51°µÍø

As the fall season enters its final days, there are still great visitor experience opportunities awaiting you in Jasper National Park.

Take a day trip along Maligne Lake Road, Highway 93A or Highway 16 and visit one of the many pull-offs connecting to iconic views of landscapes, dark skies, and wildlife.

Jasper also offers up a variety of hikes for all adventure levels. Jasper’s Easy Trail System has 20 km of bike and pedestrian-friendly, multi-use trails open year-round.

Immerse yourself in nature while avoiding crowds on our mountain biking trails. Cyclists return to Jasper in the fall months to explore our well-connected and maintained routes. If you are looking for an easy trail or want a challenging climb, we have it all.

Plan a hike or ride before the snow flies!

Here are just a few suggestions for a late fall get-away:

Old Fort Loop 

3.8km loop; 130 m elevation gain/loss; 1-2 hours
Trailhead: 1.6 km north of Jasper. From Highway 93A North, follow the Old Fort Point/Lac Beauvert access road. Cross bridge and park in the lot on the right.
Old Fort Point is a prominent bedrock hill standing 130 m above the Athabasca River. The trail is steep in places, but it provides an excellent view of Jasper and its surroundings.

Overlook Loop 

5.3 km return; 75 m elevation gain/loss; 2 hours
Trailhead: Pyramid Island via Pyramid Lake Road.
This loop offers beautiful views of the Athabasca River Valley.

Virl, Dorothy and Christine Lakes 

8.6 km return; 250 m elevation gain/loss; 3-4 hours
Trailhead: 11.5 km west of Jasper on Hwy 16
.
Steep in places, the hike to beautiful Christine Lake is well worth the effort.
 Bike or hike this trail.

Summit Lakes 

12 km return (to Second Summit Lake); 90 m elevation gain/loss; 4 hours
Trailhead: 28 km from Jasper on Maligne Lake Road
This trail travels through a narrow mountain valley and skirts three lakes, all with little change in elevation. Good for novice hikers or an intermediate biker.

There is also still time to experience programming with Parks Canada interpreters before the snow flies!
Check out our last presentation of the interpretive season:

Halloween Ghost Stories 

Get spooked easily? Want to learn more about Jasper National Park’s history with the supernatural? Join a Parks Canada interpreter for haunting tales of ghostly touches in the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce building, an ancient burial ground under a back alley in town, and a restless spirit who plays tricks on staff at Jasper Park Lodge.
Ghost stories, folktales or myth? You decide! Join us on October 31 at the Jasper Heritage Fire Hall beginning at 10:00 p.m.

Visit the Jasper National Park website for more ways to get the most out of your experience while visiting the park in fall. Stay tuned for more information on various winter offers.



Visitor Information Centre seasonal hours

The change in seasons also means a change in the hours of operation for Jasper National Park’s Visitor Information Centre.
Beginning Nov. 1, the Visitor Information Centre will change its hours of operations as follows:
Nov. 1 to March 22, 2016: Wednesday to Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Information on visitor experience opportunities in Jasper National Park can also be found on the park website.

Seasonal road closures in effect

Jasper National Park is a four-season destination that hosts a diverse set of winter recreational activities. All major travel routes are maintained throughout the year, although temporary closures or warnings may come into effect in the event of adverse weather conditions.
Some seasonal roads in Jasper National Park are now closed, including Miette Road, Cavell Road and Geraldine Road.
For information on road closures, driving conditions, construction closures, avalanche closures, and re-openings after incidents affecting highways, visit www.511.alberta.ca, call 1-855-391-9743 toll-free, or dial 511 (inside Alberta only) for road conditions inside and outside of the mountain parks in Alberta.


Annual delayed access to caribou winter habitat

Parks Canada would like to remind park users that the annual delayed access to caribou winter habitat will be in effect as of Nov. 1 in the Tonquin, Maligne-Brazeau and North Boundary areas of the park. 

The Tonquin area will reopen for winter recreation on February 16, 2016. All other areas reopen on February 29, 2016.
For additional information on delayed access and caribou conservation, visit the Jasper National Park website.

Parks Canada
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