For photographers, Jasper National Park is a dream destination.
With over 4300 square miles (11,000 square kilometres) of soaring mountains, plunging valleys, rushing rivers and dense forests, it’s a place of sensational natural beauty.
Literally every time you turn a corner, you’re smacked in the face by yet another stunning view.
Which can make it overwhelming. When I visited for four days in October, I was completely blown away.
I couldn’t get one minute down the road without having to ask the taxi driver to stop so I could get out and take a photo. And another, and another.
It was sensational, but at the same time, absolutely exhausting!
So to avoid running around like a lunatic trying to photograph every single thing you see, you need to plan which Jasper photo spots you want to visit.
To help, I’ve done the research (and the running around!) so you don’t have to! I visited dozens of photo spots in Jasper, and now I’ve created this handy list (with images, of course), so you can see for yourself. Every single one of these images was taken by me during my four days in Jasper National Park.
It’s not exhaustive, of course. There are undoubtedly many places I’ve missed – because that’s the insane beauty of Jasper. Literally everywhere is a stunning travel photography destination!
But it’s good to narrow it down, so here are my favourite photo spots in Jasper, to help you tick the best photography locations off your list and come home with images of Jasper National Park to be proud of.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
Best Photo Spots In Jasper National Park
1/ Maligne Lake
One of the most famously beautiful places in Jasper is Maligne Lake. This stunning 22-kilometre-long lake is extremely popular with photographers thanks to its clear, calm waters and surrounding mountains, creating beautiful reflections.
The most popular way to see the lake is by boat trip, but make sure you allow enough time to walk at least part of the way round the lake as well, to photograph the reflections.
I’d suggest booking the early morning cruise and then getting there a good hour before, to make the most of the sunrise colours and the possibility of low-hanging mist over the mirror-calm water.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
2/ Spirit Island
One of the most iconic images of Jasper National Park is of Spirit Island, a small island in the middle of Maligne Lake.
This island holds spiritual significance for the Stoney Nakoda people. Its remote beauty makes it a symbol of the Canadian Rockies, making it one of the most popular photography spots in Jasper National Park.
To get there, you’ll need to take a Maligne Lake boat cruise. The cruise takes you around the lake with a quick stop at Spirit Island, where there’s a short trail you can follow. I took this image from one of the elevated viewpoints along the path.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
3/ Maligne Lake Road
One of my favourite images of Jasper is the one below, which I took first thing in the morning on my way to Maligne Lake. The sunrise was so stunning I had to ask the taxi driver to stop, and I stood in the middle of the road at the top of this hill to take the photo.
Fall is the best time to visit Jasper because there are no crowds, much less traffic, and you get these lovely autumn colours on the trees. While this photo was taken on Maligne Lake Road (also known as Township Road 452A), it’s fair to say that as you drive around Jasper National Park you will spot many other similar compositions, so you’ll be spoiled for choice!
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
4/ Athabasca Falls
Everyone loves photographing waterfalls, and with so many lakes and rivers, Jasper is blessed with dozens of waterfalls for you to enjoy. The most famous and most popular waterfalls in Jasper National park are Athabasca Falls.
Athabasca Falls sit on the Athabasca River, just off the famously stunning Icefields Parkway (Highway 93). At 23 metres tall the falls are not the biggest, but the powerful way they surge through a narrow canyon with Mount Kerkeslin towering behind makes them one of the best photo spots in Jasper.
Since the falls are popular with tourists, there’s a paved walkway all the way around. Make sure you check out all the different vantage points, and don’t miss the path down to the bottom of the falls to see the calm turquoise water as it flows away.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
5/ Pyramid Lake
Another one of the most famously beautiful places in Jasper is Pyramid Lake.
This kidney-shaped lake is roughly 1.2 square kilometres, and enjoys glorious reflections of the iconic Pyramid Mountain, one of Jasper’s most famous peaks.
It’s easily accessible from the town, and there’s a carpark and a lodge where you can buy lunch or rent canoes and kayaks.
During summer and autumn, don’t miss Pyramid Beach Road on the lake’s southwestern side where there are a couple of small beaches with picnic benches, and you get this lovely angle with the mountain reflected perfectly in the lake.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
6/ Pyramid Island Bridge
After you’ve visited Pyramid Beach Road, carry on anti clockwise round the lake and you’ll come to another car park from where you can walk along a short path to the most famous bridge in Jasper.
