16 Top Things to do in Jasper

For many locals and visitors, Jasper National Park is the favorite place to visit in the Canadian Rockies even though Banff and Lake Louise are better known in tourist circles. Jasper is one of the oldest towns in the Rockies, made famous by fur trading, thriving train depot, and tourism. It has a rich history in the development of Western Canada. Today there are many fun things to do in Jasper for the entire family. Below I and my blogging friends have shared the best hikes in Jasper along with the top activities and Jasper attractions.

Map of the Canadian Rockies with all the Points of Interest

Top Activities in Jasper

Arrive at Jasper in style aboard the world-famous Rocky Mountaineer. Many people get off the train in Jasper for a few days and some continue on to Banff. The Jasper station is right in the middle of the Jasper town. It’s a great place to get off because many of the top Jasper attractions, activities, and accommodations are within a few miles of Jasper downtown. You can rent a car or take tours right from the train station. Jasper town is filled with awesome restaurants, cafes, hotels, and shopping. The town is a perfect place to chill after a day of hiking and sightseeing. We visited Jasper as of our 7-day trip to the Canadian Rockies.

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Check out our 7-Day Canadian Rockies itinerary.

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Ride the Rocky Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies

by Stuart Forster of Go Eat Do

The train journey on the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff takes two days. Known as the First Passage to the West, the scenic route runs alongside fast-flowing rivers and through a variety of dramatic landscapes before rising into the Canadian Rockies.

The Rocky Mountaineer is a luxury train with two classes of service, SilverLeaf, and GoldLeaf. The latter includes travel in bi-level coaches. Breakfast and lunch are served at tables downstairs from comfortable leather seating from which guests can sit back and enjoy panoramic views from the train’s dome windows. I found them great for viewing the scenery in comfort. Additionally, staff aboard the train are knowledgeable about points of interest along the route, telling fun and informative stories while underway.

One of the highlights from my perspective was standing on the outdoor viewing platform at the back of the train chatting with fellow passengers. Standing there resulted in a wonderful opportunity to photograph a grizzly bear just outside of Banff. It was one of those ‘wow’ moments that is a factor in why I love traveling in Canada so much.

The service operates between mid-April and mid-October. I’d suggest a mid-summer journey to maximize the amount of daylight while you’re in the Canadian Rockies, giving you more time to explore.

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Ice walk through the Maligne Canyon, a top Jasper Attraction in Winter

by Danik of Danik the Explorer

During the winter months, I recommend doing the ice walk through the Maligne Canyon which is located on the outskirts of Jasper. There are tour companies in town that will take visitors for a short but wonderful hike for a few hours in the middle of the Canadian winter.

The highlight of course is walking through a canyon on frozen water whilst checking out the frozen waterfalls. It is one spectacular winter wonderland down there. After a hike along the river was done, where I got to see incredible views of the surrounding mountains, I walked into the river itself and drank the cold freshwater. I saw squirrels, chipmunks, and woodpeckers. The wildlife in the winter months can be truly amazing as well as the summer months.

I believe anyone who takes on this short hike will take memories home which will last a lifetime and should be the first thing to do on anyone’s list when visiting Jasper in the winter. The best time to visit is between December and March when the river has been frozen for quite some time.

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Kayak and Camp on Maligne Lake in Spring or Fall

by Taylor Record of Travel Outlandish

Maligne Lake is one of the best-known spots in Jasper National Park. But what fewer people know is that scattered along the lakeshore are backcountry campsites. Not your classic hike-up sites, but paddle-up only sites that you’ll have to reach by kayak or canoe.

Kayak camping is a whole new chapter in backcountry travel. And kayaking Maligne Lake is one of the best ways to see what Jasper is all about. From the boat dock, we loaded up our kayak with food, firewood, and camping gear, and set out on the 14km paddle to Fisherman’s Bay. The shores of Maligne are crowded during the summer (as are boat tours to Spirit Island), but by renting your own kayak, you’ll get to escape the crowds and explore the lake at your own pace. The best time to go is between May and October but go in late spring or early fall to get the best balance of weather and solitude. As soon as the daytrippers dissipate, you’ll be nestled between the trees with views of the Valley of the Gods, and that’s well worth sore shoulders.

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Cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island in Summer

You do not want to miss seeing the picture-perfect Spirit island in the middle of Maligne Lake. To get to Spirit island, you can take your own kayak as you’re heading out on a camping trip. If you’re short on time, you can take a Brewster Sightseeing boat tour that goes to the island frequently. The boat ride on Maligne Lake is gorgeous but the stop at Spirit island is out of this world. The boat tour is a great opportunity to learn about the region’s history, the First Nations people, culture, flora, and fauna.

The stop at Spirit island is sufficient for a short hike and tons of pictures, but not for a long hike. For best views of Spirit island, turn left from the dock and head up the trail. The views are better from the upper trail because of the higher vantage point. From the lower part of the trail, one can climb the large rocks and take a picture with Spirit island.

Beyond Spirit Island, the lake is closed for tours and boats but is open to individual kayaks. Our guide was saying that she loves the part beyond Spirit island because it’s very quiet with no large boats or people.

