Jasper Itinerary: 13 Best Things To Do in Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park… where do I even begin?! Jasper National Park was by far my favorite place we visited in Alberta. Everything from the mountains to lakes to towns was beautiful! And there is SO MUCH to do and see! I feel as if Jasper National Park is a bit underrated compared to Banff National Park. Everyone wants to visit Banff because I mean… who wouldn’t? It’s absolutely beautiful! However, Jasper National Park is just as beautiful!
We only had a few days in Jasper National Park, but we saw pretty much everything. And to top it off, the smoke from the wildfires wasn’t too bad! We didn’t have full visibility, but we could see enough to make our hearts skip a beat at Jasper National Park’s beauty. This guide reviews everything you need to know to create a Jasper National Park itinerary, including travel tips, where to stay, best hikes in Jasper National Park, and the best things to do in Jasper National Park.
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Travel Tips for Creating a Jasper National Park Itinerary
Time needed to explore
If you are looking to do a few of the best hikes in Jasper National Park, I recommend allocating 3 days in Jasper National Park. If you are looking to drive around and see everything that is easily accessible, you will need 2 days for your Jasper National Park itinerary.
Things to know before you go
Most of the best things to do in Jasper National Park can get very crowded, so I recommend arriving at the most popular sights before 9:00 AM. If you are looking to rent a canoe, kayak, or rowboat, it’s important to rent them earlier in the day because they can run out quickly.
Tips and Tricks
When you arrive at a park entrance, buy passes for the total number of days you will be staying in the park. This allows you to easily go in and out of the park without spending time waiting in line to buy passes each day. If you are looking to visit Jasper National Park or the surrounding parks a couple of times a year, you can buy the Discovery Pass. For about $70 a person or $140 for a family (up to 7 people in one car), the Discovery Pass allows you to have unlimited access to over 80 Parks Canada places.
Always remember to leave no trace.
It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some of these spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.
Note: We visited when there were wildfires on the west coast, so you may see smoke in pictures. I highly recommend avoiding traveling here during the wildfire season.
How to Get to Jasper National Park: Closest Airport to Jasper
Jasper National Park is located in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. The easiest way to get to Jasper National Park is to fly into either Edmonton International Airport or Calgary International Airport.
Edmonton International Airport is the closest airport to Jasper, with it being a four-hour drive. From Calgary International Airport, it is a six-hour drive to Jasper National Park. The six-hour drive isn’t the worst, though, because it is along the Icefields Parkway!
I highly recommend renting a car for your trip to Jasper National Park. There are a few shuttle options in the park, but having the flexibility to do and see what you want when you want is necessary for the Canadian Rockies!
Best Places to Stay Near Jasper National Park
If you decide to spend the night near Jasper National Park, I recommend staying in Jasper. It is less than 10 minutes away from popular sights in the park and has everything you need. It has plenty of hotels, an endless amount of restaurants and a great grocery store with decent prices, so you are golden if you stay in Jasper!
If you have or can rent camping gear or a campervan, I highly recommend it because there are campgrounds close to Jasper National Park. If you are interested in renting a campervan, I highly recommend renting from Escape Campervans!
Best Jasper Hotels
Best Jasper Campgrounds
Jasper National Park Itinerary: 13 Best Things To Do in Jasper National Park
Pyramid Lake and Patricia Lake
Pyramid Lake is BEAUTIFUL and should be on everyone’s Jasper National Park itinerary. End of story.
I want to believe Pyramid Lake is a hidden gem, but I think we just got lucky when we visited because there was no one there. Pyramid Lake was the first place we visited in Jasper National Park and is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park.
It’s easy to find, too! Just take Pyramid Lake Road which is off of Connaught Drive- the main road running through downtown Jasper. Simple isn’t it? OH, and you pass by another beautiful lake- Patricia Lake.
Pyramid Lake is surrounded by a lot of mountains, but the most beautiful mountain in that area, in my opinion, is Pyramid Mountain. You can best see this mountain (and all of the other mountains) from the small island in the middle of the lake. Don’t worry, you don’t have to swim to get here. It’s only a short walk from the parking area over a bridge and BAM. Beautiful views!
