Get up close and personal with alpine lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, wildflower meadows, and impressive canyons on these easy hikes in Jasper National Park. In this Jasper hiking guide, we share more than a dozen of the best trails to help you plan out your itinerary.
One of Canada’s largest national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jasper’s reputation is nothing short of epic.
The park is home to nearly 1,800 lakes, the tallest peak in Alberta (3,747-meter/12,294-foot Mount Columbia), and just shy of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of hiking trails.
Amazingly, many easy hikes in Jasper allow you to explore the best of the best that the park has to offer. You’ve probably heard of Sunwapta Falls, Maligne Canyon, and Pyramid Lake, but you may not know that the hikes leading to them are easy and super accessible!
Jasper Hiking Guide
We’ve included some extra info for planning your hiking trip to Jasper National Park. Jump to the following sections (or just keep scrolling to see it all!).
1. Athabasca Falls
- Distance: 0.97 kilometers/0.6 miles out and back
- Elevation gain: 8 meters/26 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Accessible just off Icefields Parkway, Athabasca Falls is one of the most popular destinations in the national park. While it’s perpetually busy, it’s one of the best easy hikes in Jasper for families and first-time visitors.
The scenery is incredible, yet it requires very little effort or time. There’s a network of paved paths, all leading to different overlooks of the river, falls, and canyon. Even if it’s very crowded and you take your time, this stop shouldn’t take longer than one hour.
2. Path of the Glacier
- Distance: 1.77 kilometers/1.1 miles out and back
- Elevation gain: 83 meters/275 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- View the trail notes
Super accessible and easy, Path of the Glacier is one of our top easy hikes in Jasper National Park. It’s actually the first leg of the Mount Edith Cavell Meadows trail, but is also a worthwhile hike in its own right.
The paved trail takes you to a viewpoint across from Angel Glacier, overlooking Cavell Pond. The glacier is extremely active, so watch (and listen!) for calving ice falling into the pond.
Most people turn back after the pond. If you’re up for a bigger challenge, continue beyond the pavement toward Mount Edith Cavell Meadows.
3. Lake Annette Loop
- Distance: 2.74 kilometers/1.7-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 39 meters/127 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Much more of a scenic walk, this paved, mostly level path that loops around Lake Annette certainly qualifies as one of the best easy hikes in Jasper.
From the parking lot, you’ll walk all the way around the lakeshore, mostly through the forest. Occasional breaks in the trees offer gorgeous mountain views, and you can take a refreshing dip in the lake in several spots.
Psst! If you are a newbie to hiking and not sure where to start. Our friend Parker helped us put together a list of beginner hiking tips and essential info that has everything you need to know to feel comfortable hitting the trails!
4. Pyramid Island
- Distance: 0.64 kilometers/0.4 miles out and back
- Elevation gain: 4 meters/13 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Pyramid Island is just a few minutes north of the Jasper townsite, making it one of the most accessible spots in the park year-round. The island is connected to the mainland via a super scenic bridge, and walking across it is your ‘hike!’
It takes just a few minutes to walk across the bridge, and a handful more to walk around the entire island. Locals consider Pyramid Island one of the best photo spots in Jasper, with excellent views of Pyramid Mountain, Mount Edith Cavell, and the Jasper SkyTram.
5. Mary Schaffer Loop
- Distance: 3.2-kilometer/2-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 62 meters/203 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Named after the female pioneer Mary Schaffer, who surveyed Maligne Lake for Canada in the early 1900s, this scenic loop is one of the most relaxing easy hikes in Jasper.
About half of the trail follows alongside the lakeshore, while the other portion goes through the forest. Being a loop, you can walk in either direction. If you go counter-clockwise, you’ll get the lake views at the beginning. Walking clockwise saves them for the end.
Keep your eyes open for the viewpoint with two iconic red Parks Canada chairs looking out over the lake!
6. Beauty Creek to Stanley Falls
- Distance: 3.86 kilometers/2.4 miles out and back
- Elevation gain: 139 meters/456 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Many people say the Beauty Creek hike to Stanley Falls resembles Johnston Canyon in nearby Banff. Both trails lead you alongside and above the canyon walls, with water views literally the entire route. On the way to Stanley Falls, you’ll see dozens of smaller cascades.
The biggest difference is that the Beauty Creek trail doesn’t have any boardwalks or guardrails. Because of that, keep an extra close eye on kiddos.
As a huge bonus, Beauty Creek is somehow a bit of a hidden gem, despite being right off the Icefields Parkway. It’s a tranquil alternative (or addition!) to perpetually busy Maligne Canyon.
7. Beauvert Lake Loop
- Distance: 5.31-kilometer/3.3-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 74 meters/242 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Starting right near the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and within easy walking distance of downtown, it’s no surprise this loop is one of the most popular easy hikes in Jasper.
Walk through the resort grounds and near the private golf course, then along the shore of Lac Beauvert, catching unique views of Pyramid Mountain along the way.
In early summer, the trail often temporarily closes for elk calving season. Even when you’re not necessarily hiking, be extra aware of your surroundings. Elk are generally docile, but it’s still important to avoid getting too close to their babies (or any wildlife babies, for that matter!).
8. Patricia Lake North Loop
- Distance: 3.7-kilometer/2.3-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 90 meters/295 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
Easy hikes in Jasper often come with huge crowds, but the Patricia Lake North Loop is an exception. The path primarily goes through the woods, although you also walk along the lakeshore for a stretch. Find the best view from an open meadow filled with summer wildflowers.
Patricia Lake sits right next to Pyramid Lake, so you can combine your hike with an afternoon at Pyramid Lake Beach and also add the short and sweet Pyramid Island trail.
