Backcountry Hiking in Jasper National Park
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Jasper National Park
At over 11 000 square kilometres, Jasper National Park is the largest of the UNESCO recognized Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. Unlike Banff, the town of Jasper remains a peaceful, unpretentious, and quiet tourist town with abundant wildlife. Elk can be spotted around the townsite almost any day of the year, bighorn sheep and mountain goats seek the mineral-rich road cuts and bears roam the roads in a desperate search for food. In a world where everything moves fast and attention is short, Jasper seems to live by its own clock.
With great accommodation options and a diverse food scene, Jasper is the perfect base for your day hiking adventures in the Canadian Rockies. Visit Tourism Jasper website to help plan your Jasper adventures.
Adventurous travellers looking for a meaningful experience in the mountains will want to plan one or many backcountry hiking trips while in Jasper National Park. For all overnight hiking trips in Jasper National Park, you’ll need to secure an overnight backcountry camping permit (10.02$/pers + 11.50$ online reservation fee). Parks Canada Backcountry Reservation System opens at 8 am Mountain Time on Feb 2, 2022. Booking a backcountry camping permit is a highly competitive process that requires advanced planning and lots of patience as there are usually a few tens of thousands of people in queue when the system opens. Securing a reservation for classic trips like the Skyline Trail, Fryatt Valley, Tonquin Valley, Brazeau Loop, and Maligne Lake can be challenging and frustrating to say the least. Nevertheless, time invested in planning these memorable hiking trips in Jasper will be well worth the effort
Here’s a list of some of our favourite backcountry hiking trips in Jasper National Park.
The Skyline Trail
Distance = 44.1 km (27.3 mi)
Highest elevation = 2510m (8235ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +1410m (+4525ft) / -1928m (-6325ft)
Time = 2 to 4 days
The Skyline Trail is the most popular backcountry hiking trip in Jasper National Park. It is an amazing trail that stays in the alpine above the treeline for 25 km. You start at Maligne lake and get a quick glimpse of the lake and the surrounding mountains just before Little Shovel pass then head North through immense flowering meadows, pass Snowbowl and Big Shovel pass and up over the Notch continuing on the ridge of Amber Mountain before dropping into the Tekarra Valley and back up around Signal Mountain and the final 8km down the fire road. The trail is challenging, the views are amazing and there are lots of options to add-on side trips for an even more rewarding Skyline Trail adventure.
From South to North, there are campgrounds at Evelyn Creek (4.8 km), Little Shovel (8.3 km), Snowbowl (12.2 km), Curator (20.3 km), Tekarra (30,4 km), Signal (35,7 km). For a 3 days / 2 nights Skyline trail backcountry hiking trip, most hikers will want to stay at Little Shovel or Snowbowl campgrounds on the first night and Tekarra campground on the second night. For a 2 days / 1 night Skyline trail backcountry hiking trip, hikers will want to stay at Curator campground. With the challenges of securing a booking through Parks Canada Backcountry Reservation System explained earlier, you may have to be flexible with your plans. You can also consider starting at Watchtower trailhead and camping at Watchtower campground (9.8 km) and emerging on the Skyline trail just past Big Shovel Pass. From there, you can either continue on the regular Skyline trail or head towards Curator campground and continue down the trail to Wabasso lake on the Icefield parkway. Distance for the east to west option from Watchtower to Wabasso is approximately 30 km. The Skyline trail is also increasingly popular with trail runners as a day trip adventure.
Whichever way you manage to book or access the Skyline trail, the hype is real and it is most definitely a must-do for adventurous hikers travelling through Jasper National Park.
The Fryatt Valley
Distance = 40 km (24.9 mi)
Highest elevation = 2040m (6293ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +950m (+3117ft) / -150m (-492ft)
Time = 2 to 4 days
The Fryatt Valley is a lesser-known and underappreciated area of Jasper National Park with inspiring alpine scenery, clear mountain streams, and tremendous opportunities for peaceful exploration. The first 8 km through the forest following the Athabasca River is not the most inspiring section of trail in Jasper National Park but serves its purpose as it seems to be all it takes to keep the crowds at bay. From there on, the trail meanders through beautiful open forests past Lower Fryatt campground and continues gaining elevation until the views open up to the steep grassy slopes and sheer cliffs of the long extending ridge of Mount Fryatt. Cross the log bridge, fill up your water bottle, and lookup for mountain goats. Continue up the valley past Brussels campground, over moraines, around Fryatt lake, and up the famous headwall to the upper Fryatt Valley. This is as far as most people go and where the magic truly begins.
From the trailhead, you’ll come across Lower Fryatt campground at 11.6 km, Brussels campground at 17.7 km and the Fryatt hut at 22 km. The headwall campground is a dark and wet overgrown campground at the foot of an avalanche path and is not recommended. We recommend spending a couple of nights based at Brussels campground or the Fryatt hut and exploring the upper Fryatt Valley as day trips from there. Alternatively, the Fryatt Valley can be a great beginner or family 3 day backpacking adventure staying at Lower Fryatt on the first night, Brussels on the second night, and Lower Fryatt again on the third night.
Give the Fryatt Valley a try, you won’t be disappointed!