The best time to come here is during sunrise. Sunrise anywhere is amazing, but here, it is even magnificent! The sun shines its beautiful morning glow on Pyramid Mountain in all of the right ways. If you walk all the way to the end of the island, you will be able to experience this. Your camera will be able to capture Pyramid Mountain in its prime along with a beautiful reflection of it in Pyramid Lake.
Rather watch the actual sunrise? Don’t fret! You can also go to the right section of the island and watch the sunrise over the mountains and capture that beauty of a picture. Whichever you prefer, you will not be disappointed with this beautiful and peaceful spot.
OH!! And I almost forgot!! Pyramid Lake Road is a fantastic spot for seeing animals especially if you drive there for sunrise. We saw a lot of deer on our way to the lake!
Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake
After having your first taste of Jasper National Park lakes, you will want to see all of them. And you are in luck because Jasper National Park has many beautiful lakes. Next on your Jasper National Park itinerary should be Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake. These two beauties are marvelous and some of the best things to do in Jasper National Park
You can take Maligne Lake Road off of Trans-Canada Hwy to get to these two beauties. Medicine Lake will be the first stop. Just before you hit Medicine Lake though, you will see an eerie sight. There was a fire here in July of 2015 that burned about 12,000 acres of land. Crazy right?! This is a cool spot to stop and take pics, but if you are just looking for the lake, continue on through for a short distance, and voila! Medicine Lake.
I would suggest parking in the first turn-off spot. Most people will be at the second stop down by the lake, so the first is more secluded. I love this spot because you get an epic mountain view, and you can walk down to the lake to get the classic Alberta shot - a blue lake with mountains in the background. When we were here, the lake was actually pretty dry, and it was really smokey, so we couldn’t get the classic shot, but it was still beautiful!
After you are done soaking in this beauty, you can head back on the road to drive toward Maligne Lake. We, unfortunately, did not get to experience the true beauty of this lake due to the smoke, but we heard it is beautiful! There is a big mountain range surrounding Maligne Lake, so you can only imagine how beautiful this landscape is on a clear day!
Fun Fact: Maligne Lake is the second-largest glacier-fed lake in the WORLD (!!!!) just behind Lake Baikal in Siberia.
If you are looking to do a small but beautiful hike, I would recommend Moose Lake Loop! The 1.7-mile trail is very easy and one of the best hikes in Jasper National Park and brings you along the shores of Maligne Lake and Moose Lake. Moose Lake is a small lake that - you guessed it - has a lot of moose! This can be a great place to spot a Moose, especially during the early morning or late evening hours, so make sure to add it to your Jasper National Park itinerary!
If you are looking for something else to do, you can take a journey on a cruise on Maligne Lake! This cruise brings you into the 14-mile-long glacial water of Maligne Lake allowing you to get some beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains surrounding it. It also brings you around Spirit Island which is one of the photographed places in the Canadian Rockies!
If you would rather see the lake yourself, you can rent a canoe, kayak, or rowboat! You can rent the boats anywhere from an hour to the whole day, so you have plenty of time to take in the beauty of this lake!
Because this area had a lot of smoke, we, unfortunately, didn’t get many pictures and decided not to do any activities. This is definitely a spot we will return to once we travel back here!
Maligne Canyon
As you drive away from Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake, you must remember to stop at Maligne Canyon because it is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park! Maligne Canyon is a limestone slot canyon with incredible waterfalls and has the title of being the deepest canyon in the Rockies!
The best way to explore this beautiful canyon is to hike the 4.5-mile trail, starting at the sixth bridge. The trail travels over six bridges, through Maligne Canyon, and past many beautiful waterfalls, springs, and viewpoints.
If you are looking for a shorter hike that is just as scenic, you can hike a 2.3-mile loop to the fifth bridge. If you are looking for the best view that is easy to get to, there is a trail past the gift shop that will lead you to a magnificent waterfall!
Since the hike is relatively easy, I highly recommend allocating the time to hike the full trail to take in everything this beautiful canyon has to offer, and I promise you will not regret it! Maligne Canyon should be on everyone’s Jasper National Park itinerary!