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Check out our 1-day tour of Jasper’s top attractions.

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Raft on Athabasca river, a favorite Jasper Activity

One of the top things to do in Jasper is to go rafting on the Athabasca River. I’ve shared a detailed account of our experience and answers to most questions.

We took a family rafting float down the river with a very knowledgable and entertaining crew. Initially, we hesitated because of the drizzle but as it turned out rafting a the perfect thing to do during rain. The crew provided rain ponchos to keep us warm and dry.

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Read all about Rafting on Jasper’s Athabasca River.

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Horseback Ride near Pyramid lake

No family trip of ours can be complete without a horseback trail ride. There are two riding stables that provide trail rides in Jasper. We took a trail ride by Pyramid lake because the staff at Alpine Village had been to this barn and spoke highly of it. They also talked about how well the horses were cared for. Surely the other barn is just a nice but I wouldn’t know. We got a private tour with a very fun and knowledgable tour guide. It was an excellent experience.

The path was muddy from the earlier rain but nothing that would bother the horses. We went up to a vantage point that offered spectacular views of Pyramid Lake and the mountain.

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Jasper Attractions at their Best

Photograph Athabasca Falls

by Amber of She’s Catching Flights

Athabasca Falls was the first stop I made when I was doing a road trip through Jasper National Park in Alberta, and it did not disappoint!

If you’re looking for some amazing mountain photos, you’ll definitely want to make a pit stop here. There are cliffs that rise up over the water, as well as angles with mountains in the background and a waterfall in the foreground, it’s an absolute dream. Plus the water is such a perfect shade of blue. All of Jasper National Park is beautiful, but I have to say Athabasca Falls was my personal favorite spot for pictures.

I visited the falls in May and I feel like it was the perfect time. Things were in bloom and snow and ice had melted by that point. I’m sure it’s beautiful in the winter too, but I loved being able to see the beautiful blue water.

Tip: Be sure to wear shoes with some tread on the bottom if you plan to go exploring. I was going down some stairs carved into the mountain to get some pictures of the cliffs towering over the water and since I was just wearing flats, I slipped. Luckily I caught myself on a railing, but still not the most fun experience!

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Visit Medicine Lake, the Disappearing Jasper Attraction

Medicine Lake is famous for its fleeting presence. On one visit, you’ll see a huge lake with a mirror-like surface. Another time, there’s nothing but mud-flats in its place. The mystery intrigued many people for a long time until the underground Karst system of canyons and rivers was discovered.

When we visited Medicine lake, it was filled with water from the summer runoff from the mountains. It’s a great spot for photography. In addition to the lake, it’s worth looking around at the burnt hillside. A scorching fire burned every standing tree in the great fire of 2015. In the 4 years since the fire, life is returning to the area with wildflowers. Eventually, trees and forests will return too.

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Canoe, Swim or Hike at Lake Annette and Lake Edith

Lake Annette and Lake Edith are located very close to downtown Jasper. They are easy to get to from downtown and nearby hotels. These lakes are filled by the water from the disappearing Medicine Lake. The underground rivers in the Karst system fill the water into Lake Annette and Lake Edith. These are a few of the water bodies that remain from the massive lake that once filled much of this region.

The lakes are popular in summer for picnics, hikes, walk, canoeing and photography. I heard that people swimming in the lake in the summer months when it’s warm enough. We were there in the summer of 2019. The morning we visited, it was drizzling and was too cold for a swim. But, we walked around and enjoyed the romantic morning fog on the lakes.

While you’re at lakes Annette and Edith, the Fairmont is not too far. At the Fairmont, the lake offers all the classic Jasper activities and boat rentals for longer hours compared with other lakes.

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Best Hikes in Jasper

Jasper offers dozens of awesome hikes. You can find a comprehensive list on the Parks Canada website. In this article, we share some of the best hikes in Jasper that are easily accessible and are fairly easy.

Hike Mount Edith Cavell, a top Jasper Attraction

Mount Edith Cavell offers one of the best short hikes in Jasper National Park that leads to the stunning glacier melts. The waterfalls from the glaciers pour into a glacial lake that feeds the downstream water systems. The drive from Jasper town to Mount Edith Cavell is simply spectacular. As we drove, we were under the impression that the drive was the destination. We almost turned around from the empty parking lot. But luckily we saw the trailhead.

The newly rebuilt 1.4 km trail starts at the parking lot. It goes along a stream and over a bridge, up to the glacial waterfalls. Along the hike, it seems like someone came with a chainsaw and a bulldozer to cut down all the trees and ransack the mountainside. That’s because the area is an active avalanche zone. Recent avalanches destroyed the trails. When we visited Mount Edith Cavell in 2019, it was beautiful and surely one of the best hikes in Jasper.

If you have more time, there is a 7 km moderate trail in the meadows. We had not planned for it so we ran out of time. But, it’s surely a trail we would love to try another time.

