Jasper offers a picturesque mountain getaway surrounded by towering peaks, untouched wilderness and turquoise lakes tucked into alpine valleys. The surrounding Jasper National Park offers endless picture postcard views.
If you arrive from the east, you will climb through the rolling foothills 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 with welcoming locals. 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 in the town centre. Where else will you find a herd of elk napping on the lawn?
Jasper started out as a small trading post on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and to this day is still a railway town. It is home to the only VIA Rail train station in the Canadian Rockies making it a popular stopping off point for travellers of the Trans Canada "Canadian" train. It also lies at the northern end of the spectacular Icefields Parkway which links the town to Lake Louise and Banff passing by the Athabasca Glacier. Jasper is also one of the start / end points for 2 Rocky Mountaineer journeys, one travelling to Vancouver via Kamloops and the other travelling to Whistler via Quesnel. Another VIA Rail service operates from Jasper to Prince Rupert on the northern British Columbia coast via Prince George.
Jasper National Park is home to some of North America's most beautiful lakes, including Maligne Lake, Patricia Lake, Pyramid Lake and the beautiful Lac Beauvert just outside of town, on the shores of which you will find one of the Park's top hotels, the world famous Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge which has played host to film stars and royalty over the years.
Jasper Facts
- Jasper National Park is the largest of Canada’s Rocky Mountain Parks: 11,228 sq km (6,976 sq mi) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The nearby western mountain ranges are the highest and form the Continental Divide, the backbone of North America.
- Miette Hot Springs, the hottest in the Canadian Rockies, are 54ºC/129ºF but are naturally cooled to 39ºC/102ºF for the pools.
- Jasper is one of the largest dark sky preserves in the world - one of the best places in the world for stargazing.
- The Columbia Icefield to the south of Jasper covers 325 sq km (125 sq mi), the largest ice mass south of the Arctic Circle, whose meltwaters run to three different oceans and feed eight glaciers.
- Jasper 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.
Jasper townsite lies at an elevation of 1062 metres. Spring comes to the valley bottoms in mid-April and reaches the high country by mid-June. Summer days are long, but the summer season is not. July is the warmest month with a mean daily maximum temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius. September and October bring fall colours, clear skies and cooler temperatures. The winter season is varied with periods of cold snowy weather that can quickly change to a mild chinook wind. January is the coldest month with a mean maximum temperature of -7.8 degrees Celsius.
Jasper Temperatures (Average daily low / high, degrees Celcius)
Jan: -15 / -5
Feb: - 6 / -1
Mar: -7 / 5
Apr: -2 / 10
May: 2 / 15
Jun: 6 / 19
Jul: 8 / 22
Aug: 7 / 21
Sep: 3 / 16
Oct: -1 / 10
Nov: -8 / 1
Dec -14 / -5
