Guide to Jasper outdoors this spring and summer

Whistler campground opens for the summer season Wednesday. Wapiti and Miette campgrounds open next Wednesday.

Jasper National Park is getting ready to open several outdoor experiences for its summer season.

That includes reservable and non-reservable sites at its campgrounds, as well as hiking, sightseeing, biking and water activities.

The summer season in the park is scheduled to run until Oct. 12.

Camping

Whistlers Campground is slated to open first on Wednesday, with several more on track to open a week later:

• Whistlers Campground opens May 6;
• Wapiti Campground opens May 13;
• Miette Campground opens May 13;
• Snaring Campground opens May 13 (non-reservable);
• Icefields Centre RV parking lot opens May 13 (non-reservable);
• Kerkeslin Campground opens May 13 (non-reservable);
• Honeymoon Lake opens May 27 (non-reservable);
• Jonas Campground opens June 3 (non-reservable);
• Wilcox Campground opens June 10 (non-reservable); and
• Icefield (tents only) opens June 10.

Hiking

There are several day hiking trips the park promotes for use, from one-hour-long walks to day-long hikes with plenty of elevation.

• Across the Athabasca River: east of the townsite across the Athabasca River lie four loops that take hikers an hour or two to complete, along with the experience hiking the Maligne Canyon;
• Along the Icefields Parkway: there are seven trailheads for day use varying from one-to-five-hour hikes;
• Jasper Connector Trails: there are four distinct multi-use trails close to the townsite;
• Maligne Lake: five different trailheads take hikers along the lakeshore, forested trails or to the top of a peak;
• Miette Hot Springs: a trio of short hikes and a long, challenging trail in the Fiddle Valley await in the park’s high country close to its eastern boundary;
• Mount Edith Cavell: two different trails offer experiences in the forest, alpine meadows and views of the mountain that features the Angel Glacier;
• Pyramid Bench and west of town: this area borders its namesake lake and features trails that stretch west of the townsite; and
• South of town: four trails offer anything from the hour-long Whistlers Summit Trail to the more challenging and longer Whistlers Trail.

The park offers a downloadable detailed guide to the dozens of day-use trails.

Biking

Mountain biking

Easy

• Lakes Loop
• Lake Edith Loop
• Jasper Park Lodge Loop
• Campgrounds Trail

Moderate

• Moberly Homestead
• Hochimini Loop
• Fifth and Sixth Bridge Loop
• Pyramid Trail

Difficult

• Overlander
• Mina Lake Loop
• Marjorie Lake to Ganges Loop

A detailed guide to mountain biking in the park is available online.

Road biking

Whether you are planning a day trip, a short ride, or something in between, Jasper offers several suggestions for those sticking to roads.

Water sports

• Kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding: Rent a watercraft or bring your own. Easily accessible lakes in Jasper include Lake Annette, Lake Edith, Patricia Lake, Pyramid Lake, Medicine Lake, Talbot Lake, Leech Lake and Maligne Lake.
• Traction Kiting: This relatively new sport involves being pulled by a kite over snow, ice, water or land and requires long runs of flat, open area, steady wind, specialized equipment and skill. A recommended water-based experience in the park is Jasper Lake, which is 9.7-kilometres long. On land, practice is recommended on closed roads and closed parking areas such as Snaring Overflow.
• Boating: Boat launches are available at Patricia, Pyramid, Talbot, Maligne and Medicine lakes. Boats with electric motors are allowed on Maligne, Medicine, Talbot, Pyramid and Patricia lakes only.
• Fishing: Road-accessible lakes in the park include Pyramid Lake, Patricia Lake, Maligne Lake, Medicine Lake and Lac Beauvert A national park fishing license is required and can be purchased at the Visitor Information Centre and at most campgrounds.

Other experiences

• Columbia Icefield: Its centre is open 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day starting May 14. Admission is free with your park pass.
• Miette Hot Springs: It opens May 15.
• Guided walk: The Healing Through Fire guided walk is one of the park’s interpretive programs new this year in which an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper and Parks Canada staff talk about the role of fire in the landscape.