Picture yourself in a mountain getaway surrounded by towering peaks, untouched wilderness and turquoise lakes tucked into alpine valleys. Jasper National Park is the stuff that postcards are made of.

Blow a farewell kiss to the prairies as you cruise through rolling foothills and into Jasper’s iconic Rocky Mountains. 370 km (192 mi) west of Edmonton and 404 km (256 mi) northwest of Calgary, the spectacular drive is an adventure in itself. The town of Jasper is an authentic mountain community where the locals welcome you as a long lost friend. You will find all the comforts you could wish for, from luxury accommodation to charming cabins and fully serviced campsites, to eclectic dining options. Wildlife is abundant, even right in town. Where else will you find a herd of elk napping on the lawn? 

The park has its share of secrets. Patricia Lake hides the remnants of an aircraft carrier made of ice! Dive the wreck and see one of WWII’s weirdest top secret projects. Unravel the mysteries of the people and the places, past and present, of Canada’s largest Rocky Mountain national park.

Icefields. Glaciers. Famous Islands. Dark Skies. Here’s your insider Jasper National Park checklist!

Nocturnal thrills

Jasper National Park was recently designated a Dark Sky Preserve. See the backbone of the Milky Way appear to rise directly out of the centre of the Athabasca Glacier. Take in the Dark Sky Festival every year in October.

Chill out

Visit the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield that formed during the last Ice Age. Take a snow coach to the Athabasca Glacier and walk on ice more than 365 m (1,200 ft) deep.

Some like it hot

Ease into Miette Hot Springs, the hottest in the Canadian Rockies. 

Top of the world

Discover the alpine tundra with a bird’s eye view of glacial lakes and six mountain ranges on board the Jasper Tramway.

Hit the links 

Swing the day away in a fairy tale mountain setting at the Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course. See for yourself why SCOREGolf Magazine rated it the #1 Best Golf Resort in Canada.

Take a hike 

Wander 1,200 km (746 mi) of alpine paradise. Download the new Parks Canada Jasper Summer Hikes Guide. Favorite trails include the Patricia Lake loop, Mount Edith Cavell Meadows, and Valley of the Five Lakes.

Heavenly highway

No wonder National Geographic rated the Icefields Parkway one of the “10 Greatest Drives in the World.” Start in Jasper, “Mile Zero” of the famous Highway 93.

Boating bliss

Glide through emerald waters on the Maligne Lake boat tour. Snap a picture of Spirit Island, one of the most photographed islands in the world.

Fab falls

Witness the towering waterfalls at Maligne Canyon - even more spectacular in winter as a solid wall of ice. Athabasca Falls is one of the most powerful in the Canadian Rockies.

Ride ‘em, cowboy

Get in on the bronc bustin’, steer wrestlin’, bull ridin’ action at the Jasper Heritage Rodeo, every August since 1926. 

Hit the slopes

Swish the day away on 1,675 skiable acres at Marmot Basin, the highest ski hill in Canada. 

Love the mountains? More unforgettable alpine adventures lie just over the next peak in the Canadian Rockies.