Jasper National Park Travel Forum

My wife and I are planning our vacation for this May and I'm interested to head off to Calgary then drive to Banff. I've read here that Jasper is equally beautiful (and I'm sure it is) but I'd like to know if it's worth the extra time and cost of going there? If it will just be more of the same sceneries (lakes, glaciers, mountains, wildlife, etc.) that can be found in Banff then I might just skip it. Thanks for your opinions!

Good question! It all depends on how much time you have. Banff is fantastic so is Jasper. There is a lake called Maligne lake close to Jasper town and, if you have a look at the pics all of us have, you will remember the lake, the second place most photographied in the rockies after Lake Louise. If I were you, I'd go, but... The road from Banff to Jasper is called Icefields Parkway, and unless you plan to go to that area again, I wouldn't miss it, once in a lifetine!

Minimum should be the drive from Banff to the Columbia Icefields. This should be done on a sunny day.There and back is a comfortable day trip. If you have time to go to Jasper and Maligne lake an overnight stay in Jasper is needed.

Highly recommend to drive the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper a to stay at leadst one night in Jasper.

Icefields Parkway is a 'must drive highway' in the Rockies. In my opinion one of the most scenic roads I have ever been.
Along the road you will find all the highlights of Jasper National Park, excellent to make (short) walks during your drive (perhaps see a bear or a moose, as we did). I just mention: Columbia Ice Fields, Goats and Glaciers, Athabasca Falls, Mt. Edith Cavell Trail.

Maligne Lake is situated at the end of Maligne Valley, about one hour drive from Jasper and is a msust see site. You will pass Maligne Canyon, worth a visit for a walk along a trail with bridges over the wild canyon.

See my (and those of VT members) Jasper national Park page.

happy travels
Jaap

stamporama, you didn't mention how much time in May your vacation will be. I have worked in both Banff and Jasper during the summer tourist season and find that I prefer Banff for scenery and things to do. However, if you DO have the time, you could do Jasper as well. It does have it's charm(Maligne Canyon, Edith Cavell Glacier), but if you would rather concentrate on the Banff area you won't be disappointed with your choice.

Hi,

Jasper is much less commercial than Banff as well, so if that makes a difference to you keep that in mind.

Agree with 'zoommedix'.

I would check out both places, if you have the time. As mentioned the Icefields Parkway is incredible and I also consider it a "must see" for the Banff or Jasper areas. AS well, I much prefer the Miette Hot Springs at Jasper over the Banff Hot Springs. You have a better chance of seeing wildlife in Jasper as well, simply because it is not as crowded. The gondola ride at Jasper is quite exciting as well. If you could manage 2 days from your travel time for Jasper, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

All of the above commenters have valid points! One thing you did not mention is what time in May you are planning to be in the Rockies. My wife and I drove from Banff through Jasper at the very beginning of May a few years ago and encountered the odd snow flurry - nothing serious but it may take away from your hiking desires! Both NPs have their pros and cons as detailed above but the later you go in May the better your chances are for some pleasant weather in Jasper.

I go to both Banff and Jasper somewhat often, and I love them both, but I have to say I prefer Jasper. The town itself is quiter and a bit less crowded.

If you're interested in the hot springs in either place, I prefer Banff, because they are a short drive from the town centre, where as the Miette hot springs in Jasper are at least 30+ minute drive from the town.

They are both gorgeous spots, so if you have the chance to see both, do it!

Oops, quieter!

I don't know if you've made your decision. I will say this: I joined the virtual tourist website as a member just so that I could encourage you to go! Like the others have mentioned, the drive from Lake Louise to Jasper is simply breathtaking. I know it may feel like 'more of the same' in the planning stage, but once you do it, that all changes. The actual experience is something else. I have driven that road many times, and each time it takes my breath away.

Jasper is much less 'commercial' (this has something to do with the fact that Jasper has no real winter business due to distance to international airports). With that comes a greater sense of wilderness in the quaint little town, with several options for accommodation outside of town on the Icefields Parkway.

There is a lot to see and do in Jasper. 3 nights is a good amount of time to stay. It's been mentioned a couple of times, but if it's open when you come, don't leave Jasper without seeing Mt. Edith Cavell. Equally as awe inspiring is Maligne Lake.

I highly encourage you to phone Jasper Tourism and Commerce to ask about things to see and do in the area. I wish I had time to post some of my pictures, but it's back to work for me!

Good Luck!

Gee, thanks guys for all your inputs...I really appreciate it. After thinking long and hard about it, we've decided to give both places a go. Some of you asked, exactly when and for how long we'll go? Well, I have tentatively set it from Apr. 29 to May 3 (had to move our trip earlier due to other circumstances). What do you think?? And would we really miss out a lot more if we took a bus instead of driving our own car? I just hope the price of gas there would not be so prohibitive by then! Thanks again!

Those dates for your trip are almost exactly the same as when my wife and I drove up from Banff NP and through Jasper NP a few years ago. As I mentioned, in the Rockies the weather is still a bit dicey at that time of year and there were just a few snow flurries in Jasper as we enjoyed the views from the Parkway. Really, to have some control over what you are seeing and so you can stop to admire it or take a few photos, I have to say that (compared to a bus) a rental car is well worth the extra dollars after coming so far! If you are renting a car when you fly into Calgary you may as well keep it and use it for Jasper too - the price of gasoline is not really all that bad in the grand scheme of things. This past weekend I drove 1700-km round-trip from Regina to Red Deer and my fuel bill was C$170 (same in US$), and that was with a 6-cylinder engine instead of a more economical 4-cylinder small to mid-size rental car engine.

If it were my vacation, I would consider those dates too early for Banff and Jasper. To give you an idea of the amount of snow that will still be around at that time, you might want to keep in mind that the ski slopes will still be in full swing at the end of April. All of the lakes will still be frozen over, wildlife will be slim, hiking paths at higher elevations will be closed as will some higher elevation roads, like the one to Moraine Lake. Even hiking paths in the valleys will in all likelihood be very wet at that time.

If it's the only time you can come, by all means do it. But just keep in mind that you will not be experiencing summer conditions at that time of year.

Camping Girl is absolutely correct! We did not specifically choose to visit Banff/Jasper at that time of year, but we had to attend an RCMP graduation ceremony in Regina on May 1st, so we thought we might as well throw in a quick trip to the Rockies while we were in the area. It definitely did not compare to our later summer trips to the Rocky Mountain National Parks. Those extra few thousand feet in elevation make a big difference in the weather at that time of the year!