The town of Jasper is the center of Jasper National Park both geographically and socially. Wildlife abounds in Jasper National Park and it is here you find the Rockies hottest hotsprings, greatest concentrations of life, highest mountains and highest number of lakes. Visitors come from around the globe to experience the wild beauty of Jasper!

Those wishing to travel to the Rockies by train from Eastern and Central Canada arrive in Jasper and can continue through the Rockies, past Mount Robson to Vancouver on the Pacific Coast. There is no trans-continental train service to Banff, although the Rocky Mountaineer is a beautiful train journey between Banff and Vancouver, B.C..

Jasper Park Map

There is great whitewater rafting, horseback riding, hiking, skiing, sightseeing, dining and shopping all within close proximity. There are hotels in every price range and it is wise to book ahead for summer arrivals. This place is popular.

"Kettles and Kames"
Kettles are bowl shaped holes in the earth created by large blocks of ice that fell off glaciers that were abundant in the Canadian Rockies. When the blocks of ice melted they left "Kettle" shaped holes.

Kames are the opposite of Kettles and were also created by glacial activity. Within the depression of the glaciers, rock and debri would collect. When the glaciers melted, and receded, they left behind the "Kames" that you see today. Walk around the mounds and imagine a glacier a half a mile thick, where you are standing.

One of the most fragile and 
rare animals on Earth!!
In Banff's famous mineral springs you may be lucky enough to see a small snail clinging to algae, sticks, or rocks at the water's surface. Please do not touch these creatures as they are perilously close to extinction. The Banff Springs Snail lives nowhere else on Earth. It exists in steamy springs, smelling of Hydrogen Sulfide, rich in minerals and slightly radioactive. No wonder that it is so delicate! Parks Canada is working to save the species by protecting it from its worst enemy, Man.

Patricia Lake and World War II
At the beginning of the war the allies had enormous problems getting supplies safely across the Atlantic Ocean. Someone had the idea of building large flat-topped icebergs with motors attached that could safely sail across the ocean, immune to torpedoes! The idea was tested at lake Patricia and the shack that sat atop the prototype is still visited by scuba divers at the bottom of the lake.

"SECRET PLACES" Little known gems of paradise in Jasper Park
Stanley's Eight Waterfalls - 88 Kilometers (1 hour drive) south of Jasper is an astounding place. Watch on the east (left) side of the highway for two large culverts and a man-made dike for the roadside pulloff. The little secret of a trail will lead you past 8 magnificent little falls all within a "country mile". The rushing waters of Beauty Creek have carved the rugged terrain and left us with a series of waterfalls each seemingly taller and more beautiful than the last.

If you wish to see another little known treasure then visit;
Horseshoe Lake - Driving south from Jasper on the Icefields Parkway it is easy to miss my personal favorite in the Rockies. Horseshoe Lake gets its name from its' shape, a big "U" shape. Steep multicolored cliffs circle the lake and create a little world of splendid isolation. The local high school kids from Jasper are known to visit the lake and jump from the cliffs into the cool water. Come in the spring and you may see them tossing small boulders onto the thin layer of ice to create a diving hole. Those crazy Canucks! When you arrive look for the babbling brook that flows south from the lake and disappears into a tangle of fallen wood. Drive 28 kilometers south of Jasper and watch carefully for the sign on the left (east) side of the highway. The short walk on level ground from the highway is suitable for all ages but the lake area is a little uneven.

Jasper Park Map