne Canyon is excellent free attraction in Jasper to admire and appreciate the geology of the area.
This is a beautiful spot for a scenic walk above limestone canyons that have been carved out by the river over thousands of years.
I recommend parking at the fifth bridge and following trail 7f to the first bridge. This gives you the best views of the canyon the whole way.
It’s an easy hike with well marked trails, but there are definitely roots and rocks and slippery sections to be aware of.
If you’ve never seen the Maligne Canyon, I highly recommend planning an hour or 2 here, since it’s free! You can also end your walk at the Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen which has a great patio view.
Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefield
One of the best parts about Jasper National Park is how accessible the ancient mountain glaciers are to visitors.
This enormous glacier is viewable from the Icefields Parkway, and if you don’t have much time, it’s still neat to stop and take a photo and experience how much windier and colder it is here.
Go a little further and you can do a self-hike to the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier.
But if you want to walk on a glacier, you can do the guided Columbia Icefield tour, where you drive up in a special all terrain bus and then get to walk around.
It’s almost impossible to understand how big the glaciers really are once you’re up close.
Plus, if you do this tour, don’t miss the chance to take a sip of the fresh and pure glacier water!
What is really eye-opening though, is that you can see how much the glacier has receded over the years – and you can’t help but wonder whether there’s anything you can do to slow it down.
>> Read More about being a responsible traveler here <<
Glacier Skywalk
One of the newest attractions added to Jasper National Park is the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-bottomed walkway that allows you to stick out over the cliff of a mountain providing unobstructed views of the glaciers and the canyons and valleys below.
If you want to experience either of these Jasper attractions, you should book your tickets in advance.
Full disclosure, I haven’t done the glacier skywalk yet since I’m way too scared. I’ll do it one day though, as everyone says it’s not as scary as it seems.
Dark Skies and Bright Stars
Jasper National Park is the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve.
They received this designation because there’s a town within the preserve limits, meaning you don’t have to travel far from your hotel to capture the stunning night sky.
The night sky in Jasper gets super dark, making not only the stars shine bright, but offers great opportunities for northern lights viewing.
Pyramid Lake is a great spot just outside of town, where you can walk across the bridge and spend some time on the little island where there are plenty of benches along the shoreline.
Explore Downtown Jasper and Its Quaint Mountain Vibes
After your outdoor adventures each day, it’s fun to explore Jasper’s downtown.
The main street in town is Connaught Drive, and if you follow it from the beginning where all the hotels are, you’ll end up in the heart of Jasper, across from the train station.
There are tons of boutique shops along the way, and many restaurants have great patios that line the street in the summer.
My favorite spot for happy hour is Jasper Brewing Company, where their patio is dog friendly.
Downstream is also another dog-friendly patio in Jasper and has great comfort food when you want to carb load for your adventures the next day!
However, L&W is a staple in town and has amazing Greek food and classic fare.
Their patio is full of flowers in the summer and reminds me of the secret garden. And for my Canadian friends, they serve up a mean caesar pitcher (yes, pitcher).
Don’t miss wandering around Patricia Street (right in behind) which has even better shopping. And in the late afternoons, there are a few patios that still have sunshine (whereas Connaught Drive will be in the shade).
Jasper tip – My favorite hidden gem patio in Jasper is at the Something Else restaurant, where it was sunny, we didn’t have to wait for a table (expect this at Jasper Brewing) and they’re even dog friendly.
And be sure to start your day with a coffee and something homemade from the Bear’s Paw Bakery (there’s two locations in town).
The sticky buns and white-chocolate raspberry scones are a staple and perfect fuel for an adventurous day ahead.
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Tips for Visiting Jasper
Book your hotel or campground as early as you can. Jasper fills up during the summer season, especially on the weekends. Booking.com has most hotel listings available in town, and a very straightforward free cancellation period on most hotels.
Hotels and campgrounds booked up? There are many Airbnb rentals in Jasper, take a look in the search box to see what’s available for your dates. Then read my tips about how to find the perfect Airbnb everytime.
There isn’t much cell service available once you’re a little outside of town. If you’re planning to do some hiking, be sure to have your trails planned out and maybe download your Google maps to view it offline.
Otherwise, it’s a good idea to have a hard copy travel guide of the area. I like the Moon Travel Guide to the Canadian Rockies, as it’s got lots of info, maps and includes thorough descriptions of hiking trails and scenic roads to check out.
Bring warm clothes, especially ones you can layer up. Even if you’re visiting in the height of the summer, visiting the glaciers, icefields and mountain summits can still be very cold.
In the summer I always pack shorts, warm leggings, jeans, long sleeved shirts, sweaters and a rain jacket. I’m also Canadian and am used to the cold, so you might want even warmer clothes than me!
You need a Park Pass (issued by Parks Canada) to enjoy the scenery and activities in Jasper. Don’t worry, you just purchase it as you enter Jasper National Park at the park gates.
But don’t try to get through without purchasing one, there are several other checkpoints within the park en route to the popular tourist attractions.
Daily rates are $20 for a group or if you’re going to be visiting national parks for 7 days or longer, you can purchase the Discovery Pass which is valid for an entire year. See all the fee details here.
Have a great time in Jasper!
Want more things to do in Alberta? Check out these posts:
27 Bucket Things to Do in Alberta That Are Bucket List Worthy
6 Most Iconic and Unique Road Trips Through Alberta
Thinking of Visiting Banff Instead? Read This: Banff vs. Jasper – Pros and Cons of Each
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