Looking to have a blasting holiday and spend enough time searching for various destinations?
Want to explore the place with spectacular views, including springs, lakes, waterfalls, rivers, rocky mountains, and glaciers of the Columbia Icefield? Ok, you are at the right place! Jasper National Park is your destination.
In the lap of nature, Jasper National Park is one of the largest national parks. The national park is located in Alberta, north of Banff National Park and west of Edmonton. However, the national park was established in 1930 but declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984.
Jasper National Park is where bears are often spotted along the highway, and elk still wander through town– the netizens love this place as it is.
The Canadian Rockies, wildlife viewing, grizzly bears, and icefields parkway include many adventures to fulfill your much-awaited vacation.
About The Jasper National Park
On September 14, 1907, as per Forest Park was established by a federal Order in Council. The plan was to develop the construction of a second transcontinental Canadian railway, which was to cross the Rocky Mountains at Yellowhead Pass.
It was intended to develop it into an alpine resort in the mold of Rocky Mountains Park, tourist hotels, a train station, and a service town.
The park has been inhabited by Nakoda, Cree, Secwépemc, and Dane-zaa people. The name Jasper National Park indicated the name of Jasper Haws.
Haws was a Maryland-born fur trader who worked for the Northwest company. North west company trading post was built at Brule lake in 1813 and known as Jasper House.
After some time, the trading post relocated to the Athabasca River north of Jasper lake; in 1924, the jasper house was designated a National Historic site.
However, the Jasper house was destroyed in 1910, but it gave its name to both the National Park and the town of Jasper within the park.
Wonders Of Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is one of the most famous and visited locations among all national parks in Canada. This world heritage site in the Canadian Rockies was filled with various sights to see and explore.
The place is enough to make your vacation as enjoyable as you want. Here are the highlights of Jasper National Park.
1. Icefields Parkway
Most visitors think Icefields Parkway is just a highway linking Lake Louise and Jasper, but more than that of it. The parkway is a 230-km long road passing past a series of emerald-green alpine, Canadian Rockies, and lakes fed by nearby glaciers.
As the Icefields Parkway begins, the first must-see site is Athabasca Falls; after that, the series of specular sceneries come as an endless chain.
The next is Athabasca Glacier, Sunwapta Falls, Waterfowl Lake, Bow Summit, and many more. These are just tips for your trip to the location of Icefields.
However, the parkway is open throughout the year, but you hardly find an available service. They have several hotels, resorts, restaurants, lodges, and campgrounds throughout the parkway in the summer.
2. Angel Glaciers
As we have already highlighted, the park has everything to attract visitors, and Icefields parkway and millions of years old glaciers must be counted.
Angel Glaciers got this name due to its white wings of ice and remnant of a retreating glacier on Mount Edith Cavell’s north face.
The journey from the Parking lot to Angel glaciers is quite fascinating, as the paved trail takes you through rocky moraine and lunar.
Hiking to a Jade-colored glacial pool called Cavell Pond can be seen at the bottom, where icebergs bob serenely in the water, refusing to reveal the secrets they’ve witnessed over thousands of years.
3. Skyline Trail
27 Miles long Skyline Trail is none less than chasing a forbidden treasure; you will need a full day to measure the entire trail. Nearly 2/3 of the route is above the tree line, which means you’ll enjoy stunning panoramic views as a rule rather than the exception.
The Skyline Trail pathway runs from Maligne Lake back to the Jasper townsite at the foot of Signal Mountain, traversing the Maligne Range mountains in the middle.
The Jasperites and netizens usually choose July to late summer as the window is short, and you can enjoy the trip. You can take advantage of the classic trip, including two nights camping at Snowbowl and Tekarra campgrounds.
4. Wilcox Park
Wilcox Parks has one of the best adventurous hiking trails in the Canadian Rockies. Starting just north of the Banff National Park border, Wilcox park is an eight-kilometer-long trail that wanders through the forest and quickly emerges above the tree line.
Once you have reached the peak point after being chased off by strong winds and an incoming storm, you will embrace some outstanding views of surrounding peaks and glaciers.
5. Tonquin Valley
If you want to closely explore the wilderness of Canadian rocky mountains, you should spend a night at Tonquin Valley Adventures’ lodge.
To reach the club you must hike the Tonquin Valley backcountry from Edith Cavell Road to the path alongside Astoria River before reaching the Ramparts Mountains.
The lodges provide the best unforgettable views from the cabins. A little walk leads visitors to the edge of Amethyst Lake, where canoes, kayaks, and rowboats await to take you to your next adventurous point.
