Welcome to Jasper Town & Around
Take Banff, halve the annual visitor count, increase the total land area by 40% and multiply the number of bears, elk, moose and caribou by three. The result: Jasper, a larger, less trammeled, more wildlife-rich version of the other Rocky Mountains parks. Its rugged backcountry wins admiring plaudits for its deep river canyons, rampart-like mountain ranges and delicate ecosystems.
Top experiences in Jasper Town & Around
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Jasper Town & Around activities
Jasper National Park Tour: Maligne Valley and Medicine Lake
After pickup from your Jasper hotel, you’ll travel by comfortable coach with an experienced local guide into Jasper National Park. You’ll stop first at Maligne Canyon where a short walk takes you across two bridges over a 165 foot (50m) deep gorge that has been carved into the limestone. Catch great views of the waterfalls spilling into the canyon below as you explore the area with your guide, who will share information about the geology and wildlife in the area. After checking out Maligne Canyon, you’ll continue to drive to Medicine Lake, taking a gorgeous road that winds through a dramatic mountain and forest landscape. Medicine Lake is famous for ‘vanishing’ every summer, the result of an extensive underground karst system — one of the largest in the world.From Medicine Lake you’ll follow the road to gorgeous Maligne Lake where you’ll have a choice of a boat cruise to Spirit Island or a 2-mile (3.2km) guided hike on an easy and level trail. If you choose the hiking option, you’ll follow your guide on the Mary Schaffer Loop trail, which skirts the shore of Maligne Lake to a beautiful viewpoint with interpretive displays and benches before continuing into the trees and back to your starting point. If you take the boat cruise, you’ll board a comfortable enclosed boat with large windows for a scenic tour on Maligne Lake. Your boat will stop at Spirit Island, a small gem in the lake, where you’ll have time for photos and a short stroll.Throughout the day, your guide will explain the natural and human history of the area and will keep an eye out for the abundant wildlife that lives here. Sightings may include bear, deer, caribou, wolves, moose, bighorn sheep, bald eagles and osprey, among the many animals of Jasper National Park. At the end of your tour, you will be returned to your Jasper hotel.
Maligne Lake Cruise
Jasper National Park is the largest national parks in the Canadian Rockies and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Imposing granite peaks circle a wonderland of cascading waterfalls, lush forest, hot springs, and diverse wildlife such as caribou, moose, elk, deer, wolf and bear. At the heart of the encompassing park lies one of the true treasures of the Canadian Rockies - Maligne Lake and Spirit Island. Your 90-minute cruise of the lake starts dockside near the Maligne Lake Boathouse and Chalet. Boats leave approximately on the hour and your ticket is good for any trip during your selected day. After boarding, you will pull away from the dock and be treated to a fully narrated, interpretative tour of the area's unique history and special ecology. Each boat is glass enclosed and fully heated, ensuring you will stay warm while experiencing majestic views throughout the trip. From Spirit Island, which is only accessible by boat near the center of the lake, you will be treated to some of the most spectacular views found anywhere in the world. Jagged, snow-capped peaks ring a lake of vibrant blue water and ancient forest. Wildlife regularly prowl the shoreline, so keep your camera close and your senses alert as you scan the area for the eagles, bears and deer that call this area home. Expert and amateur photographers alike will be treated to incredible opportunities to attempt to document the natural splendor surrounding them, all the while recognizing that no photograph can do justice to the alpine scenery surrounding them. Each cruise last approximately 90 minutes, after which you will return to the boathouse where you can grab a warm beverage or bite to eat from the nearby lodge and chalet. You can stay as long as you like, relaxing while you take in the view from the shoreline, or you can walk back to the parking lot to pick up your car and head off on your next adventure.