The Tonquin Valley
Distance = 43.7 km (26.7 mi)
Highest elevation = 2210m (7251ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +1050m (+3445ft) / -1300m (-4265ft)
Time = 2 to 4 days
The Tonquin Valley is a wild place tucked at the foot of Amethyst lake and sheltered under the impressive rock wall of the Ramparts. Grizzly bears and the endangered woodland caribou meander the meadows making this trip a true wilderness adventure. You can hike the Tonquin loop in either direction from the Astoria River or Portal Creek trailheads or do an in and out trip. Whichever you choose, the Tonquin is guaranteed to deliver a backpacking trip to remember. If you have the luxury of flexibility, we recommend trying to hike the Tonquin Valley from mid-August to mid-September when nights are cooler, bugs more manageable, and the trail usually drier. From the Astoria River trailhead, cross the bridge at the outlet of Cavell lake and get an amazing view of the North face of Mount Edith Cavell. Continue contouring this iconic mountain before climbing up the switchbacks to your first sight of the Ramparts in the distance. Maintain your elevation and your pace before descending to the meadows surrounding crystal clear Amethyst Lake. Hike along the valley before wrapping around Mount Clitheroe to Maccarib pass. Follow Portal Creek, hike up the boulder fields on the East flank of Portal Peak and continue down along the creek to the Portal Creek trailhead.
In this direction, you’ll pass Astoria campground (7.1 km), Switchback campground (13.8 km), Clitheroe campground (17.2 km), Surprise Point (19.4 km), Amethyst campground (20.4 km), Maccarib campground (23.8 km), and Portal campground (34.6 km). Two outfitters used to operate lodges on the shore of Amethyst lake but there is uncertainty whether these can continue to operate in the future. Jasper National Park just received 24 million dollars from the federal government to implement a captive breeding program to try to increase the population of the endangered Tonquin woodland caribou herd. There are approximately 45 caribou in the Tonquin herd with less than 10 reproductive females.The Tonquin Valley and surrounding areas is now closed from November 1st to May 15th to try to limit wolves access and predation in the valley in the winter. This makes for an increasingly challenging business model for operators. Another option is to stay at the Wates-Gibson hut although this location is not as convenient.
Despite ongoing challenges, the Tonquin Valley remains one of a few areas in the Rockies that has maintained an undeniable spirit of wilderness and adventure. The Tonquin Valley is guaranteed to impress and leave its mark!
Family backpacking hiking trips in Jasper National Park
For those looking for shorter backpacking hiking trips to tackle with friends and family of all ages and abilities, here are a few worthwhile options:
Big Bend campground
Distance = 6.3 km one-way (3.9mi)
Highest elevation = 1410m (4626ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +- 133m (436 ft)
Time = 2 days
Big Bend is an in and out backpacking trip to the shore of the Athabasca River starting from Sunwapta Falls on the Icefield parkway. Great trail, great campsite and a perfect intro to backpacking for families with children.
Whirlpool campground
Distance = 6.6 km one-way (4.1 mi)
Highest elevation = 1260m (4134ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +- 80m (262 ft)
Time = 2 days
Walk in the footsteps of explorer extraordinaire David Thompson on the historic Athabasca pass trail to a beautiful campsite by the Whirlpool river. Another great backpacking trip in Jasper National Park for families with children.
Long distance backpacking trips in Jasper National Park
For those looking for a remote experience in the deep wilderness, Jasper National Park has got you covered,
The South Boundary Trail
Distance = 120 km one-way (74.5 mi)
Highest elevation = 2255m (7398ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +- 3000m (9850 ft)
Time = 7-10 days
The South Boundary trail is a remote backcountry trip for experienced and willing hikers. Hike from either Poboktan pass or Nigel pass trailheads to Rocky pass and the Cardinal divide. The South Boundary trail is overgrown in places, requires fording creeks, rivers and decent navigation skills. Cross several high passes, explore alpine meadows and ridges, and come home empowered and rejuvenated from the experience of a lifetime. A shorter scenic backcountry alternative is to hike the Brazeau Loop: start at Nigel pass, continue to Brazeau lake, hike through Poboktan pass, over Jonas pass, and back over Nigel pass to the trailhead.
The North Boundary Trail
Distance = 184 km one-way (114 mi)
Highest elevation = 2020m (6627ft)
Elevation gain/loss = +- 2000m (6562 ft)
Time = 8-12 days
The North Boundary trail is another remote backcountry trip for experienced and willing hikers. It stays at lower elevations but finishes with a bang at Mount Robson in Berg Lake Provincial Park. Hike from Celestine Lake to Snake Indian River falls and take in the view and the power of nature. Continue to Willow Creek, Mud Creek, Deer Creek, Welbourne falls, on towards Blue Creek, Three Slides, Snake Indian Pass, Twintree lake, Smoky River, Chown Creek, Moose Pass, Adolphus Lake, Robson Pass and on to Berg Lake.
Not enough hiking yet, Look up the Great Divide Trail and hike your heart out!
More backpacking hiking trips in Jasper National Park
These are just a few of the classic backpacking hiking trips in Jasper National Park, we have another blog focused on day hiking trips in Jasper National Park.
Here’s a list of resources to will help you plan your next adventures:
Jasper National Park backcountry trails and ideas including the official JNP day hiking guide
Gaia GPS (Navigation app with visible public tracks, requires membership to download maps for offline use, )
FatMap (Navigation app with amazing satellite imagery and visible public tracks for specific activities, requires membership to download maps for offline use)
High Sights Guiding (Guided day hiking and multi-day hiking trips in Jasper National Park)
