Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park is over 11,000 square kilometers making it the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. It is home to a diverse group of wildlife and famous for its beautiful scenery of nature. It’s surrounded by other parks like Banff National Park that are all part of UNESCO’s Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.

With the enormous size of the park, there are a variety of things you can do and see all year long that create lifelong memories. Jasper National Park is truly a one-of-a-kind must-see destination.

Activities

The fall and winter in Jasper National Park are filled with many different adventures. A few of the campgrounds are still fully operational for the months of September and October. There is also the annual Jasper Dark Sky Festival that runs during October. The Parks Canada Dark Sky interpreters will be running programs throughout the festival and beyond.

Fall temperatures are most enjoyable for hiking in the Rocky Mountains. The crisp fresh air on top of the beautiful fall colors provides the perfect combination. Jasper offers up a variety of hikes for all adventure levels from a short distance from the townsite to a long scramble up a mountain. Jasper National Park is also home to Miette Hot Springs, a perfect activity to relax in after a long hike. The hot spring is open until mid-October.

During the busy months of the spring and summertime, Jasper has tons of activities that families can enjoy together. The park welcomes all forms of campers from those cruising in a 40-foot motor home to those interested in cozying up in a one-person bivy tent.

Whether you enjoy kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding or even traction kiting, Jasper offers an abundance of opportunities to relax or get active on the lakes and rivers. Immerse yourself in nature while avoiding crowds on the mountain biking trails. Cyclists return to Jasper in the fall months to explore the well-connected and maintained routes.

One of the most stunning areas in Jasper National Park is Maligne Lake. If you have time, it’s a must-see! You can also visit Maligne Canyon, pass a disappearing lake, take a boat tour, or take a relaxing lake shore stroll during the warmer months.

Wildlife

Wildlife sightings are common across Jasper’s varied landscape. So, keep a lookout for the park’s 53 species of mammals, but only from a safe distance. Wildlife can be spotted in the park year-round, with bear sightings common in valleys in spring, and sheep and Elk(Cervus canadensis) during rutting seasons in fall.

You might see Elk roaming near the townsite. Or Grizzly bears with their large humps, and the blunt, tan muzzles of black bears. There are moose and two species of deer. Watch bighorn sheep, wolves, and coyotes, as well as mountain goats. Lucky hikers may even spot a rare woodland caribou.

This incredible diversity of wildlife is a reflection of the wide range of habitats that can be found in the park due to variations in plant life, elevation, and climate. Just be sure to respect the wildlife and their space for their safety and your own.