Unbeknownst to me, Jonathan checked us into our room at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge from his phone this morning, and with a bit of luck, our room is ready almost 5 hours early.
It’s only 11:06 am, and we're checking into what will become our lakeside retreat for the next 24 hours in Jasper National Park.
It’s only 11:06 am, and we're checking into what will become our lakeside retreat for the next 24 hours in Jasper National Park.
We immediately feel more relaxed as we drive through the grounds of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and make our way toward the hotel lobby. I read somewhere that the Jasper Park Lodge feels akin to a luxuriously tranquil adult summer camp, with various cabins and amenities strung together by manicured walkways throughout the resort’s 700 acres. It's a pretty spot-on description, and there’s no doubt someone (ahem: me, though I suspect Jonathan, too) could get used to this level of comfort next door to one of the most beautiful national parks in the world.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has a rustic charm rather than a regal elegance, making it feel more down-to-earth than its sister hotel on Lake Louise. But, of course, that doesn’t mean Jasper Park Lodge lacks amenities or luxury! There’s a casual dining room we can see from the hotel lobby, with additional dining options tucked behind doors and beyond a set of stairs on our right. Plus, there’s a world-class golf course, wellness spa, and hiking trails just steps away.
What we’re most excited about, however, is the pool, hot tub, and lake just outside the windows of the lobby’s far end. After an incredibly full week exploring the Canadian Rockies, we cannot wait to rest and soak up the sun!
As soon as we walk into the lobby of Jasper Park Lodge, we notice it's grand in a more relaxed way than the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The wood and stone accents on the resort’s exterior continue indoors, keeping the resort feeling cozy in a way that maintains a focus on nature and spending time outdoors.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has a rustic charm rather than a regal elegance, making it feel more down-to-earth than its sister hotel on Lake Louise. But, of course, that doesn’t mean Jasper Park Lodge lacks amenities or luxury! There’s a casual dining room we can see from the hotel lobby, with additional dining options tucked behind doors and beyond a set of stairs on our right. Plus, there’s a world-class golf course, wellness spa, and hiking trails just steps away.
What we’re most excited about, however, is the pool, hot tub, and lake just outside the windows of the lobby’s far end. After an incredibly full week exploring the Canadian Rockies, we cannot wait to rest and soak up the sun!
After checking in, we drive around the resort to our suite in the Bayview Cabins. Our room is situated at the base of Beauvert Lake and has a small private patio, from which we'll enjoy breakfast al fresco tomorrow. (If you read about our stay at Lake Louise, you know how seriously I take breakfast, ha!)
At the center of our suite is a large king bed, with a bathroom and small kitchenette on one side and a partition that leads to a living area on the other. The (almost) floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room let in both the sun and the gorgeous turquoise lake. Our view is phenomenal.
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| Our private patio |
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| A lakeview sunroom! |
Soon after we arrive, a manager surprises us when he stops by to make sure we have everything we need. He tells us our visit is coming at the perfect time as it's been hazy the last few weeks due to wildfires, so hazy that the mountains across the lake weren’t visible. We experienced a lot of haze during our drive along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, so we’re excited about the views opening up and the weather beginning to clear.
Apparently, Lincoln has become a 5-star kind of dog, and she plops in the middle of the living room, requesting we move around her as we unload our things from the car. As much as we’d like to join her in resting, we’re just dropping our things, quickly taking in the view, and then heading back into Jasper National Park for an afternoon at Maligne Canyon and Spirit Island. Alongside the Valley of the 5 Lakes hike, these are some of the most popular and beautiful things to do in Jasper National Park, and since we’ll be here for only one more night, we want to see as much as we can before hitting the road tomorrow.
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| Valley of the 5 Lakes |
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| Maligne Canyon |
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| Spirit Island |
Maligne Canyon is first on our agenda, as it’s only a short drive from Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. It’s dog-friendly, so Lincoln begrudgingly gets up from her nap to join us for the hike around the canyon.
Located in Jasper National Park, Maligne Canyon was carved over thousands of years by the rushing waters of the Maligne River. The option to hike through the canyon is one of the reasons it's so popular; the narrow winding passages are fun to explore, with towering cliffs often on both sides of the trail.
After exploring Maligne Canyon, we’re headed to Spirit Island, one of the most gorgeous and picturesque settings in all of Jasper National Park! We drop Lincoln off back at the hotel and start retracing our steps past the turnoff for Malgine Canyon until we reach a boarding area for cruises to Spirit Island.