The cute wooden bridge leads to Pyramid Island, a small island in the middle of Pyramid Lake that’s another of the most iconic photo spots in Jasper.
Like most of the places on this list, if you want to avoid the crowds, I recommend getting here early, or come at night when you might be rewarded with stunning clear skies and millions of stars.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
7/ Pyramid Island
Once you’ve photographed the bridge, continue onto the island, which is a popular location for weddings and offers more different angles on that beautiful lake with the dramatic crags and crevices of Pyramid Mountain behind.
This is also a great place to come at night, when if you’re very lucky you might even get the Northern Lights or the Milky Way reflected on the water.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
8/ Jasper Skytram
For a high vantage point and sweeping panoramas over the entire area, the best photo spot in Jasper, bar none, is the top of the Jasper Skytram.
This iconic cable car takes you from just outside the town to a dizzying vantage point high up on Whistlers Mountain at 2,263 meters (7,425 feet), offering breathtaking panoramas of craggy snow-capped mountains, dozens of lakes including Pyramid and Patricia, and the town of Jasper below. Make sure you explore the entire area around the boardwalk for dramatic views in different directions.
Opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm which means you won’t usually get to capture the glorious golden light at sunrise or sunset. But in October during the Jasper Dark Sky Festival the sky tram opens late, for a rare chance to enjoy the sunset and watch the stars come out.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
9/ Whistlers Summit
The dramatic vistas from the top of the Skytram don’t stop there. If you’re feeling energetic, you can also continue by foot higher up the mountain to the very top of Whistlers Peak.
This 30-45 minute hike takes you south away from the Skytram top station, so you can enjoy a different aspect on Jasper National Park and its incredible landscapes.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
10/ Patricia Lake
One of my favourite pictures of Jasper Canada is this one I took of Patricia Lake.
Patricia Lake is a smaller lake, right next to Pyramid Lake (mentioned earlier), and was probably my favourite lake in Jasper, thanks to its clear turquoise water, dramatic mountain backdrop and, when I visited, these glorious fall colours.
To get this angle I had to walk back around the lake to the opposite side from the car park, but it wasn’t far (and it was a lovely day for a walk!)
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
11/ Mount Edith Cavell
About 45 minutes’ drive south of Jasper is the 3,363-metre (11,033-foot) tall Edith Cavell Mountain, named after British nurse who saved lives during World War 1.
As well as being a great location for a day hike to see the (now sadly receding) Angel Glacier on the mountain’s north face and wander through glorious wildflower meadows, it’s also another of the most iconic photo spots in Jasper.
Follow the Path of the Glacier Trail to the end to capture the snow-dusted crags and small glacier lake.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
12/ Maligne Canyon
If you search for pictures of Jasper waterfalls you may come up with something like this: one of the waterfalls at Maligne Canyon.
Reaching more than 50 metres (164 ft) deep in places, Maligne is the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park. A clearly marked path guides you along its edge, crossing back and forth over the canyon via six bridges, while the river tumbles and foams through the canyon below.
The most photographed is the third bridge which crosses over this dramatic waterfall. Bring a tripod for those perfect slow shutter speed waterfall images, with people standing on the bridge to add a sense of scale.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
13/ Maligne Lookout
Just before you get to the Maligne Canyon parking lot is the Maligne Lookout, a great place to stop and admire the views out over the landscape with Pyramid Mountain in the background.
If you’re visiting in fall or winter, it’s a great spot for photographing the Milky Way, constellations, and if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
14/ Medicine Lake Lookout
Another of the iconic Jasper Alberta images is this one of Medicine Lake, taken from the Medicine Lake lookout.
Unlike most lakes, its depth fluctuates dramatically. In summer, it’s a vibrant blue giant, stretching 7 kilometres long. But in winter, the water drains via underground rivers, transforming it into a vast mudflat.
Medicine Lake’s dramatic shifts and stunning mountain backdrop make it a captivating Jasper photo location – though I’d recommend trying to get there when it’s full for glorious mountain reflections (and sunrise helps too!)
