63 Best Sights in Jasper National Park, Alberta

The remarkably blue, 22-km-long (14-mile-long) Maligne Lake is one of the world's largest glacier-fed lakes and the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. The lake was well known to Indigenous people who called it “Chaba Imne” (Beaver Lake). The first outsider known to see the lake was Henry MacLeod, a surveyor looking for a possible route for the Canadian Pacific Railway, in 1875. He was on a high mountain and saw the lake from a distance.

In 1907, Mary Schäffer, a wealthy Quaker from Philadelphia, led an expedition to the lake following a map drawn by an Indigenous man named Samson Beaver. Schäffer was one of the few female explorers in the Canadian Rockies in the early part of the twentieth century. She wrote about her adventures and her popular book inspired others to travel to the Canadian Rockies. Schäffer returned to survey the lake a few years later for the Geographical Board of Canada. Her work was instrumental in getting the lake included as part of Jasper National Park.

Spirit Island is one of the most famous sights in Maligne Lake. The island is 14-km (8.7 mile) up-lake and can be reached by canoe or kayak or on a boat cruise that is offered several times per day. If you choose to paddle to Spirit Island, you may wish to stay in one of the three backcountry campsites along the lake that can only be reached by canoe or kayak.

There are many hiking trails near Maligne Lake including Opal Hills Loop and the epic Skyline Trail. Cycling, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing are also popular activities. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are favored activities in winter. Wildlife is abundant near the lake. Watch for moose, bears, deer, bighorn sheep, and the rare woodland caribou.

At the head of the lake, you’ll find three restaurants---Waffle Hut, Lakehouse Café, and The View---that serve everything from waffles to gourmet cuisine. There’s also a gift shop where you can buy essentials and souvenirs.

Known as "The Disappearing Lake," Medicine Lake has long been a place of mystery and legend. In summer, it looks like a normal alpine lake, but in the fall and winter, the water almost completely disappears. Indigenous people had legends to explain the phenomenon, but scientists believe it's actually caused by an expansive underground cave system that the lake water is constantly draining through, and in the summer there is enough glacial runoff to maintain water levels. Once the runoff slows, the lake begins to drain and the surface dries up. The underground cave system runs 17 kilometers (11 miles) downstream and resurfaces below Maligne Canyon. It's common to see bald eagles, osprey, bears, moose, and bighorn sheep near this lake.

The naturally heated mineral waters here originate in three springs and are cooled to 40°C (104°F) to allow bathing in the two pools. At 15°C (59°F), the adjacent pool refreshingly negates all that heat. A short walk leads to the remnants of the original hot-springs facility, where several springs still pour hot sulfurous water into the nearby creek. Day passes and bathing-suit, locker, and towel rentals are available.

Keep an eye out for wildlife, especially moose, when you come to Moose Marsh and Moose Lake. A variety of waterfowl are found here and there's a good chance to spot moose, especially at dawn or dusk. This 11.7-km (7.3-mile) long lake is the only lake along the course of the Fraser River. The Fraser flows into the lake on its east end and exits the lake on its western side. Moose Marsh is on the east end of the lake and the Yellowhead Highway runs along its north shore. If you have a BC fishing license, you can fish for wild rainbow trout.    

When you mention backpacking in Mount Robson Provincial Park, most people automatically think of the world-famous Berg Lake Trail, but it isn't the only backpacking trail in the park. The Mount Fitzwilliam Trail, also known as Fitzwilliam Basin Trail, is another backpacking option in the park that is practically unknown. While the Berg Lake Trail is well constructed and maintained and fully booked months in advance, the Mount Fitzwilliam is "user maintained" and backpackers can self-register at the trailhead.

There are two campgrounds along the 14-km (8.7-mile) trail, one with six tent pads about halfway up at Rockingham Creek and another with two tent pads at the end of the trail. The first half of the trail to Rockingham Creek is a well-constructed trail, but the second half is a far rougher track with roots and rocks. For that reason, some people choose to stay overnight at the first campground and hike to the end of the trail on a day hike. The total elevation gain for this hike is 950 meters (3,120 feet).