Lake Annette and Edith Lake
Lake Annette and Lake Edith are two beautiful lakes that are among the best things to do in Jasper National Park and offer some of the most beautiful swimming spots! I mean, who wouldn’t want to swim in a blue lake surrounded by the Canadian Rockies?! They both have sandy beaches and are easily accessible. However these lakes are glacier-fed, so be prepared for some chilly waters! Although, these lakes can be in the low 60s mid-summer.
There is also a beautiful 1.7-mile paved trail that hikes around Lake Annette called Lake Annette Loop. It’s also nice for biking since it is paved. It is one of the best hikes in Jasper National Park and offers a great opportunity to see some wildlife, too, so make sure to keep your eyes out for Elk!!
Another big activity here is kayaking and paddleboarding! There is a cute little hut that offers rentals. If it wasn’t so smoky, we would have rented a paddleboard. We saw a few people paddleboarding, but it didn’t look too much fun on this day due to the winds causing some choppy waters!
Fun Fact: Lake Annette and Lake Edith are also known as “kettle lakes” because they are from one large lake that covered the Athabasca Valley during the ice age!
Jasper SkyTram
If you are looking to experience beautiful views of Jasper National Park, make sure to add the Jasper SkyTram to your Jasper National Park itinerary! The Jasper SkyTram will bring you to over 7,400 feet within ten minutes! You will be in awe of the breathtaking views on your ride and when you reach the top. The tickets are over $50 a person but are worth every penny to see some of the best views in Jasper National Park.
If you want to hike, you can follow the Summit Trail from the station to Whistlers Mountain, which is over 8,000 feet tall. And the best part? The trail is only one mile to the summit! It is one of the best hikes for the effort and views that everyone should add to their Jasper National Park bucket list.
The Jasper SkyTram also has a cafe, gift shop, and restaurant with incredible views. Although the restaurant menu is a little pricey, it is the perfect spot to grab food and enjoy the views after a hike. The Jasper SkyTram is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park and should be on everyone’s bucket list!
Icefields Parkway Drive
Mountains, blue lakes, glaciers, OH MY! This is one of the most beautiful drives on the planet - seriously. Once you are done exploring the beautiful lakes near downtown Jasper, it is time to explore this amazing road and all it has to offer.
I could technically include Icefields Parkway in my Banff post as well, but I decided to keep it in Jasper National Park since we spent the most time on this beautiful road in Jasper National Park. Driving the Icefields Parkway is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park and should be on everyone’s Jasper National Park itinerary.
Icefields Parkway is a 145-mile road linking Lake Louise to Jasper and offers breathtaking views along the whole journey. There is so much to see and so many great pull-off spots. I could go on and on about what to see here, but I won’t give everything away!
My only advice is to stop everywhere you can. Every pullover area is worth stopping at, trust me. And don’t forget to take a road shot!! This is where photographers get the classic road shots with mountains at the end.
Valley of Five Lakes
Every person we talked to in Jasper National park told us to add the Valley of Five Lakes to our Jasper National Park itinerary. The Valley of Five Lakes has two of the best hikes in Jasper National Park - one is 6 miles round trip while the other is an easy 3-mile hike around - you guessed it - five lakes! Three of the lakes are on the smaller side while two are larger, but all are nothing short of beautiful! All of the lakes are shades of blue/green due to the glacial rock dust found in them.
The third and fourth lakes are the most beautiful in my opinion! The third is a beautiful lake with a deep green color and beautiful mountains in the background. This is a great place to stop and take a break if needed on your hike. There are even some red chairs set up at the top of the lake giving you the best view of the lake! The fourth lake is similar to the third, with a deep blue/green color and a beautiful mountain view.
This is a VERY popular hike and one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park, so I would suggest getting to the Valley of Five Lakes earlier in the day. The parking lot can be packed by 9:00 AM!
Horseshoe Lake
Visiting Jasper National Park on a hot summer day? Want to cliff jump into a beautiful blue lake? Look no further, my friends! Swimming in Horseshoe Lake is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park!
