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Outlying Areas

Following the Yellowhead Highway north from town will take you out of the park and through the town of Hinton and eventually to Edmonton. Some of the most unusual landscape in the park can be found along this stretch of highway. A half-hour drive to the north lies Jasper Lake and the surreal Jasper Sand Dunes, as well as the Miette Hotsprings. The shore of Jasper Lake offers some exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities, as bighorn sheep and mountain goats enjoy feeding and sunning themselves on the cliffs alongside the Yellowhead Highway. For a refreshing dip, stop by the Miette Hot Springs, located just off of the Yellowhead highway before Hinton. The 104-degree Fahrenheit water will soon chase the chill of the mountains away. To the west of Jasper lie the Monashee Mountains, a rugged and isolated range. The mountains are home to Mike Wiegle Heli Skiing, considered one of the best heli-ski operations in the world. There are also whitewater rafting opportunities, and the chance to see Mount Robson, an imposing block of granite that is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. To the south of town, you will find the Whistlers Gondola, Jasper International Hostel and Marmot Basin Ski Area. Further south is the Icefields Parkway, one of the most spectacular drives in North America: a 300 kilometre stretch of highway winding toward Banff beneath soaring peaks and massive glaciers. Halfway between Jasper and Banff is the Icefield Centre, where you will find a Parks Canada Information Centre and the Athabasca Glacier SnoCoach Tours.