6. Jasper Brewing Company
Jasper Brewing Company was first opened in 2005 and crowned as the first brewpub within a Canadian national park.
The food they offered is fared with a special flare to help bring out the flavors of the beer. Here, you can order seven beers like the Rockhopper IPA and Honey Bear Ale.
7. Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre
At Glacier Discovery Center, the very newest attraction, the Glacier Skywalk, opened for visitors. You must park at the center and take a quick bus ride to the Skywalk. You will have free admission to a free audio tour that exhibits on the way to the platform.
After reaching the engineering marvel – anticipation building – take a walk onto the 1.5-inch thick glass that hovers over the Sunwapta Valley below.
Below the glass path, the valley reveals a glimpse of the Athabasca Glacier under your feet which can be visible through the glass.
Grab this place in the morning as there is no crowd. Maybe your feet shake, or you become nervous while walking on the path, but you will have the best view.
8. Maligne Lake
For all the selfie and photographed lovers, Maligne lake is ready to be captured in your camera at Canadian rocky mountain parks. The Lens Cruise on Maligne Lake provides professional shutterbugs and amateurs with such an opportunity.
The onboard instructor talks about technique and composition while on the boat with aspiring photographers and challenges seasoned veterans to try new perspectives. Once you arrive at Spirit Island, the perfect view can be captured.
9. Dark Sky Preserve
Dark Sky Preserve is a region where no artificial lighting is visible; the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada claims this fact. Active measures are used to educate and promote light pollution reduction to the public and nearby municipalities.
Dark Sky Preserve has made a special commitment to protect and preserve the night sky and to reduce or eliminate light pollution in all its forms. Light pollution is the orange hue that can be often seen above cities, caused by a large amount of iridescent light omnipresent in populated areas.
10. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge opened in 1915 as a Tent City. Here, you can enjoy a luxury experience in the canvas tents along Lac Beauvert, with vistas of Whistlers Peak and Pyramid Mountain parks.
The place sees herds of elk eating the grass, Bristling with Douglas firs and pine trees. The Iconic cabins are spread across 700 acres in the heart of Jasper National Park.
Wildlife Viewing
Jasper National Park is home to a wide range of wildlife animals and birds to run the ecosystem. Mainly; caribou, elk, moose, mountain goats, bears, bighorn sheep, and wolves.
The birds that fly around this park include grey jays, bald eagles, golden eagles, Clark’s nutcrackers, great horned owls, ravens, spruce grouses, Bohemian waxwings, evening grosbeaks, and white-tailed ptarmigans.
Jasper National park will excite you with various activities, including, Hiking, trailing, fishing, boating, rafting, cruising, Columbia Icefield Skywalk, Jasper Sky tram, Helicopter Tour, wildlife viewing, ice biking, and many more.
Festival And Events Of Jasper National Park
Doesn’t matter in which month or season you have entered the town, but you will embrace the local or international festivals and events throughout the year.
Jasper National parks never fail to deliver the best the city has. Signature festival or one of the many unique local events that showcase our mountain culture, the city is always in the joy of real Rockies.
Festivals and events are Jasper Dark Sky Festival, Veterans Appreciation Week, Christmas in November, Jasper in January, Mountain Malanka, Jasper Beer & Spirits Festival Weekend 1, Jasper Beer & Spirits Week, Jasper Pride Festival, Devour! The Canadian Rockies Food Film Festival, Marmot Basin Retro Weekend, and many more.
Conclusion
We can sense that the highlights mentioned above of Jasper National Park are calling you to make some unforgettable memories with you.
However you can visit the national park in any season, but if you love winter activities, we suggest you head to the place from November to February.
This time the city is celebrating most of the festivals and events that can add some extra to your trip.
FAQs
1. What makes Jasper National Park so unique?
Jasper National Park, located in the Canadian Rockies, is the country’s largest park, covering nearly 11,000 square kilometers. Enjoy this extremely rare location for its vast wilderness, magnificent peaks, an abundance of wildlife, and breathtaking natural beauty.
2. Where exactly is the USA’s Jasper National Park?
To the north of Banff National Park, on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, is the national park of Jasper in western Alberta, Canada.
3. Which month is ideal for visiting Jasper National Park?
Think of September as Jasper’s “golden” month. It’s also a lovely time of year to visit the national park, definitely bring your camera to capture a lifetime of memories.
Last Updated on June 6, 2023 by somya909