Jasper SkyTram
Visit: Jasper SkyTramTake an unforgettable ride on the Jasper SkyTram, the longest and highest guided aerial tramway in all of Canada. This exciting trip offers incredible views of mountain ranges, the town of Jasper, numerous turquoise-coloured lakes and the Athabasca River valley. A perfect adventure for all ages. Arrive at the SkyTram any time during opening hours. Climb aboard your enclosed 26 person tram cabin for the ride to the mountain alpine region. An experienced and knowledgeable guide will accompany you on your trip, sharing a few insights about the area, its history and the wealth of wildlife nearby during your ride. Over the course of your 7.5 minute ride, you’ll ascend to a height of 2,263 meters (7,425 feet) above sea level, enjoying superlative views of the surrounding mountain ranges as you climb. Soon you arrive at the upper station, where you can take in the panoramic scene of the surrounding landscape. Make sure to take a stroll on the boardwalk and try hiking the 1.4 km Summit Trail to the peak of Whistlers Mountain at 2,463 meters (8,081 feet) where you can view six mountain ranges. You might spot a ptarmigan, ground squirrels, hoary marmots (famous for their whistling alerts), pikas and sometimes even bighorn sheep along the way. Before you leave the mountain, make sure to stop at the Summit Restaurant for a meal at the top of the Canadian Rockies. Visit the gift shops at the upper or lower stations, where you can purchase a memento for yourself or souvenir for friends back home.Please note: Jasper SkyTram operates from late March through to the end of October.
Jasper City Sightseeing Tour and Maligne Lake Cruise
This introduction to Jasper begins with a short tour of the town before heading across the Athabasca River to Maligne Canyon. Take a stroll beside the narrow limestone gorge and traverse the two bridges over the Canyon for views of water falls below. Next, the Colin and Queen Elizabeth Ranges make the Medicine Lake viewpoint extraordinary.At Maligne Lake a 1.5 hour guided cruise provides unobstructed views of magnificent shoreline with dense forests and glacial peaks that rise abruptly from the waters edge. Near Spirit Island, enjoy an opportunity to go ashore and create your own photographs of this world famous spot.On your return trip to Jasper be sure to watch for bears, deer, wolves, coyotes, moose, and eagles.This tour is seasonal and only operates from June through to September.
Ice Explorer Glacier Tour and Glacier Skywalk
No trip to Jasper is complete without a visit to the famed Columbia Icefield, the largest ice field in the Canadian Rockies. Jaw-dropping views of towering mountains surround a landscape of broken rocks and ice and pure white snow as far as the eye can see. The Athabasca Glacier, located in the northwest corner of Banff National Park, is one of the most imposing and dramatic parts of the massive ice sheet and is often only accessible through the help of specialized winter vehicles. Your glacier adventure departs from the Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre along the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 N), approximately 175 km (110 mi) from Banff. Widely recognized as one of the most scenic mountain drives in the Canadian Rockies, the route passes the iconic sights of Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Crowfoot Glacier, and the Weeping Wall. Tours depart every 15-30 minutes and your ticket is valid at any point for the day you have selected. From the Discovery Centre, you will board a specialized Ice Explorer, a massive vehicle with gigantic wheels designed to let you travel safely along the often frozen roadway. Along the way, your driver will provide commentary about glaciers, their impact upon the local ecosystem, and the environmental changes rapidly transforming these massive scenic wonders. Once you reach the Athabasca Glacier, you will have the opportunity to hop out and walk along the glacier. Experience the place for yourself and even fill up your water bottle with pure, pristine snowmelt.After you will return back to the Discovery Center before heading over to the Glacier Skywalk, where you will walk along the glass bottom walkway out over the cliff's edge. After stopping to appreciate the incredible view and capture a few photographs, it's back to the Discovery Center and a return to your vehicle.
Columbia Icefield Tour from Jasper with Glacier Skywalk Ticket
This full day excursion follows the famous Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefield Centre. View scenic rocky mountain vistas and local wildlife along the way, with a photo stop at Athabasca Falls. Upon arrival at the Columbia Icefield, ride the Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca glacier. The connection back to Jasper will depart at approximately 1:30pm.This tour is seasonal and only operates from May through to October.