‘Tis the season for summer adventures in Jasper National Park!
Not too long ago, we experienced the summer solstice – which means that the days are longer, the weather is warmer, and summer is here!
During this season Berty and I love to explore new places and share more PNW destinations with you guys.
We’ve been dying to check out the Canadian Rockies (as per our Pacific Northwest Bucket List), so we collaborated with Alaska Airlines to show you the best photo spots in Jasper National Park!
If you are into stunning hikes, beautiful lakes, and amazing hidden gems, you’re in for a treat on this latest post.
Are you already booking your plane ticket?
The Most Amazing Photo Spots In Jasper National Park
This post is in collaboration with Alaska Airlines. All thoughts, words, and opinions are completely our own!
1. Pyramid Lake
Located at the foot of Pyramid Mountain (only 15 minutes away from the town of Jasper!), this kidney-shaped lake is chock full of beautiful scenery, viewpoints, and tons of opportunities to grab a canoe and get out on the lake.
Learn more about this easy hike in our post here.
One of the most popular destinations here would be Pyramid Lake Island, which is connected to the mainland by a wooden pedestrian bridge.
The view from the beginning of the bridge creates a stunning symmetrical portrait of the island directly under Pyramid Mountain.
We suggest coming early (sunrise) or staying late (sunset) to Pyramid Lake to beat the crowds and get a clear shot of the bridge. There is also an incredible amphitheater/outdoor wedding venue situated on the island, which could be a spectacular place to get married!
See more details about this event space here.
Pyramid Lake is also part of the Jasper Dark Sky Preserve, which means that on a clear night you could capture incredible photos of the stars!
Read More: How To Wake Up Early For Sunrise (For People Who Hate Mornings)
2. Maligne Lake
Maligne Lake is the largest lake in Jasper National Park.
Its size and sheer beauty provide plenty of opportunities to find incredible photo spots in Jasper National Park. Take one of their several hikes or boat cruises, or visit their delicious restaurants for a classic Jasper experience!
Feeling Adventurous? Have a lot of time on your hands?
Get the permits, rent some multi-day canoes (or bring your own!), and get paddling! 12 kilometers south down the lake, you’ll discover the elusive Spirit Island as well as other hidden coves, bays, and stunning mountain views.
Click here to start planning your trip!
If you wish to visit Spirit Island but don’t have the time to paddle out there yourself, you can opt to take a cruise and visit the island via boat.
3. Valley Of Five Lakes
The Valley of Five Lakes is located right off the Icefields Parkway, just a few kilometers south of the town of Jasper. Visiting the lakes requires a moderate hike of 4.5 kilometers, but you’re greeted with many attractions along the way. (Need tips for carrying your photo gear on the trail? Here are some of our favorite travel photography accessories to make your life easier!)
The hike brings you to the feet of two large lakes, and three smaller ones in between.
Each lake has its own unique characteristics in color, depth, and size to create quite a variety of beautiful photos. Berty and I were amazed at how many shades of turquoise we saw!
Because of its proximity to Jasper, this is a very popular hike for visitors of all ages and hiking levels.
Therefore, if you want uninterrupted photo time, we suggest coming early (do you see a pattern here? haha) or later in the evening to catch fewer crowds.
Read More: 10 Easy Hikes In Jasper National Park
4. Medicine Lake
Medicine lake is actually not quite a lake, but more of an overflow basin for glacial water runoff and excess water from the Maligne River.
Over the course of the summer season, the lake slowly drains into an underground water system. That being said, if you come early in June of July, you might see it all full capacity!
Medicine Lake is known for its wildlife sightings, and we were very lucky to see not one but TWO bears at this lake on our latest trip!
As we were walking back to the parking lot, someone shouted to us that a bear was on our path, and sure enough we were just 100 meters away from a black bear!
We scurried up the stairs to the parking lot to keep a safe distance but stood for a while watching it meander along the path.
This is also a good time to remind visitors of wildlife viewing safety tips:
- NEVER feed an animal. Let’s keep them wild!
- Keep an appropriate distance to prevent harm to both you and the animal. That’s 330 feet from predators like bears, coyotes, and cougars and 100 feet from moose, elk, and sheep.
- If you spot an animal on the road, slow down and safely get out of the way. Never stop to get out of the car and take photos. It’s dangerous for visitors and causes unnecessary traffic jams.
5. Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls is one of the most powerful falls in all of the Canadian Rockies.
Dropping at 80 feet and spanning 60 feet wide, this huge flow will certainly leave you in awe! Along the path are a number of bridges crossing the canyon below, perfect for plenty of photographic perspectives of the falls.
