When we visited Jasper ten years ago, we stayed in a cabin outside the town. This time, we were very central and the big bonus of that is we got to appreciate some excellent restaurants right on our doorstep. I can heartily recommend Jasper Pizza Place, Olive Bistro, Raven Bistro and Syrah’s of Jasper – and there were several other places I’d like to have tried if we’d been there longer. So what did we do other than eat?

Jasper Town

Stroll along the main street, Connaught Drive (above), and I defy you not to be transfixed by the mountain views – but  trains and totem poles are available too.

Train on display

Railway at Jasper

Railway at Jasper

Two Brothers totem pole

Two Brothers totem pole

Two Brothers totem pole

Mina and Riley Lakes Loop

We followed this 9km trail right from downtown on our first morning, no need to even move the car. It was a beautiful, still day as you can see from the reflections – as we feasted on our picnics, the bugs feasted on us…

Mina and Riley Lakes Loop

Mina and Riley Lakes Loop

Mina and Riley Lakes Loop

Mina and Riley Lakes Loop

Mina and Riley Lakes Loop

Jasper Tramway

On our second day we took the tramway more than 1000 vertical metres (3280 feet) up Whistlers Mountain from where we hiked the (very steep) mile to the summit. The views are awesome, and Parks Canada has helpfully placed some beautiful red chairs just where you can admire Mount Edith Cavell. (These chairs are all over the country – the idea is to share them on social media).

Jasper Tramway

Whistlers Mountain

Start of the hike

View of Jasper

Red chairs

Whistlers Mountain

At the summit

Whistlers is named for the hoary marmots which live on the summit. We saw several of them as well as white-tailed ptarmigans and golden-mantled ground squirrels. One of the latter appears to be trying to eat a tissue!

Hoary marmot

Hoary marmot

White-tailed ptarmigan

White-tailed ptarmigan

White-tailed ptarmigan

Golden-mantled ground squirrel

Golden-mantled ground squirrel

After a reasonable lunch in the tramway’s top station, we headed back down the mountain for another hike on flatter terrain.

Valley of the Five Lakes

There were, indeed, five lakes on this trail! Third Lake had another set of red chairs, just right for enjoying the view. I think I have these lakes labelled right….

First Lake

Second Lake

Third Lake

Fourth Lake

Fifth Lake

Maligne Canyon and Lake

Our final day in Jasper was my birthday, which we celebrated in the worst weather of the whole trip. Our first stop was Maligne Canyon, a steep narrow gorge crossed by several bridges.

Maligne Canyon

Maligne Canyon

On to Maligne Lake, where we did a couple of short trails in a sleet-storm! This made the paths muddy and treacherous – you might spot that from the state of John’s left trouser leg. Yes, it was his turn to slip.

Near Maligne Lake

Maligne Lake

Maligne Lake

Maybe it was the cooler, wetter conditions that made this a good day for wildlife spotting. Deer in abundance, and twice – bears! Only one bear picture good enough to share though.

Maligne Lake Rd – bear

Maligne Lake Rd – deer

Maligne Lake Rd – deer

Maligne Lake Rd – deer

Maligne Lake Rd – deer

From Jasper, we headed back south to Lake Louise, our last stop in the Rockies.