Things to Do in Jasper

When is a lake not a lake? When it’s a river. Medicine Lake is a geologic anomaly: though it looks like a long—4.3 mi (7 km)—and relatively shallow lake, it’s actually an area of the Maligne River. During times of glacial melt during the summer, the water backs up and forms the “lake” until it can slowly drain underground again through a series of sinkholes. 

Aboriginal people called the lake Medicine Lake because of its incredible disappearing trick, but visitors these days are inspired by the opportunities for wildlife viewing of large mammals like bear, deer, moose and caribou. Fly-fishing is another popular pastime due to the proliferations of trout, but be prepared:  Medicine Lake disappears in the fall and winter months, becoming a mudflat.

The Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier on the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. The Athabasca River is Alberta’s largest undammed river and the second-longest river overall in the province. It travels almost 1,000 miles (1,500 km) northeast across Alberta, and drains into Lake Athabasca in the northeast. The Athabasca runs through the glaciers and snow-covered mountains of Alberta’s Jasper National Park, considered to be one of the most beautiful areas in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The river is accessible by both road and by rail from all major centers in Alberta and British Columbia. The river offers excellent canoeing, rafting, kayaking, and hiking with all of the usually services and facilities that are usually found in Canada’s national parks. Beautiful waterfalls and trails to explore abound along the river, and it would be an excellent “home base” for a couple of days for any campers wanting to explore more of Jasper National Park.

The Jasper SkyTram (formerly Jasper Tramway)  is the longest—and highest—aerial tramway in Canada. Built in 1964, the Tram begins at 4,279 ft (1,304 m) above sea level and transports guests to 7,472 ft (2,277 m) above sea level in an enclosed tram compartment in seven minutes. The SkyTram rises above Whistlers Mountain and provides expansive views of lakes, six mountain ranges, the town of Jasper and Alberta’s longest river, the Athabasca. 

A guide answers questions and points out areas of interest, animal life and history of the area during the Jasper SkyTram tour. After reaching the top, guests can stroll boardwalks to view wildlife. Alpine inhabitants include the whistling hoary marmot, white-tailed ptarmigan, ground squirrels, pikas and the occasional bighorn sheep. There are also hiking trails to the summit of Whistlers Mountain for those wanting more of a challenge.

Proving that it’s force and not size that matters, Athabasca Falls is a mere 75.5 foot (23 m) tall waterfall in Jasper National Park on the upper Athabasca River just west of the Icefields Parkway. The largest waterfall by volume in Jasper National Park, water cascades over the falls almost constantly, even on cold mornings when river levels are at their lowest. 

Thundering through a narrow gorge, Athabasca Falls has both smoothed the rock walls it travels past and potholed them with the sand and rock it carries. It’s easy to admire Athabasca Falls from various viewing platforms and walking trails around the falls. Considered a Class 5 waterfall, Athabasca has a drop of 80 ft (24 m) and a width of 60 ft (18m).

Situated in Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Spirit Island is"”for most of the year, at least"”not actually an island at all, but rather a pint-sized peninsula connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land. A long-standing symbol of the Canadian Rockies, the tree-topped islet has featured on countless postcards and images of the park. 

For many visitors to Western Canada, Spirit Island features high on their checklist of sights. The island is a sacred place for the First Nations people and visitors are not permitted to walk on it. You can, however, get close enough to the island to capture pictures during Maligne Lake cruises. Round-trip boat cruises usually last for about 90 minutes. Full-day sightseeing tours around Jasper National Park often combine a boat tour to Spirit Island with other destinations, such as Medicine Lake and Maligne Valley. 

You can also kayak or canoe to Spirit Island; rent a canoe from the Maligne Lake Boathouse. If you do plan on paddling to Spirit Island, you may want to prebook a spot at a lakeside campsite, as completing the round-trip journey in one day can be challenging.

Spirit Island is situated in the southern half of Maligne Lake. The northern end of Maligne Lake is about 31 miles (50 kilometers) from Jasper, accessible via Maligne Lake Road. Driving from Jasper takes 45 to 60 minutes. 

Boats venture out to Spirit Island between late May and early October. The area is busiest during the peak summer months of July and August. The best time to visit is in early morning before the first cruise sets off and crowds arrive. Another good time to come is late afternoon, an hour or so before sunset, when a golden glow and pastel skies make an excellent backdrop for photographs. 

One of the best wildlife-watching spots in the park is Maligne Lake Road. Drive down the road in either early morning or late evening, and look out for moose, caribou, and bighorn sheep. Closer to the lake, you can often spot black and grizzly bears as well as bald and golden eagles, who come here to feed on fish. 

At 12,972 ft (3,954 m), Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and the second highest peak in British Columbia; its south face is visible from the Yellowhead Highway and is a popular photographic subject along this route. Mount Robson is also known as Cloud Cap Mountain and The Mountain of the Spiral Road because of its distinctive, horizontal layers of rock which angle upwards to the east, giving the appearance of a track running around the mountain to form a spiral. The 4,921 ft (1,500 m) Emperor Face on the northwest side is the most difficult route for climbers, though the most popular routes are the Kain route and the southeast face. Although the mountain is less than 13,200 ft (4,000 m), there is no easy way to summit and Mount Robson has small success rate: about 10% of summit attempts are successful.

Mount Robson Provincial Park, where Mount Robson is located, is the second oldest park in British Columbia’s park system, celebrating its 100th birthday in 2013. Set to the west of Jasper National Park, Mount Robson Provincial Park is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The park consists of more than 536 acres undisturbed wilderness, home to 182 species of birds and many Rocky Mountain mammals such as deer, moose, caribou, mountain goats and sheep, bears and elk.

The longest river in British Columbia and the 10th longest river in Canada, the Fraser River rises at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flows for 854 miles (1,375 km) into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. Known for white sturgeon and the most productive salmon fishery in the world, Fraser River has supported agricultural and community life for hundreds of years. 

More recently, Fraser River has become a host to a wide variety of recreational activities as well. Fishing, boating, whitewater rafting and other activities are common throughout the course of the river. In the basin as a whole, visitors can enjoy other backcountry activities such as hiking, camping, backpacking, cycling, birdwatching, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. As a scenic attraction, the Fraser River commands attention along many public byways including the Trans Canada and Yellowhead highways.