JASPER NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 335

HIKING IN JASPER NATIONAL PARK
The 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) of hiking trails in Jasper are significantly different
from those in the other mountain national parks. The park has an extensive system
of interconnecting backcountry trails that, for experienced hikers, can provide a wil-
derness adventure rivaled by few areas on the face of the earth. For casual day
hikers, on the other hand, opportunities are more limited.
Most trails in the immediate vicinity of the town have little elevation gain
and lead through montane forest to lakes. The trails around Maligne Lake, at the
base of Mount Edith Cavell, and along the Icefields Parkway have more reward-
ing objectives and are more challenging. These are covered in detail throughout
the chapter. The most popular trails for extended backcountry trips are the Skyline
Trail, between Maligne Lake Road and Maligne Lake (44.5 km/27.6 mi, three days
each way); the trails to Amethyst Lakes in the Tonquin Valley (19 km/11.8 mi, one
day each way) and Athabasca Pass (50 km/31 mi, three days each way), which was
used by fur traders for 40 years as the main route across the Canadian Rockies; and
the South Boundary Trail, which traverses a remote section of the front ranges in-
to Banff National Park (160 km/100 mi, 10 days each way).
Before setting off on any hikes, whatever the length, go to the park information
center in downtown Jasper or the Parks Canada desk in the Icefield Centre along the
Icefields Parkway for trail maps, trail conditions, and trail closures, or to purchase a
copy of the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide by Brian Patton and Bart Robinson.
• Elevation gain: 60 meters/200 feet
• Rating: easy
• Trailhead: Icefields Parkway, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of the town of Jasper
These lakes, nestled in an open valley, are small but make a worthwhile destination. From
the trailhead, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of town along the Icefields Parkway, the trail
passes through a forest of lodgepole pine, crosses a stream, and climbs a ridge from where
you'll have a panoramic view of surrounding peaks. As the trail descends to the lakes, turn
left at the first intersection to a point between two of the lakes. These lakes are linked to
Old Fort Point by a tedious 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) trail through montane forest.