Things to do in Jasper National Park

We combined both Jasper National Park and Banff National Park. We stayed at Jasper National Park for 2 nights at Sunwapta Falls Rocky Mountain Resort. We explored the park for 3 days. And those days were packed!

Depending on the time of the year you are going to Jasper National Park, you must keep the sunrise and sunset times in mind. In September, the days were relatively long, giving is more than enough time to do a lot of things.

So, what can you do in Jasper National Park?

Hiking

Jasper National Park is a true hiking paradise. And because the trails are more challenging compared to Banff National Park, Jasper was more to our liking. If I planned it again, I would spend more time in Jasper. We did 5 hikes when we were in Jasper, not all long hikes but a nice mix. You can read all about them here. My favorite was Bald Hills for sure: the views were amazing!

Visit lakes

There are quite a few lakes in Jasper National Park; we tried to visit them all. In the late afternoon, there weren’t so many people at the lakes, and they were all very peaceful. We visited: Talbot Lake, Patricia Lake, Pyramid Lake, Medicine Lake, and Maligne Lake. They all have different views and atmosphere.

Go to waterfalls

We were lucky to have the Sunwapta Falls right behind our hotel; perfect to visit in the morning before all the busloads of tourists are dropped off. We were there practically alone then. The Athabasca Falls were the complete opposite: we had to share the falls with 2 busloads of tourists. But the walkways made it possible for nice views if we were patient enough.

Drive Icefield Parkway

The Icefield Parkway is said to be one of the most beautiful highways in the world. And they aren’t lying! Mountains, rivers, trees, … You have it all while driving between Jasper and Banff National Park. If you are lucky, you see some wildlife along the side of the road. If you see them: don’t get out of your car!

Visit Jasper Skywalk

The skywalk is part of the Columbia Icefield Adventure. If you want, you can combine the Skywalk with an Ice Explorer Tour on the Athabasca Glacier.

We only did the Skywalk. When you are coming from Jasper, you will drive past the Skywalk and to the Adventure Centre. There you can buy tickets if you didn’t buy them in advance after which you board a bus to the skywalk. The Skywalk is a 1km glass-bottomed observation platform 280m above the Sunwapta valley. Where a thick jacket because the winds here can be very strong.

You have an amazing view over the valley and the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Take your time to admire everything and maybe read all about the construction and wildlife living in Jasper.

Did you visit Jasper National Park?

Some of these links are affiliate links. If you buy something through these links, Travel Eat Enjoy Repeat will earn a small commission. This will cost you nothing extra.