Mount Fitzwilliam, an imposing 2,901-meter (9,518-foot) peak, was named in 1863 by Dr. Walter Butler Cheadle in honor of his traveling companion William Wentworth Fitzwilliam the Viscount Milton. The pair were likely the first tourists in this region and wrote a book entitled The North-West Passage by Land documenting their adventures. Moderate.

Located at the park's main entrance, this visitor center is the place to go for information, trail reports, informative brochures, detailed trail descriptions, and maps. You can watch informative natural history slide shows and participate in the evening interpretive program. It is open daily from mid-May to mid-October. There are bathrooms and a gift shop on site. 

Shaped by glaciers, Old Fort Point is a bedrock knob that provides an excellent view of Jasper. It will take an hour or two to complete the 3½-km (2.2-mile) loop trail. A wide, easy path that begins behind the information kiosk leads to a very steep section of trail. It's common to see Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the provincial mammal of Alberta, from this trail. Along the way you'll pass Jasper National Park's oldest rock, but the real highlight is the view from the top. Easy.

Near Maligne Lake, this 8.2-km (5.1-mile) hike is very steep and takes from four to six hours to complete. There are excellent views of Maligne Valley, and many opportunities to observe wildlife, including moose and bears. Be sure to make noise as you hike, and keep your distance from the wildlife. During summer, you will spot many wildflowers along the trail. Difficult.

Beautiful Overlander Falls was named for the Overlanders Expedition of 1862. The Overlanders were a group of about 150 settlers (including one woman) who traveled from Fort Garry (now Winnipeg, Manitoba) to the interior of British Columbia for the Cariboo Gold Rush. Just west of Overlander Falls, the group split, with half continuing on to the gold rush and half abandoning the dream of gold and returning down the river to Fort Kamloops. There are two ways to get to the falls, one short and one long. The short route to the falls, 0.6 km (0.4 miles) round-trip, begins at a highway pullout about 2 km (1.2 miles) east of Mount Robson Visitor Centre. The longer trail, 4.5 km (2.8 miles), begins at Robson Meadows Campground. Moderate. 

This short but steep 2½-km (1½-mile) trail takes you above the tree line. At the top of Parker Ridge, there's an excellent view of the Saskatchewan Glacier, where the Saskatchewan River begins. Snowbanks can persist into early summer, but by late July carpets of wildflowers cover the trail. Stay on the path to keep erosion to a minimum. Moderate.

Park interpretive activities include campground singalongs, wildlife presentations, Indigenous programs, and guided hikes. Many events take place at Whistlers Outdoor Theatre at the Whistlers Campground.

Just west of the Yellowhead Pass is lovely Portal Lake. A short loop trail around the lake offers the opportunity to walk on the continental divide. There's a lovely picnic area---despite its location next to a major highway. You'll also find toilets and interpretive signs. If you have a British Columbia fishing license, you can fish for rainbow trout in the lake.

Pyramid Lake sits below Pyramid Mountain and is surrounded by gorgeous mountain views. There are picnic tables and fire rings on the beach and there's a large dock with chairs where you can sit and enjoy the views. Farther along the lake is the trail that leads to Pyramid Lake Island.

This picnic area sits beside the Maligne River near where it flows into the Athabasca River. There are no shelters, but it's a favorite with locals because of the scenic location. The Sixth Bridge is part of the Maligne Canyon hike; the hike from the Sixth Bridge to the First Bridge and the trailhead is 3.7 km (2.3 miles) one way.

The most popular backpacking route in Jasper meanders at or above the tree line for 44 km (27 miles) past some of the park's best scenery. Reservations are essential for backcountry campgrounds along the way. It is the highest trail in Jasper National Park, and weather can be unpredictable at this elevation, so plan accordingly. Difficult.

Considered a sacred place by the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, this is one of the most famous scenic spots in the Canadian Rockies, perhaps because an image of the island, taken by Peter Gales, hung in Kodak’s Colorama showcase in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal in August and September of 1960. Since then, images of Spirit Island have been used in many advertisements and displays including Apple's 2014 campaign to launch their new iPad. Spirit Island lies 14-km (8.7 miles) up-lake and can only be reached by canoe or kayak or on a boat cruise that operates several times per day. For most of the year, Spirit Island isn't really an island; it's connected to the shore except in the early spring when water levels are high.