Horseshoe Lake is a bit further down Icefields Parkway, but the trailhead is right off the side of the road. We missed the sign the first time we passed it, so make sure to keep an eye out for it. A short 1-mile hike from the parking area will bring you to the horseshoe-shaped lake, so make sure to add it to your Jasper National Park itinerary.
Horseshoe Lake is one of the deepest lakes in Jasper National Park and is surrounded by cliffs making it the perfect swimming hole.
Another cool feature of this lake is the clarity of the water! Even though it is a very deep lake, you can see very far into the water! It is almost crystal clear which allows you to see all of the fish here. Some lakes freak me out, but I would have no problem jumping in this one since I could see what I was jumping into!
However, the water was very cold when we went, so there was no cliff jumping for us! The best time to swim in the lakes of Alberta is in late June through July. We went in August, and the water already cooled down a lot!
Athabasca Falls
After taking a dip in Horseshoe Lake, continue down Icefields Parkway to Athabasca Falls. The falls aren’t mind-blowing, but the backdrop is, so they should be on your Jasper National Park itinerary! Mt. Kerkeslin is right behind the falls and makes for a beautiful backdrop!
There is a 0.6-mile roundtrip hike you can do that brings you next to Athabasca Falls as well as a canyon downstream. The blue waters, of course, make everything beautiful. This is also a very busy spot because it is one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park, so keep that in mind when visiting! We arrived around noontime and the parking lot was overflowing. Luckily, you can park on the street, but we still had to search a bit for a spot.
Athabasca Glacier
Continuing down Icefields Parkway will bring you to the Athabasca Glacier. This is the most-visited glacier in North America and one of the best things to do in Jasper National Park! It is part of the Columbia Icefield, which is the only remaining part of what used to be a huge ice mass covering most of Western Canada.
Many of the tallest mountains in the Canadian Rockies are situated here, so you already know the views are beyond amazing! You will notice most of the mountains still have a HUGE layer of snow on them. This area can get up to 22 feet of snow per year! Because the summer season is short here, the snow will stay put refusing to melt. We saw one area that had 10 feet of snow!
There is a small hike (less than 1 mile) that brings you pretty close to the Athabasca Glacier. The Toe of the Athabasca Glacier trailhead is across from the Icefields Centre and is one of the best hikes to get an up-close and personal view of a glacier.
You can’t go on the glacier from here because it is super dangerous, but there are tours you can add to your Jasper National Park itinerary if you want to get up close and personal with the glacier! We overheard a guide say people exploring the glacier without a tour have died from falling into the glacier’s hidden crevasses, so be smart when visiting!
There is a pullover spot just before the glacier that offers amazing views as well, and you can walk along the glacier river! I was curious how cold it was, and let me tell you… my hand went numb after being in the river for less than a minute! Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but it was super cold!
Sad Fact: Because the climate keeps rising, the Athabasca Glacier keeps melting. It melts about 16 feet per year!! As you drive to the Toe of the Athabasca Glacier trailhead, you will notice markers starting from 1860 to the present. These markers show how much the glacier has retreated over the years - almost 1 mile so far. So crazy and sad.
What to Pack for a Jasper National Park Itinerary
Hiking Boots: If you want comfort and support on your trip, hiking boots are the go to.
Hiking Socks: Having moisture-wicking and comfortable hiking socks are just as important for exploring.
Hiking Backpack: You need something to carry all your food, clothes, and anything else you need while adventuring, so having a supportive hiking backpack is crucial.
Hydration Reservoir/Water Bottles: While hiking or just exploring, it is important to have enough water! I always pack a hydration reservoir.
Jackets: The weather is unpredictable, so I always pack a rain jacket and insulated jacket.
Ten Essentials: The Ten Essentials are crucial for hiking!
Microspikes: If you plan on winter hiking, you will need to bring microspikes.
Snowshoes: Also if you hike in the winter, you may need snowshoes.
Jasper National Park is one of the most beautiful areas in the Canadian Rockies. This guide reviews everything you need to know to create an epic Jasper National Park itinerary, including travel tips, where to stay, the best hikes in Jasper National Park, and the best things to do in Jasper National Park.
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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