Jasper is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, more than twice Banff's area with a fraction of its visitors. It trades Banff's polish for space, wildlife and one of the largest dark sky preserves in the world.
Jasper was seriously affected by wildfire in 2024 and recovery is ongoing across parts of the townsite and backcountry. Check the official page for current closures and services before you commit to a plan.
Entrances and getting there
Three roads reach Jasper, each with a park gate that sells passes. From Edmonton it is four hours west on Highway 16. From Banff and Lake Louise it is the Icefields Parkway, which deserves a full day rather than the three hours it technically takes. From the west, Highway 16 comes in from Kamloops past Mount Robson. VIA Rail's Canadian also stops in Jasper a few times a week in each direction, which makes this one of the only Rockies parks you can reach by train.
The 5-day plan
Up the Parkway from Lake Louise to the Icefield. Lake Louise to Jasper is 232 km in all; drive it slowly, and fill up at Saskatchewan River Crossing, the only fuel, open in summer only.
- 08:30 Bow Lake Turquoise water under Crowfoot Glacier, with the historic red-roofed lodge on the shore.
- 10:00 Peyto Lake The wolf-head lake from the Bow Summit viewpoint, the most saturated blue in the Rockies.
- 12:00 Saskatchewan River Crossing The only fuel between Lake Louise and Jasper, open in summer only. Fill up.
- 14:00 Columbia Icefield The Athabasca Glacier flows almost to the road. Walk the forefield trail to the toe, or book the Ice Explorer to stand on the glacier itself (2026 season: May 1 to October 12).
- 16:45 Glacier Skywalk A glass floor 280 metres over the Sunwapta Valley. Tickets pair with the Ice Explorer.
What to do
- Maligne Lake and Spirit Island: the classic boat cruise, and the reason many people come. Book ahead in summer.
- Maligne Canyon: a deep limestone slot you cross on a series of bridges, and a frozen icewalk in winter. It is closed for the whole 2026 season, and so is the Mount Edith Cavell area (checked 2 October 2026); the lake and Maligne Lake Road are open.
- Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier: on the Icefields Parkway at the park's southern edge. You can walk to the toe or ride a specialised bus onto the ice.
- Pyramid and Patricia Lakes: 15 minutes from town, easy, and lovely at dawn.
- Sulphur Skyline: a steep 8 kilometre climb from Miette Hot Springs for one of the finest summits you can do in a morning.
- Valley of the Five Lakes: five distinctly different colours of water on one gentle loop, reopened in summer 2026 on a rebuilt trail.
Location: Jasper National Park
Dark sky
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada designated the park a Dark-Sky Preserve in 2011, and at over 11,000 square kilometres it is the second largest in the world. From late August through winter the nights are long enough and dark enough that the Milky Way and, on active nights, the aurora are visible from the lakeshores a few minutes from town. Pyramid Island and Lake Annette are the easy spots. October is Dark-Sky Month, when the park runs its Dark-Sky Festival of star parties and talks.
Wildlife
Elk wander the townsite and are genuinely dangerous during the September rut and the spring calving season. Bighorn sheep gather on the roads near the icefield. Bears are common on the Parkway shoulders in early summer. Stay in your vehicle, do not stop in the traffic lane, and keep 100 metres from bears. See Bear country without the drama.
Book it and check it
- Official Parks Canada page Fees, conditions, closures and trail reports. https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper
- Parks Canada reservations Campsites, oTENTiks and shuttles, each opening on its own launch day. https://reservation.pc.gc.ca
- Maligne Lake cruise The Spirit Island boat. Sells out through the summer. https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/maligne-lake-cruise
- Jasper Dark-Sky Preserve The official designation page, Dark-Sky Month and where to look up. https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/gestion-management/designation/cieletoile-darksky
Common questions
- How far is Jasper from Banff?
- About 290 kilometres on the Icefields Parkway, which is roughly four hours of driving without stops and a full and very worthwhile day with them.
- Is Jasper worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly if Banff's crowds put you off. It has comparable scenery, better wildlife viewing, world-class dark skies and far fewer people.
- When can you see the northern lights in Jasper?
- From late August through March, when nights are long and dark. The dark sky preserve status means you rarely need to leave the valley to get a clear view.
- Do you need a car in Jasper?
- Effectively yes. The park is large, the sights are spread over long distances, and public transport within it is minimal.
Tip
The Icefields Parkway between here and Banff deserves a full day in your plan. Put the stops in as real stops and the day will size itself honestly.