The place where the Sulphur River meets the Smoky River was formerly known as Hell's Gate. Lookout platforms at this site offer beautiful views. There is a 15-site campground, two equestrian campgrounds with corrals, and two equestrian day-use sites. This site is the main access to Willmore Wilderness Park.

Some of the most beautiful panoramic views in Jasper can be enjoyed on this 8-km (5-mile) trail. From the summit, you can see the Fiddle River Valley, the foothills, the Miette Mountain Range, and the cliffs of Asher Ridge; it's particularly lovely in the autumn. This is a difficult hike with 700 meters (2,297 feet) of elevation gain, and the first 2.2 km (1.4 miles) is a steady climb across an open mountainside to Shuey Pass. Take the right branch when the trail splits and continue up the switchbacks to reach the summit. Along the way, you'll pass a large boulder that is a white quartzite glacial erratic that was moved there during the ice age. Near the top, the trail becomes very rocky and steep. Hiking poles can be helpful going up and coming down the steep sections. A soak in Miette Hot Springs is a great reward after the hike. Moderate.   Miette Road leading to the trailhead is closed from mid-October to mid-May.

"Sunwapta" is the indigenous Stoney word for "turbulent river." There are two sets of falls at this site, but most people just see the Upper Falls, which are a short walk from the parking area. Though smaller than the Athabasca Falls to the north, they have a drop of about 18½ meters (60 feet) and are prettiest in the late spring when the spring melt is at its peak. The second set of falls is just a 3.2-km (2-mile) hike from the first set.

The Sunwapta Pass marks the boundary between Banff and Jasper National Parks about 108 km (67 miles) southeast of the town of Jasper and 122 km (76 miles) northwest of the Parkway's junction with the Trans-Canada Highway near Lake Louise. The pass is the second highest point on the Icefields Parkway. You'll know you're there when you see the sign marking the boundary between the two parks.

This beautiful 48-meter (157 foot) tall multi-tiered waterfall lies right off the Icefields Parkway, but it's easy to miss. Look for a small roadside pullout north of the Glacier Skywalk. The waterfalls are across from the parking area.  

Near Mount Edith Cavell, Tonquin Valley is a classic Canadian backpacking area. Its high mountain lakes bounded by steep rocky peaks known as the Ramparts, attract many hikers in summer and fall. Difficult.

Located in the Heritage Fire Hall, staff at the Tourism Jasper Visitor Information Centre can provide advice about tours, restaurants, and accommodations. The website also contains a vast amount of information about the park and the businesses and amenities within it. 

When Jasper National Park was established in 1907, the Indigenous people who had inhabited the land since time immemorial were forced to leave. Soon after that, a totem pole featuring a Raven was created by Haida carvers and erected for park tourists to enjoy. It stood for 94 years until it was removed and returned to the Haida people who live in an archipelago off British Columbia’s west coast. In 2011, a new totem pole that had been carved by brothers Gwaii and Jaalen Edenshaw replaced the original one. The new totem pole uses imagery of wildlife commonly found in Jasper to tell the story of two brothers who travel from Haidi Gwaii to the Rockies. One of them stays while the other returns home. The totem pole is meant to suggest a connection between the Haida and the Indigenous Peoples of Jasper National Park. It is also intended to be viewed as a gift between Indigenous nations.

It takes two to three hours to complete this family-friendly 4.2-km (2.3-mile) hike. Five small lakes are the highlight of the trip, which takes you through a lodgepole-pine forest, across the Wabasso Creek wetlands, and through a flowery meadow. Watch for birds, beavers, and other wildlife along the way. Turn this into a moderately difficult hike by continuing another 10 km (6.2 miles) to Old Fort Point. Easy.

Located about 126 km (78 miles) southeast of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway, the Weeping Wall is a series of cascading waterfalls partway up the western base of Circus Mountain. This is truly a mountain that cries; its main waterfall is even called Teardrop. The best view of the wall is from the roadside pullout. Watch for ice climbers in winter.

Excellent views of the Athabasca Glacier are the highlight of this strenuous, 8-km (5-mile) hike near the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre. This pass was originally used by explorers and First Nations people and is fairly steep. Keep an eye out for wildflowers and bighorn sheep. Be sure to dress in warm layers, because this pass can be snowy until late July. Difficult.