8 Best Sights in Jasper National Park, Alberta

Jasper Lake is actually part of the Athabasca River—it's a point where the river broadens—and you can wade far out into its shallow waters and the beach is sandy. The scenery is beautiful, with lovely reflections on the water, and the Jasper Lake Sand Dunes, the Canadian Rockies' only sand dunes, are dunes nearby.

Located beside The Fair­mont Jasper Park Lodge, this glacier-fed lake is surrounded by majestic mountains. A scenic 4-km (2.5-mile) hiking trail surrounds the lake, and bicycles, canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand-up paddleboards can be rented at The Boathouse (open during the summer season) on the lake's shore.

This lake is a favorite sandy beach and swimming area with locals. There is a dock, a playground, a grassy area for throwing a ball or frisbee, and a day-use area with picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. A paved interpretive trail loops around the lakeshore. Dogs are not allowed on the beach, but they are allowed in other areas.

This beautiful turquoise lake is surrounded by mountains. It has a quiet beach and a dock. The glacier-fed water is cold, but on a hot summer day, it's a popular spot to paddle and wade. You can get there by car or bike, or hiking. Dogs are not allowed on the beach area of the lake. 

The remarkably blue, 22-km-long (14-mile-long) Maligne Lake is one of the world's largest glacier-fed lakes and the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. The lake was well known to Indigenous people who called it “Chaba Imne” (Beaver Lake). The first outsider known to see the lake was Henry MacLeod, a surveyor looking for a possible route for the Canadian Pacific Railway, in 1875. He was on a high mountain and saw the lake from a distance.

In 1907, Mary Schäffer, a wealthy Quaker from Philadelphia, led an expedition to the lake following a map drawn by an Indigenous man named Samson Beaver. Schäffer was one of the few female explorers in the Canadian Rockies in the early part of the twentieth century. She wrote about her adventures and her popular book inspired others to travel to the Canadian Rockies. Schäffer returned to survey the lake a few years later for the Geographical Board of Canada. Her work was instrumental in getting the lake included as part of Jasper National Park.

Spirit Island is one of the most famous sights in Maligne Lake. The island is 14-km (8.7 mile) up-lake and can be reached by canoe or kayak or on a boat cruise that is offered several times per day. If you choose to paddle to Spirit Island, you may wish to stay in one of the three backcountry campsites along the lake that can only be reached by canoe or kayak.

There are many hiking trails near Maligne Lake including Opal Hills Loop and the epic Skyline Trail. Cycling, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing are also popular activities. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are favored activities in winter. Wildlife is abundant near the lake. Watch for moose, bears, deer, bighorn sheep, and the rare woodland caribou.

At the head of the lake, you’ll find three restaurants---Waffle Hut, Lakehouse Café, and The View---that serve everything from waffles to gourmet cuisine. There’s also a gift shop where you can buy essentials and souvenirs.

Known as "The Disappearing Lake," Medicine Lake has long been a place of mystery and legend. In summer, it looks like a normal alpine lake, but in the fall and winter, the water almost completely disappears. Indigenous people had legends to explain the phenomenon, but scientists believe it's actually caused by an expansive underground cave system that the lake water is constantly draining through, and in the summer there is enough glacial runoff to maintain water levels. Once the runoff slows, the lake begins to drain and the surface dries up. The underground cave system runs 17 kilometers (11 miles) downstream and resurfaces below Maligne Canyon. It's common to see bald eagles, osprey, bears, moose, and bighorn sheep near this lake.

Keep an eye out for wildlife, especially moose, when you come to Moose Marsh and Moose Lake. A variety of waterfowl are found here and there's a good chance to spot moose, especially at dawn or dusk. This 11.7-km (7.3-mile) long lake is the only lake along the course of the Fraser River. The Fraser flows into the lake on its east end and exits the lake on its western side. Moose Marsh is on the east end of the lake and the Yellowhead Highway runs along its north shore. If you have a BC fishing license, you can fish for wild rainbow trout.    

Just west of the Yellowhead Pass is lovely Portal Lake. A short loop trail around the lake offers the opportunity to walk on the continental divide. There's a lovely picnic area---despite its location next to a major highway. You'll also find toilets and interpretive signs. If you have a British Columbia fishing license, you can fish for rainbow trout in the lake.