Jasper, AL

Your tryst with the majestic Rockies may begin well before you arrive at Jasper. Most tourists on a holiday to Jasper take the scenic Icefields Parkway route to the town. This wide asphalt road meanders through towering, snow-capped mountain ranges and past clear, turquoise lakes that reflect the azure skies, sheer river canyons that plunge into bottomless chasms, and humongous waterfalls that drop from great heights shattering the silence around and creating a veil of fine mist and spray. What you see around is a primeval landscape but one that is being constantly shifted and reshaped by glaciers and subterranean geological activities. During your Jasper holiday, you will never be too far from a Rockies sighting. Mount Edith Cavell towers over Jasper and is visible from all nooks and crannies of the town. Numerous hiking trails and biking pathways lead out from the town and into the vast wilderness of the Rockies where there is beauty on the wayside and a wonder awaits you at every turn.

On your Jasper holiday, you will want to be out in the sun and right up there amongst the clouds and peaks. With the plethora of outdoor recreational activities, you can explore the Rockies at your own pace—at breakneck speed or languorously. Snowshoeing, dog sledding, skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice climbing, ice walking, and sleigh riding are some popular outdoor activities. Away from the ice fields and glaciers, the trails, the waterways, and the wooded parklands of Jasper too afford sweeping views of the Rockies. Hop on a bike, jump on a horse, put on your hiking or running shoes, or get on a paddle boat to gain a different visual perspective. Jasper holidays get a high when you get onboard a skytram and take in a bird’s eye view of the landscape. But if you want to be in the midst of stunning natural environs, go on a camping trip to live like the indigenous people of the land—in tune with Nature. Get up close and personal with wild animals that call the Rockies their home, watch the colours of the sky change as every hour passes, and listen to the sounds of the wild as you go off to sleep under the starry skies.

The Canadian Rockies are home to a diverse and eclectic collection of wildlife—horned, clawed, furry, feathery, and scaled. But it is in Jasper that these creatures of the wild come close to you and regard you with, not trepidation, but wonder. You don’t have to venture out into the deep, dark depths of the forests for a wildlife date. You can catch a glimpse of a moose darting away as you make your way across the Icefields Parkways or grizzly bear cubs frolicking on a hiking trail. Wildlife sightings are surprisingly common in Jasper—a testimony to an enduring tale of harmony between man and Nature that has been unfolding through the centuries.

A Canada tour dishes out diversity, and Jasper holidays are no different. The lively wildlife scene is matched by a livelier arts and culture scene. Art shows, music festivals, culinary fairs, and a vibrant night life liven up Jasper and provide ample ways to unwind after a day on the Rockies. These festive gatherings are more than just opportunities to gaze at art work or eat, drink, and be merry. The festivals in Jasper give you the opportunity to mingle with the friendly locals, share in their stories, and be inspired by their dedication to preserve a delicate ecosystem.

Jasper is located approximately four hours north of Banff and four hours west of Edmonton.You can get to Jasper by road or rail. Yellowhead Highway goes from Edmonton whilst Highway 93 offers a scenic route through the Rockies from Lake Louise or Banff.

Jasper sports different garbs at various times of the year. The colours change, the songs of Nature are different, and even the landscape takes on varied forms as the seasons pass. The stillness and starkness of the barren winter landscape beckon the adventurer with the lure of mystery. The melting snow heralds the arrival of spring and pops of green come up on the mountainsides and along the trails. The bright sunny days of summer are filled with the sounds of gurgling streams and roaring waterfalls that regain volume and vigour. Autumn in Jasper is a colourful palette of maroons, oranges, yellows, and purples.

The locals of Jasper have devised ways to honour the passage of time and celebrate the beauties and bounties of each season. During your Canada holiday, take part in the local festivals to understand the nuances of a culture, peek into the soul of a people, and appreciate how they choose to express themselves creatively.

Winter: A Time for High Action

Snow-covered mountains loom large in the distance. The waterfalls are frozen in their tracks. Trees blanketed under snow look like alien forms that have sprouted from the ground. A stillness that hangs heavy in the air. The silvery white landscape of Jasper has an otherworldly aura that is mysterious and captivating. But not all is quiet in Jasper in winter. A plethora of recreational activities like skiing, snowboarding, ice walking, snowshoeing, ice climbing, and dog sledding let you be outdoors and enjoy the sights of an ethereal winter landscape. In stark contrast to the white all around, are the colours of the Jasper in January festival.

Spring: Heralding the Renewal of Life

After the lull of the winter months, Mother Nature awakens from Her slumber and gently stirs before She gets ready to deck up. As the snow melts, blades of grass peep out from the ground and new leaves and buds sprout from the bare branches. There is colour once more on the trails and mountainsides. During a holiday to Canada, a Jasper tour offers more wildlife gazing opportunities than any other place. If you are out on the trails, walking, hiking, biking, or horse riding, keep an eye out for animals. The bears are roused from their winter snooze and the elks have returned from their migratory abodes. You might encounter a native of the forest out to forage for food.

The Sights and Sounds of Summer

During your summer holiday in Jasper, be prepared for days and nights of whirlwind activities. If it is summer in Canada, you HAVE to be outdoors and on the trails to behold the majestic beauty of the Rockies under a dazzling sun. And if you are in Jasper, make sure that you visit the Athabasca Falls to catch an aquatic drama in action. It is Jasper’s largest waterfall by volume, and summer is the season when the falls, fed by melting snow and ice, engorge to thunderous proportions. As an avalanche of water tumbles down the cliffs in a heavy curtain of mist and spray, the air is filled with a deep and deafening rumble. As the sun shines brighter and the days get longer, Jasper swings into festivity mode. The Jasper Folk Music Festival brings together talented folk and blues musicians from far and wide to celebrate the essence, nuances, and quirks of the Canadian Rockies culture.

The Colourful Canvas of Autumn

A tour in Canada in autumn presents many colourful sights. The parks, trails, and lush forests in and around Jasper afford ample opportunities to marvel at the vibrant fall foliage. The days are shorter, the sun is mellower, the wind whistles and blows more strongly through the forests, and the dusks seem more magical. Jasper autumns are hauntingly beautiful. The wilderness around Jasper creates pitch dark nights, unsullied by artificial light and smog. The Jasper Dark Sky Festival is a unique event, and one that not many other places in the world can play host to. During this festival, you are invited to gaze up into the vast darkness, look beyond what seems like nothingness, and discover and marvel at the beauty of the skies.