As the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, there are plenty of reasons to visit Jasper. It's beautiful in the winter, when both the Maligne Canyon Icewalk and Marmot Basin Ski Resort are in season. And it's stunning in the summer, when it's possible to visit Spirit Island, hike the Skyline Trail, or paddle down the Athabasca River.
Everybody has their own reasons for visiting, but these are my top 14 reasons to visit Jasper.
1. Columbia Icefield
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Columbia Icefield]( "Columbia Icefield")
The Columbia Icefield Tour from Jasper is a stunning opportunity to see the world's largest non-polar icefield. Custom built Ice Explorer buses make the journey possible, but don't miss the opportunity to jump off the bus and walk upon the Athabasca Glacier. It's taller than the Eiffel Tower!
2. Dark Sky Preserve
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Dark Sky Preserve]( "Jasper Dark Sky Preserve")
Jasper is one of the best places to star gaze, too, because of a complete lack of light pollution. Although it's a year-round phenomena, star gazing is far easier in the winter when days are shorter. In the summer, it takes an extra effort to stay up past midnight!
3. Cruise to Spirit Island
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Spirit Island on Maligne Lake]( "Spirit Island on Maligne Lake")
Take the Spirit Island Cruise on Jasper's Maligne Lake to visit one of the Canadian Rockies' most famous landscapes. The experience has been voted as Canada's best cruise.
4. Canoe Maligne Lake
![Paddle to Coronet Creek Campground on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park]( "Paddle to Coronet Creek Campground on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park")
The Spirit Island boat cruises only venture halfway down Maligne Lake. Motorized boats are banned from exploring further, so to reach the Coronet Creek campground at the end of Maligne Lake requires a canoe. It's a seven- to nine-hour paddle that is instantly rewarded by one of the best wilderness experiences in the Rocky Mountains.
5. Scenic Drives through the Canadian Rockies
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Scenic Drives in the Canadian Rockies]( "Scenic Drives in the Canadian Rockies")
Although the Yellowhead highway runs straight through Jasper National Park, the best scenery is found on side roads. Make sure to drive the Celestine Lakes, Mt Edith Cavell, and Maligne Lake Roads.
6. Wildlife!
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Bears!]( "Black bear in Jasper National Park, Alberta")
There is an abundance of wildlife in Jasper National Park and its often easiest to spot the many animals -- like Grizzly and Black bears, Bighorn sheep, Mountain goats, elk, moose, and deer -- right along the roadside.
7. Hike the Path of the Glacier Trail
![Hiking the Path to the Glaciers Trail, Jasper, Alberta]( "Hiking the Path to the Glaciers Trail, Jasper, Alberta")
From the end of the Mt Edith Cavell Road, it's only a 20-minute hike along the Path of the Glaciers trail to a viewpoint that includes both the Ghost and Angel glaciers.
8. Mountain Biking or Road Cycling
![the Jasper Park Cycling Association promotes mountain biking in Jasper National Park]( "Mountain Biking in Jasper National Park")
With just over 100 kilometers of dedicated mountain bike trails and a selection of top-quality road cycling routes, Jasper National Park is a great place to park the car and go for a bike ride.
9. Train Town
![Trains in Jasper, Alberta]( "Trains in Jasper, Alberta")
Jasper is on VIARail's Canada line, which runs passenger trains between Toronto and Vancouver. It's also the junction for the Skeena Train, which runs through northern British Columbia to Prince Rupert.
10. The Athabasca River
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Athabasca Falls]( "Athabasca Falls in Jasper, Alberta")
The Athabasca River helped settle Jasper, back when it was a fur trading post called Jasper House. The river, which runs from its source at the Columbia Icefield to northern Alberta, is at its most spectacular just below the massive Athabasca Falls, where the water flows through a narrow canyon.
11. Maligne Canyon Icewalk
![Maligne Canyon Icewalk, Jasper, Alberta, Canada]( "Maligne Canyon Icewalk, Jasper, Alberta, Canada")
Although Maligne Canyon is beautiful throughout the summer, it's even more spectacular to walk along the frozen canyon floor during the winter, when each waterfall is frozen in time.
12. Dog Sledding in Jasper
![Dogsledding in Jasper National Park]( "Dogsledding in Jasper National Park")
As one of Canada's oldest forms of transportation, dog sledding is more than an exciting way to travel through the winter landscape. It's also part of the regional history and culture.
