“Short hikes?!” you might think. “What’s up with that, girl!”.
Yes it’s true.. I mainly did easy hikes in Jasper National Park, but I couldn’t help it (pinky swear). All of the bigger trails (think Bald Hills, Sulphur Skyline, The Whistler Trail, Mount Edith Cavell) were tucked in with thick blankets of snow or sheets of sheer ice during my visit at the end of September last year.
At first I thought there was little room for manoeuvring for an avid hiker such as myself, but with a bit of help from the rangers and other locals I was still able to find some great trails. And therefore to see a lot of Jasper NP!
These trails below are superb if there’s still a lot of snow and ice on the trails or if you just want to do hikes under 5 km / 3 miles. I won’t judge you :). I thought all of these trails were gorgeous, saw a lot of wildlife and I even had them most of the time all to myself, yay!
Before you go, ask a ranger about the conditions of the trails. And bring some cleats in advance, I noticed you never know when you’re gonna need them. And last but not least, in case the bears aren’t underground yet, sing a lot of songs to alert the animals about your visit!
Get ready for these beautiful, short, easy, yet rewarding hikes!
Old Fort Point Loop
A 3.5 km / 2.2 miles return.
Perhaps this was my favourite short hike near Jasper. The start of the trail is a little steep, but at the top of the Old Fort Point you’ll be rewarded with excellent views all around: on the Athabasca River, the town of Jasper ánd Whistler Mountain.
I’ve done the hike three times (yes, that’s how much I loved it!) and every time I encountered lots of bighorn sheep at the overview.
It was just magnificent, seeing them grazing peacefully in front of the snowy mountainous backdrops. The bighorn sheep seemed to care little that I was around.
After this high overview point, the rest of the trail leads you into a valley. Next the path swings all the way around the hill back to the parking lot.
Even if you don’t have a car, it’s possible to reach this lake by foot from town. Just count in an extra 20 minutes. Moreover, the trail is close to Lac Beauvert (a little further down the list), so you can easily do the two nice hikes in one morning or afternoon.
Maligne Canyon
A 4.4 km / 2.7 miles return
This deep gorge truly is a fascinating place to explore. Although a little steep (in particular on the way back..) there a lot of different things to explore in here. Think of waterfalls, fossils and nice views on the gorge.
And during my visit I could also see a LOT of ice ↑
Most people stop and return after the second bridge, but I though the third and fourth were also worth the extra mile. If you’re in the mood, you can prolong the hike all the way to the sixth bridge and a walk back along the Athabasca river. The highway may be on the other side of the river, but it’s still pretty scenic out there.
Go early in the morning or in the late afternoon to see the waterfalls and gorge in the best possible light. Also, unfortunately, during my visit the gorge was slightly slippery. So in case snow is still around I would advice you to bring cleats for this trail if you want to make it a joyful and less painful trip :).
On the way to the canyon, you’re very likely to see some (bull) elk. So keep an eye on the surrounding fields shortly after you’ve crossed the bridge from the highway.
Lac Beauvert
A 3.9 km / 2.4 miles loop
For some kind of reason this is the only lake having a French name, thus the ‘lac’. Despite this complication, the hike around Beauvert is flat and very easy, even in snowier conditions.
Like any of the glacial lakes in this valley, the water was just super clear. Moreover on the eastern side of the lake you’ll have some pretty views on Pyramid Mountain. ↓
Annette Lake
A 2.4 km / 1.5 miles loop
Close to Lac Beauvert, this short and very easy trail makes for another peaceful hike with great views on its surroundings. The trail (a 40 to 60 minutes loop) is easily accessible for both young and old and therefore makes for a great activity for the entire family. The path is pretty decent and it seemed to me even accessible to strollers and wheelchairs.
Close to Annette Lake you’ll find Edith Lake (picture 2 and 3 ↑), which is just like Annette Lake a great spot for having a little break or a picnic in between!
Moose Lake
A 2.7 km / 1.7 miles loop
Maligne Lake might be a popular destination, but many people don’t make it any further than the main viewing points or that boat ride. Which is great in a sense, because it makes the trip to Moose Lake all the more peaceful!
The trail starts with a steady uphill walk and if it’s not too icy this walk should take something like half an hour before you reach the pretty little lake.
Obviously both the lake and trail are named after the many giant friendly mammals you may encounter along the way. I already saw a couple of moose right at the start of the trail!
Valley of the Five Lakes
A 4.5 km / 2.8 loop
It requires a little drive south along the Icefields Parkway to reach this valley, but you’ll see the staggering amount of five lakes within this 1,5 hour long hike. Plus you’ll get some extra scenic views on the Athabasca river along the way for free :).
Every lake is in the valley is unique in terms of size and colour and although they are all pretty spectacular, I particularly fell in love with lake number 4 ↓.
Speaking of backdrops and turquoise water… oioioi so pretty!
If you’re up for it, you might even hike all the way back to Old Fort Point Loop (if the conditions allow it).
Also, when I did this trail at the end of September, some parts of it were just sheer ice, so you might want to take precaution and bring along some cleats again!
Here some more snaps of the hike!
Pyramid Island
In the middle of the beautiful Pyramid Lake, there’s the tiny Pyramid Island. Even though you can barely call it a hike, I wanted to include this 10-minute trail nonetheless, just to make sure you get out of the car over here!
Even when there’s a lot of snow and ice around you can still visit the island. Hold on tight though when walking that bridge! The views on both the lake and the backdrops of Pyramid Mountain are absolutely stunning from here.
Katrine Lake
The hike to Katrine lake may not be the most spectacular one, but if you like to do a bit of forest bathing this is thé spot to go to. The hike is short, yet rewarding and after some twenty minutes you’ll arrive at the secluded and very green Katrine Lake. After another fifteen minute you’ll have a nice view of both Jasper and the Athabasca River.
You could either return at this point or turn it into a longer hike and continue the loop either to the left (trail 2i) or to the right (trail 2b).
Here’s where to find those hikes!