Stay a while a shoot long exposures of the rushing water through the actual falls and in various spots of the canyon below.
Ready for more amazing bridges in Canada? Make a trip out west and experience this one of a kind suspension bridge park in the middle of the forest!
6. Lake Edith and Lake Annette
Lake Edith and Lake Annette are two of Jasper’s warmest lake, so they’re perfect for an afternoon swim on a hot summer day.
They are very easy to get to as well, just 10 minutes outside of the town of Jasper. While Banff National Park provides some of the most photogenic lakes in the country, Jasper takes the cake for being beautiful AND accessible for some good old summer swimming!
When Berty and I visited these lakes, we spent the afternoon jumping off the dock into the crystal clear water! There is plenty of beachfront areas to set up your towel and beach chair for the ultimate afternoon of relaxing.
These lakes give amazing opportunities to take out a canoe and take some lifestyle shots, snap a picture of friends diving into the lake, or catching some candid moments on SUP paddle boards.
7. Icefields Parkway
This road is considered to be one of the most scenic and famous drives in the entire world!
Along the Icefields Parkway are several places to stop and take photos. We suggest starting your drive early in the day and giving yourself plenty of time to stop and check out anything that piques your interest.
Here are some highlights along the famous Highway 93:
Sunwapta Falls: A small island perched above the falls creates the perfect setting for beautiful long-exposures, sunsets, and gorgeous nature photographs.
Peyto and Bow Lake: Technically in Banff National Park, this is the first big stop after driving north from Lake Louise. Peyto Lake is famous for its brilliant blue waters and Bow Lake is known for its fabulous mountain views.
Athabasca Falls: (Like stated above!) One of the most powerful waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies. This waterfall is a great place for photographs and long exposures.
Pictures From The Road: We found it hard to keep our eyes on the road because every twist and turn of the highway provided spectacular views of the huge mountains!
Make sure to pull out at any viewpoint that looks interesting and capture the magnificence of the many photo spots in Jasper National Park.
Athabasca Glacier: You can hike right up to the toe of the glacier to get an up close and personal view of this rapidly changing icefield!
8. Maligne Canyon
Maligne Canyon is one of the most interesting natural attractions in Jasper National Park. This canyon continues its journey deeper every year!
The soluble limestone walls and rushing water help carve the rock away, making this a living, changing feature!
Here, there are six bridges to explore, each with their own amazing perspective into the canyon. Berty and I were able to see numerous waterfalls, amazing blue waters, and enjoy the many interesting signs scattered along the trail.
The trail was easy, and we stopped often to see the canyon from a new bridge or new perspective.
We also suggest coming to the Canadian Rockies the winter to have a completely different experience at Maligne Canyon! Similar to Johnston Canyon hike in the winter, you can roam the inside of the canyon to see frozen waterfalls and more!
The water freezes over in winter, which allows visitors to walk inside the canyon, and get an up-close and personal look of one of the most unique photos spot in Jasper National Park.
Read More: 10 Easy Hikes In Jasper National Park
Are these all the photo spots in Jasper National Park?
Absolutely not!
Berty and I only had three full days to search for as many photo spots in Jasper National Park as we could find. Knowing how vast the park is, we felt like we barely scratched the surface of Canada’s beautiful Rocky Mountains.
While we explored from sun up to sun down, we ended up needing to leave other beautiful photo spots for another trip. (Ideally ASAP!)
We are definitely planning a return trip to experience more hikes, camping trips, and amazing activities, so come back for more as we update this post!
Still to come (on our next trips):
- Canoeing to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake
- Hiking Old Fort Point
- Watching The Sunrise at Wilcox Pass
- Exploring Cavell Meadows Trail
- Hiking up to the toe of Athabasca Glacier
What are some of YOUR favorite photo spots in Jasper National Park? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!
READ MORE HIKING / CANADA POSTS
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What To Expect At Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
The Essential 2018 PNW Bucket List
10 Essentials For Hiking In The Pacific Northwest
20 Energizing Hikes In The Pacific Northwest
101 Road Trip Questions To Ask Your Friends
10 Insanely Useful Road Trip Planner Tools and Apps
Ready to discover more amazing photo spots in Jasper National Park? Follow our Canada board on Pinterest for more ideas and inspiration!
LOVE this post guys! So informative and your photos are beautiful (as usual!) Crazy how many bears you saw on that trip!
Thanks Renee!! I know, I think we saw nine (!!!) total! It was such an incredible trip!