13. Sleigh Rides on Pyramid Lake
![Sleigh Rides on Pyramid Lake, Jasper, Alberta]( "Sleigh Rides on Pyramid Lake, Jasper, Alberta")
It's hard to find a more romantic winter activity than an evening sleigh ride on Pyramid Lake in Jasper National Park.
14. Jasper in January Winter Festival
![14 Reasons to Visit Jasper: Jasper in January Winter Festival]( "Jasper in January Winter Festival")
Now in it's 25th year, Jasper in January is the hottest winter festival in the Canadian Rockies. Its signature events, like Winterstruck and the ATCO Family Street Party, are just the beginning. The festival has grown into a 16-day celebration of winter.
Everybody has their own reasons for visiting, but these are my top 14 reasons to visit Jasper.
1. Columbia Icefield
The Columbia Icefield Tour from Jasper is a stunning opportunity to see the world's largest non-polar icefield. Custom built Ice Explorer buses make the journey possible, but don't miss the opportunity to jump off the bus and walk upon the Athabasca Glacier. It's taller than the Eiffel Tower!
2. Dark Sky Preserve
Jasper is one of the best places to star gaze, too, because of a complete lack of light pollution. Although it's a year-round phenomena, star gazing is far easier in the winter when days are shorter. In the summer, it takes an extra effort to stay up past midnight!
3. Cruise to Spirit Island
Take the Spirit Island Cruise on Jasper's Maligne Lake to visit one of the Canadian Rockies' most famous landscapes. The experience has been voted as Canada's best cruise.
4. Canoe Maligne Lake
The Spirit Island boat cruises only venture halfway down Maligne Lake. Motorized boats are banned from exploring further, so to reach the Coronet Creek campground at the end of Maligne Lake requires a canoe. It's a seven- to nine-hour paddle that is instantly rewarded by one of the best wilderness experiences in the Rocky Mountains.
5. Scenic Drives through the Canadian Rockies
Although the Yellowhead highway runs straight through Jasper National Park, the best scenery is found on side roads. Make sure to drive the Celestine Lakes, Mt Edith Cavell, and Maligne Lake Roads.
6. Wildlife!
There is an abundance of wildlife in Jasper National Park and its often easiest to spot the many animals -- like Grizzly and Black bears, Bighorn sheep, Mountain goats, elk, moose, and deer -- right along the roadside.
7. Hike the Path of the Glacier Trail
From the end of the Mt Edith Cavell Road, it's only a 20-minute hike along the Path of the Glaciers trail to a viewpoint that includes both the Ghost and Angel glaciers.
8. Mountain Biking or Road Cycling
With just over 100 kilometers of dedicated mountain bike trails and a selection of top-quality road cycling routes, Jasper National Park is a great place to park the car and go for a bike ride.
9. Train Town
Jasper is on VIARail's Canada line, which runs passenger trains between Toronto and Vancouver. It's also the junction for the Skeena Train, which runs through northern British Columbia to Prince Rupert.
10. The Athabasca River
The Athabasca River helped settle Jasper, back when it was a fur trading post called Jasper House. The river, which runs from its source at the Columbia Icefield to northern Alberta, is at its most spectacular just below the massive Athabasca Falls, where the water flows through a narrow canyon.
11. Maligne Canyon Icewalk
Although Maligne Canyon is beautiful throughout the summer, it's even more spectacular to walk along the frozen canyon floor during the winter, when each waterfall is frozen in time.
12. Dog Sledding in Jasper
As one of Canada's oldest forms of transportation, dog sledding is more than an exciting way to travel through the winter landscape. It's also part of the regional history and culture.
13. Sleigh Rides on Pyramid Lake
It's hard to find a more romantic winter activity than an evening sleigh ride on Pyramid Lake in Jasper National Park.
14. Jasper in January Winter Festival
Now in it's 25th year, Jasper in January is the hottest winter festival in the Canadian Rockies. Its signature events, like Winterstruck and the ATCO Family Street Party, are just the beginning. The festival has grown into a 16-day celebration of winter.
-Contributed by Jeff Bartlett
All photos contributed by PhotoJBartlett/The Adventure Freelancer on Facebook.