Guidebook for Jasper
Food Scene
Evil Dave's Grill
86 Connaught DriveGreat food. Unique menu items. Cool vibe. Fantastic staff.
Fiddle River Restaurant
620B Connaught DriveIf you like seafood, this is the stop for you.
Downstream Lounge
620B Connaught DrGreat grub, chill atmosphere, good prices, good vibe.
Talk about a great place to eat some grub and suck in the amazing scenery. A romantic-o dinner at the top of a mountain sure can't be beat... especially above treelne... not going to experience this in any other Rocky Mountain park in Alberta.
20 locals recommend
Jasper SkyTram
Whistlers RoadTalk about a great place to eat some grub and suck in the amazing scenery. A romantic-o dinner at the top of a mountain sure can't be beat... especially above treelne... not going to experience this in any other Rocky Mountain park in Alberta.
Parks & Nature
If you're looking for something to do on a rainy day, this is a good one. Go for a wet hike to the top of Sulphur Skyline then soak yourself in the hottest hot spring fed pool in the Canadian Rockies. Almost guaranteed that you'll see some wildlife on the way in, or on the way back to town (45 minute drive from Jasper townsite.)
10 locals recommend
Miette Hotsprings
If you're looking for something to do on a rainy day, this is a good one. Go for a wet hike to the top of Sulphur Skyline then soak yourself in the hottest hot spring fed pool in the Canadian Rockies. Almost guaranteed that you'll see some wildlife on the way in, or on the way back to town (45 minute drive from Jasper townsite.)
Maligne Lake is amazing. On the way you'll see Medicine Lake, the great disappearing lake (due to carst topography, the lake drains every fall, is empty in winter and then spring brings the water back and it's a full on lake in summer.) There is a lot of wildlife on the highway (50km each way from town - total 100km round trip) You can take a boat tour to the iconic Spirit Island and really suck in some of the magic that makes Jasper Jasper. Here's a link to a street view photo I posted a couple of years ago. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Spirit+Island/@52.6437057,-117.4934158,3a,75y,155.18h,77.4t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipP1rhMmre4iWho5EufJcFC6muoCc_m1QxPFq21i!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh
22 locals recommend
Maligne Lake
Maligne Lake is amazing. On the way you'll see Medicine Lake, the great disappearing lake (due to carst topography, the lake drains every fall, is empty in winter and then spring brings the water back and it's a full on lake in summer.) There is a lot of wildlife on the highway (50km each way from town - total 100km round trip) You can take a boat tour to the iconic Spirit Island and really suck in some of the magic that makes Jasper Jasper. Here's a link to a street view photo I posted a couple of years ago. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Spirit+Island/@52.6437057,-117.4934158,3a,75y,155.18h,77.4t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipP1rhMmre4iWho5EufJcFC6muoCc_m1QxPFq21i!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh
Essentials
Only a block away from our home, this is the bigger of the two food stores in Jasper and is a mere 5 minute walk from the front door.
15 locals recommend
ROBINSONS AG Foods
218 Connaught DrOnly a block away from our home, this is the bigger of the two food stores in Jasper and is a mere 5 minute walk from the front door.
Getting Around
SunDog Tours will take you out on guided tours, they are also a transportation company that offers shuttles to various sightseeing destinations as well as to major city centres and airports (Edmonton or Calgary.)
7 locals recommend
SunDog Transportation and Tour Co
607 Connaught DrSunDog Tours will take you out on guided tours, they are also a transportation company that offers shuttles to various sightseeing destinations as well as to major city centres and airports (Edmonton or Calgary.)
Entertainment & Activities
Another great activity in Jasper is guided horseback riding on Pyramid Bench. There is also horseback riding at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and the two are different in that at the Lodge, you're riding the river valley, and at Pyramid Lake you're riding on the Pyramid Bench, so your views are from a higher vantage point. Here's a 360 street view from one of the bluffs that the horses frequent - https://www.google.com/maps/@52.9089519,-118.0697641,3a,75y,352.92h,64.5t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAF1QipM7lBAqD72hk6PQCfIKIaKAAAwq52X-u_dDQyQ6!2e10!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipM7lBAqD72hk6PQCfIKIaKAAAwq52X-u_dDQyQ6%3Dw365-h260-k-no-pi-0-ya53.499996-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352?hl=e
Jasper Riding Stables
Pyramid Lake RoadAnother great activity in Jasper is guided horseback riding on Pyramid Bench. There is also horseback riding at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and the two are different in that at the Lodge, you're riding the river valley, and at Pyramid Lake you're riding on the Pyramid Bench, so your views are from a higher vantage point. Here's a 360 street view from one of the bluffs that the horses frequent - https://www.google.com/maps/@52.9089519,-118.0697641,3a,75y,352.92h,64.5t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAF1QipM7lBAqD72hk6PQCfIKIaKAAAwq52X-u_dDQyQ6!2e10!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipM7lBAqD72hk6PQCfIKIaKAAAwq52X-u_dDQyQ6%3Dw365-h260-k-no-pi-0-ya53.499996-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352?hl=e
The best ski area around. The only one in Jasper.
Check out skimarmot.com and if you're skiing more than one day, check out the Marmot Escape Card, where you save 50% every time you ski.
17 locals recommend
Marmot Basin
1 Marmot RdThe best ski area around. The only one in Jasper.
Check out skimarmot.com and if you're skiing more than one day, check out the Marmot Escape Card, where you save 50% every time you ski.
Sightseeing
Even if you don't ski, go for a drive, a bite to eat and the best views imaginable. Open to the public from early November to first weekend in May.
17 locals recommend
Marmot Basin
1 Marmot RdEven if you don't ski, go for a drive, a bite to eat and the best views imaginable. Open to the public from early November to first weekend in May.
City advice
Don't miss
A Superlative Checklist
Park Highlights
Jasper National Park has:
• The highest mountain in Alberta (Mt. Columbia: 3747 metres or 12,293 feet).
• The largest Northern Hemisphere icefield south of the Arctic Circle and the
hydrographic apex of North America. (The Columbia Icefield at about 200 km2 or
77 square miles.)
• The longest underground drainage system known in Canada. (The Maligne Valley
karst is 16 km (10 miles) long on the surface, but of unknown size underground.)
• The only sand-dune ecosystem in the four mountain parks (Jasper Lake dunes).
• The northern limit in Alberta of Douglas-fir trees (Brûlé Lake).