Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park,

4,200 sq mi (10,878 sq km), W Alta., Canada, in the Canadian Rocky Mts.; est. 1907. It is the second largest of the Canadian scenic national parks and contains many high peaks, glaciers, lakes, hot springs, and streams. It is a game reserve and a popular recreation area, with mountain climbing and excellent fishing. The park was named for Jasper Hawes, agent of the North West Company fur-trading post established (1813) on the Athabasca River. Jasper, a resort town, is the park headquarters.

Jasper National Park

Parks Directory of the United States / Canadian National ParksAddress:PO Box 10
Jasper, AB T0E1E0
Phone:780-852-6176
Fax:780-852-5601
Phone:877-737-3783
Web: www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper
Size: 10,878 sq. km.
Established: 1907.
Location:On the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains of west-central Alberta, 370 km west of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Hwy 16, and 404 km northwest of Calgary via Trans-Canada Hwy 1 and the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93). The town of Jasper is located in the middle of the park.
Facilities:The townsite of Jasper includes a variety of hotels, restaurants, shops, gas stations, grocery and convenience stores, park information center, and a tramway. Park facilities also include 10 campgrounds (1770+ campsites; @di), hot springs, and trails (1000 km).
Activities:Camping, hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, bicycling, scenic driving, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, climbing and mountaineering, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, snowshoeing, interpretive programs.
Special Features:Jasper is the largest and most northerly of the four Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks that comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located at the northern end of the spectacular Icefields Parkway, a 230-km scenic route that passes close to the Columbia Icefield and connects Jasper with Lake Louise in Banff National Park (see separate entry). Along the way, visitors can take a snocoach tour on the Athabasca Glacier, one of six large glaciers that cover more than 325 sq. km of mountain park. Park's rugged topography includes a number of mountains that rise to elevations above 3,000 meters, including Mt. Columbia, Alberta's highest peak at 3,782 meters. Among the five national historic sites located within the park's boundaries are the Jasper House (1813) and the Henry House (1811).

See other parks in Alberta.