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
15/ Roche Bonhomme
Towering over the Athabasca Valley in Jasper National Park, Canada, lies Roche Bonhomme (the French means ‘rock chap’ or ‘rock fellow’).
This famous mountain is also known as Old Man Mountain, Chief Mountain, or sometimes the ‘sleeping Indian’ thanks to the way it looks like a traditional Indian Chief lying down, with his nose in the air and the feathers of his headdress spread out behind him. However its official Indigenous name is Nanabusho.
This 2,495-metre (8,186-foot) peak is a prominent landmark, easily spotted from Highway 16. I took this photo on Pyramid Lake Road (where it’s much easier to pull over and get out of the car!).
With all my recommendations, always make sure you pull over somewhere safe such as a car park or layby, don’t block the road, and check both ways before crossing!
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
16/ Jasper Fall Colours
Not a specific Jasper photo location exactly, but I couldn’t complete this list without mention the stunning yellows, oranges, reds and greens I was lucky enough to enjoy when I visited Jasper in fall.
While Jasper is stunning all year round, if you really want to enjoy next level colours in the landscapes, plus sunset and sunrise at relatively civilised hours, try to time your visit to Jasper with when the autumn leaves are changing.
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
17/ Jasper Night Photography
Again, not a photo stop per se, but for keen astrophotographers or night sky photographers it’s important to note that Jasper has some of the best dark skies in the world. The entire National Park is a Dark Sky Preserve, meaning that light pollution is controlled, and if you’re blessed with clear skies and no moon, you should be able to see the Milky Way, a bajillion stars, and maybe even the Northern Lights.
Summer is not a great time for this as the daylight hours are too long, so if astrophotography is your thing, aim for October, which is when the Jasper Dark Sky Festival is on.
Head to one of the lakes for amazing reflections, or book a night photography tour with Mike from Jasper Photo Tours for expert tuition. Sadly when I did mine we weren’t lucky with the weather, so Mike showed me how to do light painting instead. I still had a great time!
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
18/ Jasper Wildlife
Many images of Jasper Canada will include its abundant wildlife, so it’d be wrong of me to end this list of best photography spots in Jasper without mentioning that.
Obviously animals move, so I can’t tell you exactly where to go to take photos of wildlife in Jasper, but as you drive around you may spot elk, moose, deer, goats, sheep or even bears if you keep your eyes peeled.
If you want expert guidance you can also take a Jasper wildlife tour, but bear in mind that the buses don’t have windows that open, so as a photographer you may prefer to explore by yourself and shoot from the open window of your car.
Remember though, large animals like moose, elk and bears can be extremely dangerous, so do NOT get out of the car when they’re nearby, no matter how cool the photo might be!
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
Where to stay in Jasper National Park
If you’re heading to Jasper for photography, you’ll need a place to stay! Here are some suggestions for hotels in Jasper that give you easy access to the National Park with all its amazing photography opportunities.
Best for views: Pyramid Lake Lodge
Overlooking the beautiful Pyramid Lake, Pyramid Lake Lodge provides stunning mountain views right from your room. Each one features a cosy gas fireplace, perfect for unwinding after a day of exploring. If you stay here you even get free canoe and bike rentals, allowing you to explore the natural beauty of Jasper National Park without a car.
Best for town centre: The Crimson Jasper
Located just a short walk from Jasper Railway Station, The Crimson Jasper enjoys a great spot close to all of Jasper’s shops and restaurants. There’s a small indoor pool and a hot tub. The on-site Terra Restaurant is well reviewed, but rooms also have a coffee machine, kettle, microwave, and fridge for added convenience.
Best for cozy cabins: Bear Hill Lodge
This is where I stayed for four nights. Bear Hill Lodge has both cosy cabins and spacious suites, all set against a backdrop of mountain views. There’s free Wi-Fi, private parking and log fires for getting cosy in the cold weather. Its location about a 15-minute walk from the town centre allows for a peaceful experience while still being within walking distance of Jasper’s shops and restaurants.
Best for budget travellers: Jasper Downtown Hostel
Centrally located in Jasper, this hostel has both dorms and private rooms, all maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. The shared kitchen and lounge areas foster a friendly atmosphere for travellers. Its prime location means shops, restaurants, and the train station are just a short walk away.
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This article originally appeared on Passportandpixels.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
Image Credit: passport&pixels.
