The Canadian province of Alberta is home to Jasper National Park. It was founded in 1907. The park covers an area of 10,878 square kilometers, making it the largest national park in the Canadian Rocky mountains. Jasper National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Naming of the Jasper National Park
The namesake of the park is Jasper Hawes. He maintained a base for the North West Company. At the beginning of the 19th century, the fur trade boomed in the area of what is now Jasper. Therefore, a fur trading post for the Hudson’s Bay Company was established here. Jasper was not officially founded until 1914. Astonishingly, that is seven years after the national park was founded.
The animals of Jasper National Park
The park is rich in large mammal species. Elk, elk or mule deer are particularly widespread. Large herds of bighorn sheep and mountain goats also live in this region. Some black bears can also be spotted. The grizzly bear has made an empire for itself in Jasper National Park and shares its habitat with coyotes, lynx and wolf.
The valley of the Maligne River offers the rare forest caribou a protected habitat and sufficient food.
In the village of Jasper you can easily experience some elk while walking through the village. These are not particularly shy and even eat the flowers from the front gardens. The people here are already used to the animals.
Sights in Jasper National Park
In the immediate vicinity of Jasper is the Whistlers Mountain. It is a 2,285 meter high panoramic mountain that is ideal for hiking. The Maligne Canyon is also recommended for hikes. It is a narrow canyon, 55 meters deep, through which hiking trails lead.
In the immediate vicinity is Maligne Lake, the largest and deepest lake in Jasper National Park. Spirit Island is also located here. The Mount Edith Cayell or the lakes Pyramid Lake and Medicine Lake are also ideal for a trip. The Miette Hot Springs are particularly popular. Because here the visitors will find hot springs, with the water of which a swimming pool is fed. You can also bathe and swim here. If you prefer something more natural, you should go to the Columbia River. The North Saskatchewan River is also very famous and always worth a stop.
The park is crossed by the Athabasca River, which is 1,231 kilometers long. Waterfalls can also be visited here. The Athabasca glaciers impress with their appearance. For winter sports enthusiasts, snow coaches are available here to take you to the Columbia Ice Field can be driven. This is a 325 square kilometer glacier ice field. Various routes lead past beautiful places. But there is also the possibility of guided tours through the park. In the village of Jasper, where almost 4,000 people live and which is located at an altitude of 1,067 meters, visitors to the park meet.
The route over the Icefields Parkway is particularly beautiful. This is the 231 kilometer long highway that runs from Jasper to Banff through the middle of the Rocky Mountains. You should definitely see the Yellowhead Pass, it is a historical site and today also serves as a lookout point from which one has an impressive view over the area of the Jasper National Park.
