Set up base in this peaceful Rockies town before setting out to see glistening glaciers, cascading waterfalls and awe-inspiring mountains.
The small town of Jasper makes an ideal base for exploring Jasper National Park, and the Canadian Rockies beyond. Check into one of the ample hotels or wood lodges, or try camping in summer. There’s loads of information on offer and great food available in town.
On Jasper's doorstep is nature in some of its most sublime forms. Take the short stroll to Patricia Lake for a taste of what to expect. Go fishing for trout in its pristine waters, and learn about the strange but true story of Project Habbakuk.
Drive the length of Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Banff, soaking up some of the region's breath-taking scenery. Watch the spectacle that is Athabasca Falls, roaring with torrents of water. Call in at Columbia Icefield to see the source of the falls – the Athabasca Glacier. Take a guided tour on its surface, and snap pictures of the other gargantuan glaciers that feed much of the country's waterfalls and lakes. Marmot Basin is a great ski resort that's been delighting winter sports enthusiasts since the 1960s.
Make the most of your holiday snaps by taking a professional course at Maligne Lake, the area's undoubted pin-up. Bump into more happy snappers at Tangle Falls, an idyllic cascade which freezes over in the cold months. The immensely powerful Sunwapta Falls should also be on your to-see list.
Attempt to figure out the mystical water features which are Medicine Lake and Maligne Canyon – these have enthralled natives and scientists for centuries. Stroll through the alpine meadows around (or climb one of the faces of) Mount Edith Cavell.
The best time to visit Jasper depends on your plans. April to September is the busiest period – expect clement weather, more attractions and amenities open, and fewer accommodation vacancies. Winter is a quieter period, except at the ski resorts, when various accommodation, information centres and roads are closed due to the harsh weather conditions. However, Jasper is arguably at it prettiest and most tranquil at this time.
