Outdoor Activities   Things for kids   Sights to see

Jasper National Park 
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More photos below

Perhaps one of the nicest National park in any country but is closely rivaled by Banff National Park a few miles to the South and Yellowstone National Park in Montana.  To take a virtual tour of the park and the activities click the the highlighted links throughout the page. Jasper National Park is open year round. Main roads are subject to temporary closures that may come into effect in the event of adverse weather conditions or even a rock slide. Some secondary roads and facilities are open seasonally only. Fees; You will find a booth maintained by courteous park personnel  at each entrance into the park. You will be required to pay a fee and is usually based on a vehicle fee of $12.00 per day or $75.00 dollars for an annual pass. We are not sure how this works when entering in a tour bus. Peak season in the park are the months of July and August.  However the winter ski season (varies depending on snow fall) brings skier from all over the world who come not just for the downhill rush but for the breathtaking beauty of the mountains and forests covered with a mantel of fresh powered snow. Visitors planning on coming to the park during these months are advised to book their accommodation well in advance. Many come to Jasper with Miette Hot Springs  as their primary destination. To get there you need to meet an ancient warrior of times past, who has stood guard over the region since the Rocky Mountains that cradle the park were formed. We refer to none other than Roche Miette, the invincible Indian chief. Also featured in the thumbnail activated photo album below. There are certain feature of this great park that you must see to appreciate why people from all over the world flock to Jasper. We have attempted to collect several of them in our Things you must see when in Japer National Park  page.

Place your mouse cursor over the thumbnails below for a description. Click on any of the thumbnail pictures below to see a larger version of it.                                                  See the official government site for Jasper National Park of Canada.  A  UNESCO World Heritage Site and glacial jewel of the Rockies. To make camping reservations  in any of the Official Parks Canada campgrounds please click here and select your language preference (remember Canada is bilingual)

Hiking in Jasper is a favorite choice of activity amongst visitor from all over the world. There are over 1200 Kilometers of designated trails in the park. Care must be exercised when going off trail as this is a National Park which means that you can not damage the plants, wildlife or features, See our hiking checklist and be sure to read our Hiking tips.

Camping  locations are plentiful in the park and RV camping must be done only in a designated area and a reasonable fee will be charged. Some have showers and firewood and the fee may vary depending on whether you are planning on having a campfire. Many of these sites are on the honor system, meaning you are expected to place your fee in an envelope. If overnight hiking and you must practice low impact camping techniques.  To make camping reservations  in any of the Official Parks Canada campgrounds please click here and select your language preference (remember Canada is bilingual)  

Hunting is not allowed anywhere in the park boundaries. and as a result there is an abundance of wildlife all through the park. This makes for great wildlife viewing and photography and adds to ambience of the park. In times past it was a favorite pastime to feed the  the animals, but doing so has many possible negative outcomes. The animals had lost all natural fear of man and the things of man which encouraged them to enter humans space. No mater how cute it may seem, wild animals do not mix well with humans in all situations. An animal that become accustomed to being fed human foods (candies. pastries etc) stop fending for their selves and begin to demand food from any person they see and would sometimes behave aggressively. Many animals are killed each year by vehicles because of the lack of fear. There is now a "Do Not Feed Rule" in place and the wildlife has resumed a more normal pattern. There are still may opportunities to see many types of animals up close but caution must be exercised  and a safe distance kept.

Cycling is very popular through out western Canada and is another sport that people flock to the park to do. Many cyclist are foreign visitor and and may traveling in small private groups of friends or couples while on the other hand, many people sign up for bike tours and will travel in a group with a guide and support vehicle.

The weather in Jasper National Park is ever-changing and always unpredictable. Visitors should be prepared for the icy winds that can blow off a glacier in mid-summer, and for the chinook winds that can warm a January day to above freezing only to have it swing 30-40F degrees and freeze in a matter of an hour.

When Hiking in the mountains you must be aware of the factors that can effect the weather. Sundown comes very rapid if you are on the East side of a  mountain or in the shadows of a mountain. With nightfall the temperature can drop drastically and the winds may change direction and intensity. Also you must consider the elevation of your target destination, as the temperature will drop about 3 degrees for every 1000 feet of increased elevation, given that all other factors remain constant. See our Rocky Mountains page for a better understanding of the various mountain structures.

Our Rating: #10=A Must See applies to the entire park. 

How to get there:

By Vehicle

Take highway 16 (Yellowknife Highway) West from the Edmonton region  or East from British Columbia or you can take the Icefields Parkway,  North from the Trans Canada Highway which runs through the Banff National Park..

By Air

There is a small community airstrip just outside of town suitable for light aircraft. You will need to arrange for transportation into town.

By Rail

The Canadian Nation railway stops in Jasper and is a great way to see the scenery without having to drive.

By Bus

 Greyhound bus service runs into Jasper from just about any point of origin.

Various tour buses travel to Jasper from Banff along the Icefields Parkway and other points in Canada. This is actually an excellent way to go as you will have a driver/guide who is familiar the area and full of information about the various aspects of the park. This way you will become aware of many suttle gems that many people just whiz past while heading from point "A" to point "B". 

Jasper's world-class downhill ski resort, Marmot Basin. See Skiing for a list of ski resorts through out Canada and the USA

If you are making the effort to visit Jasper then you should get the most out of it, and we hope this webpage has helped to point out some enjoyable features.

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