9. The Flower Loop
- Distance: 2.25-kilometer/1.4-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 59 meters/193 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Alltrails trail notes
As its name suggests, the Flower Loop is one of the best wildflower hikes in Jasper. Running alongside the Athabasca River, the trail sits in the bottom of a valley, so wildflowers pop here earlier in the season than at higher elevations. Peak season is typically late June.
The trail is quite short, with most of it meandering parallel to the river and a portion passing through the forest. It’s close to many other popular sites in the park, including Maligne Canyon and Edith Lake.
10. Maligne Canyon
- Distance: 3.7-kilometer/2.3-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 124 meters/406 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy to moderate
- Alltrails trail notes
Short, sweet, and close to Jasper townsite, the Maligne Canyon Loop is one of the most popular easy hikes in Jasper. We’re talking tour bus popular, so start your hike early!
Maligne Canyon itself is a geological wonder, a deep, narrow canyon carved by erosion. The hike offers a unique perspective, following the canyon rim and crossing six scenic bridges. The Second Bridge is the canyon’s high point, while the best views are between Bridges 1-4.
This trail is accessible in the winter (but bring microspikes — it gets icy!), allowing you to get up close to frozen waterfalls. Watch for adventurous ice climbers on the falls, too!
11. Pyramid Lake Loop
- Distance: 5.95-kilometer/3.7-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 211 meters/692 feet
- Difficulty rating: Easy to moderate
- View the trail notes
Close to town and easy but with stunning views from an overlook, Pyramid Lake Loop is highly underrated. Because it’s one of the easier hikes in Jasper, expect to see families, dogs, and trail runners.
Being a loop, you can hike in either direction. However, taking the loop clockwise from the parking lot, following the Overlook Loop trail, knocks out the ascent (and offers excellent views!) right away.
The trail takes you through dense forest before reaching the overlook, where you’ll have sweeping views of multiple lakes and Jasper townsite. Take a side trip to Pyramid Island, especially if you can time it for sunrise or sunset.
12. Sunwapta Falls
- Distance: 3.2 kilometers/2 miles out and back
- Elevation gain: 146 meters/479 feet
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Alltrails trail notes
A short yet rewarding stroll, Sunwapta Falls checks all the best boxes. It’s right off the Icefields Parkway, accessible year-round, and ever so slightly less busy than more famous Athabasca Falls.
From the parking lot, take the (very) short path to Upper Sunwapta Falls. You’ll have an excellent view from the bridge, but be sure to walk downhill for some other perspectives.
While the upper falls are more scenic, it’s well worth hiking the extra kilometer to Lower Sunwapta Falls. Most people only go to the upper cascade, so with just 15-20 minutes of effort, you can enjoy a rarity among hikes in Jasper: a quiet trail!
13. Valley of the Five Lakes
- Distance: 4.82-kilometer/3-mile loop
- Elevation gain: 161 meters/528 feet
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Alltrails trail notes
Delivering a tremendous bang for the buck, the family-friendly Valley of the Five Lakes trail takes you right past five stunning turquoise lakes on an easy-going loop. It’s easy to see why it’s one of the most popular hikes in Jasper!
Even with the relatively short distance, the scenery is diverse, guiding you through dense forest, open meadows, and of course, to the glassy lakes. You can go in either direction, and there are also options for extending your hike, creating a fun choose-your-own-adventure hike.
Don’t miss the pair of iconic red Adirondack chairs between lakes 3 and 4!
Best time to go hiking in Jasper National Park
July through September is the best bet overall for hiking anywhere in the Canadian Rockies. During these months, trails and roads are usually fully open and the weather is ideal.
The downside of visiting in the summer? It’s peak season, so expect plenty of crowds—and unfortunately, the very real threat of wildfires.
If you’re hoping for uncrowded trails, visit in late spring (May-June) or early fall (mid-September into very early October).
Spring is waterfall chasing season, with snowmelt feeding the falls and making them roar at peak flow. Both seasons are excellent for spotting wildlife, including migratory birds. Be prepared for cooler temperatures and the possibility of snow at higher elevations.
What to pack for hiking in Jasper National Park
- Navigation: we recommend using Alltrails+ to download the offline trail map
- Get your first week of using Alltrails+ for FREE when you sign up using our link!
- Hiking daypack
- Water bottles and/or bladder for your Camelbak
- Bug repellant
- Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sun glasses
- Camera/tripod (this one’s our favorite for hiking)
- Hiking layers (here is a great resource if you’re wondering what to wear hiking)
- Rain jacket
- Hiking shoes or Chacos if you prefer
- Hiking poles (optional)
- Plenty of snacks: check out our favorite hiking snacks here!
Be sure to download our FREE hiking packing list before your next trip and never leave another essential behind again!
Round up of easy hikes in Jasper National Park
Here’s a roundup of all the best easy hikes in Jasper National Park so you can see everything in one place.
- Athabasca Falls
- Path of the Glacier
- Lake Annette Loop
- Pyramid Island
- Mary Schaeffer Loop
- Beauty Creek to Stanley Falls
- Beauvert Lake Loop
- Patricia Lake North Loop
- The Flower Loop
- Maligne Canyon
- Pyramid Lake Loop
- Sunwapta Falls
- Valley of Five Lakes
You may also like…
- Best Hikes in Jasper National Park, Canada
- Epic Hikes in Banff National Park
- Grassi Lakes Trail Guide: Alberta, Canada
- 10 Best National Parks in Canada
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We want to hear from you!
Which of these epic hikes at Jasper National Park has you most excited to lace up your hiking boots?? Have you done any of the Jasper hikes on this list? Was your experience like? Leave your comment below and let us know!