Jasper National Park | Canada
Our last stop in the Rocky Mountains is Jasper National Park! Here are my must do’s when in Jasper National Park.
1) Mount Edith Cavell
Mount Edith Cavell can be seen when going to Jasper. It was named after a nurse who got executed for helping allied soldiers.
2) Maligne Lake
We decided to go to Maligne Lake in the early morning, hoping to see some wildlife and we did!
When driving towards Maligne Lake, I yelled bear! My friends didn’t believe me at first, (I once thought I saw a bear but it was a log). We turned back and there they were: mama bear and cub. This time my eyes didn’t let me down. We observed the 2 bears eating berries and after 10 minutes, we left them alone.
We drove further and then suddenly we saw a Moose! He did not have his big antlers yet, but we could see the beginning of it.
When we arrived at Maligne Lake, we rented a rowboat because the canoes didn’t have a place for 3 persons. We (tried) rowing our boat but eventually, Caro was the best rower and ended up rowing that whole hour. Let’s not mention the other rowboat with 2 kids that passed us by with ease.
You can also take a shuttle boat to Spirit Island, but we found that a bit pricy for what it was. Other tourists also come to Maligne Lake to hike around the lake hoping to see wildlife.
3) Medicine lake
When driving to Maligne Lake, you’ll pass Medicine Lake. Medicine Lake should be the perfect place to spot wildlife, but when we were there the whole forest was just burned away. We only spotted a bald eagle’s nest (mom and young).
On our way back to Maligne Canyon, we saw 2 mountain goats!
4) Maligne Canyon
On our way back from Maligne Lake, we stopped at Maligne Canyon. We hiked the shortest trail of Maligne Canyon where you can see 2 waterfalls.
Fun Fact: Maligne Canyon was named by a Belgian priest!
On our way back to Jasper we saw another black bear!
5) Miette Hot springs
After hiking a few days, we decided to relax a bit and went over to Miette Hot Springs. Miette Hot Springs have outdoor pools with a water temperature of 40°C and with a view of Fiddle River Valley and if you’re lucky also mountain goats.
Sad Fact: It is a long way from Jasper (1hrs).
6) Jasper Town
Jasper Town is a small town with a view on the Whistlers (mountain). It’s located next to the railway (but we didn’t hear them at night). It’s a lovely town but I couldn’t stay there for more than a week.
7) Icefields Parkway to Banff
The Icefields Parkway is a must-do for every tourist in West Canada! The parkway goes through the Rocky Mountains, with beautiful views of canyons, glaciers, and rivers.
Read more about what you can see on the Icefields Parkway below!
» Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper | Canada
8) Athabasca Falls
The Athabasca falls is not known for its height (23 meters) but is known for its force!
This attraction can be found on the Icefields Parkway to Banff.
9) Sunwapta Falls
The Sunwapata Falls has a drop of 18.5 meters and the water comes from the Athabasca Glacier.
This attraction can be found on the Icefields Parkway to Banff.
10) Athabasca Glacier
The Athabasca Glacier is one of the 6 glaciers of the Columbia Icefield (the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains). The Athabasca Glacier is 6 km long and 90-300 meters thick. If you want, you can walk on the glacier. Special Snow coaches will take you to a location on the glacier where it is safe to walk on. Bring your sweater and sunglasses with you!
Sad Fact: Although the Snow Coaches are eco-friendly (they are now transforming them to a more eco-friendly vehicle), you can still see the impact global warming has on the glacier. The glacier has shrunk more than 1.5 km and lost half of its volume in the past 125 years.
This attraction can be found on the Icefields Parkway to Banff.
11) Glacier Skywalk
After the Athabasca Glacier, we walked on the Glacier Skywalk. The skywalk gives you a beautiful view over the Sunwapta Valley.
This attraction can be found on the Icefields Parkway to Banff.
Life of a Passion
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