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Hike Maligne Canyon Boardwalk in Summer

Maligne Canyon offers a window into the vast and ancient network of underground rivers, canyons, and caves. Until recently Jasper’s underground systems were a mystery and area continue to be researched and explored. The Maligne Canyon ‘wilderness kitchen’, has a visitor center, gift shop, a well-made boardwalk, and miles of hikes. Today, a visit to the Maligne Canyon boardwalk is one of the top things to do in Jasper.

We visited Maligne Canyon on our day-long Brewster tour. With the tight schedule, we barely had sufficient time to cover the boardwalk. If you’re visiting in Jasper, I highly recommend coming to Maligne Canyon on your own to take a longer hike in summer, spring, or fall.

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Valley of Five Lakes, one of the best hikes in Jasper

The Valley of Five Lakes was one of our most favorite hikes in Jasper. The park has a large lake and four smaller lakes. Each has a different color, shape, and character because of the water depth and sand carried down from the mountains.

From the parking lot, the path heads up the hill to the start of the hikes. At the fork, one can head left towards the large lake and loop around it or turn right to loop through the 4 lakes. We went about a mile in towards the large lake and then returned to loop through all the smaller lakes. We’ll recommend the same so you get to see all 5 lakes.

Tip – the small parking lot fills up in peak season during midday. Plan to visit in the morning, evening, or during a drizzle, as we did.

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Canoe and Hike at Pyramid Lake

The Pyramid lake area is excellent for easy and moderate hikes. The ground is covered by wildflowers and wild mushrooms. Much of the hike is through the silver aspen trees or rather an aspen tree. The entire woods are probably a single aspen tree. I found the walk to be very peaceful, maybe because I was all alone on the trail I hiked.

Pyramid lake gets its name from the pyramid-shaped mountain that overlooks the lake. Since the lake is a lot quieter than other lakes in Jasper NP and Banff NP, Pyramid lake is a great place to go kayaking or boating. The little rental shop and other businesses offer many things to do in Jasper around Pyramid Lake and Pyramid beach. However, during the summer of 2019, they closed shops at 5 pm so you’d have to get there early enough to rent the boat before 5. Once on the water, you can stay in the boat for the duration of the rental, even past 5pm.

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Marmot Basin Secret and one of the Best Hikes in Jasper

As the title suggests, this hike has no name and no signs. But if you ask some locals they’ll probably be able to guide you towards the hike. Once on the road, the hike entrance is not visible, but if you watch of locals coming through, you can ask them and they’ll be happy to show you the hidden entrance.

The walk itself is beautiful through some dense shrubs and woods. Wild mushrooms of all shapes, colors, and sizes call forest floor their home. The trail is a narrow one, about a foot wide and enough for one person to walk through. The most amazing part of the hike is at the end. It offers sweeping views of Jasper National Park and forests as far as the eye can see. Its also dangerous, especially if you have younger kids because the mountain ends into a sharp cliff.

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Walk along Athabasca River

Athabasca river is the main river flowing near Jasper. Several cottage hotels are located along Athabasca River, probably because of the beautiful views and sounds from the river. After checking in on our first day in Jasper, we walked across the street and found a lovely trail along the Athabasca River. One thing we noticed is how well all the trail signs were designed and placed all along the trail. Later we found that its not just the trail along Athabasca River, the signs are just as nicely done in all hiking trails in Jasper.

The trail along the river by Alpine village is flat and comfortable. It goes through tall alpine trees and meadows filled with flowers. We walked about a couple of miles near Alpine village but the trail would go a longer route. It was a wonderful way to start our trip in the Canadian Rockies.

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Drive from Jasper to Banff

Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff is one of the most scenic drives on the planet. In the Canadian Rockies, the drive between Banff and Jasper is the destination in its own right and a top attraction in Jasper and Banff. Click on the links above to see my photo essays on both routes.

When driving between Banff and Jasper, be sure to take ample time to stop for iconic Jasper activities, hikes, photography, and vista points. In particular, leave sufficient time for Columbia Icefield Adventure which includes Ice Explorer Tour on the Athabasca Glacier, a trip to the Icefields Skywalk, and return transportation from the Glacier Discovery Centre. There are many more amazing things to do on Icefields Parkway like waterfalls, lakes, hikes, cooking, and more.

You won’t see wildlife on the freeway near Banff because the animals have their own animal cross bridges and underpasses. However, you may even see wildlife along the highway near Jasper. We saw a mama bear with her two cubs – a brown and a black bear playing in the meadows and picking berries.

Related Articles

Canadian Rockies

• 7 Day Itinerary of Canadian Rockies
• Itineraries of the Canadian Rockies
• 3-Day Itinerary of Banff in Winter
• Places to stay in Jasper and Banff
• Rafting in Jasper National Park
• Banff’s wildlife crossing
• Red forests in Jasper National Park
• Calgary to Banff to Jasper Drive
• Jasper to Banff Drive
• Things to do in Banff and Canmore
• Things to do in Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
• Things to do in Yoho National Park
• Things to do along Icefields Parkway

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• National Park travels during Covid Pandemic
• Pikes Peak Drive or Hike
• Outdoor rock climbing in Colorado Springs
• Glacier National Park Gallery

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