Spirit Island is an iconic spot in Jasper—it’s generally the most well-known spot in the Park, even if you only recognize its photograph and not its location. Spirit Island is a small island in Maligne Lake, encased on three sides by the same mountain range, the Queen Elizabeth Mountains, which form a “J” shape around the island.
The only way to get to Spirit Island is by boat, whether you take a short trip by cruise like we’re doing or you opt for a self-guided full-day kayak. Once at Spirit Island, there’s a very short trail to some incredible viewpoints.
We spend two hours learning about the skies in Jasper National Park, then try our hand at being amateur astronomers, looking through some of the largest telescopes in the North American Rockies. It was a really cool experience that ultimately let us see Saturn and its rings, Vega, the North Star, the Big and Little Dippers, and much more of the Milky Way.
I wish we had one more day to lay by the pool, walk the lakeshore, get dinner on the outdoor terrace, and grab a lakeside s’more before enjoying a glass of wine from our patio… But for now, we’ll make the most of our morning before checking out.
Until next time, Jasper!
P.S. If you're here because you're thinking about booking a stay at Jasper Park Lodge and are wondering if it's worth it, my answer is a wholehearted "Yes!" — particularly if you're looking for some R&R while exploring the Canadian Rockies 💖
P.P.S. Keep reading about our Icefields Parkway Road Trip by clicking one of the links below:
After exploring Maligne Canyon, we’re headed to Spirit Island, one of the most gorgeous and picturesque settings in all of Jasper National Park! We drop Lincoln off back at the hotel and start retracing our steps past the turnoff for Malgine Canyon until we reach a boarding area for cruises to Spirit Island.
Spirit Island is an iconic spot in Jasper—it’s generally the most well-known spot in the Park, even if you only recognize its photograph and not its location. Spirit Island is a small island in Maligne Lake, encased on three sides by the same mountain range, the Queen Elizabeth Mountains, which form a “J” shape around the island.
The only way to get to Spirit Island is by boat, whether you take a short trip by cruise like we’re doing or you opt for a self-guided full-day kayak. Once at Spirit Island, there’s a very short trail to some incredible viewpoints.
After about 35 minutes, we arrive by cruise to Spirit Island and follow the very short trail to two viewpoints before spending some leisure time along the shore for more photographs. Spirit Island is indeed stunning, and we immediately understand why it’s one of the most recognizable locations in all of Jasper National Park.
This is one place where photographs do the beauty justice, even if they can’t quite pick up on the tranquility felt in person.
This is one place where photographs do the beauty justice, even if they can’t quite pick up on the tranquility felt in person.
According to the Banff Jasper Collection, which operates the cruise to Spirit Island, “{Spirit} island is a spiritual place for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, who believe mountains are physical representations of their ancestors. The fact that Spirit Island is surrounded on three sides by the same mountain range is very rare and makes it particularly significant to the Stoney.”
We’re asked to respect the spiritual meaning of this island when we hop off the boat and begin the short hike to its viewpoints. The importance of this area is something you can feel right away, and even more so when standing at the shores looking out toward Spirit Island.
It’s an absolutely magical view.
It’s an absolutely magical view.
About an hour and a half later, we’re ready to relax by the pool back at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Jonathan orders a mule, I order a pineapple cocktail (here's my only complaint of the resort: there’s no pina colada, ha!), and we split a burger and fries. I eat my half on a lawn chair by the pool that overlooks the lake while Jonathan takes his to the hot tub.
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We’re the final two left at the pool area as the sun begins going down, and most of our fellow guests are now at dinner.
We dry off in lawn chairs in the last bit of sun, feeling so relaxed that we don’t want to leave. Being here reminds me of our honeymoon resort in Kauai, as the lodge connected to the pool area is bustling, with guests enjoying good food and even better company by the sounds coming from the dining room. We can softly hear the music playing around the pool deck and notice more and more cabin lights glistening around the lake as evening sets.
We dry off in lawn chairs in the last bit of sun, feeling so relaxed that we don’t want to leave. Being here reminds me of our honeymoon resort in Kauai, as the lodge connected to the pool area is bustling, with guests enjoying good food and even better company by the sounds coming from the dining room. We can softly hear the music playing around the pool deck and notice more and more cabin lights glistening around the lake as evening sets.
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The skies are clearing up more and more as the sun goes down, and we’re glad because we have a fun activity that Jonathan has been looking forward to tonight.
We’re visiting the Jasper Park Lodge Planetarium!
We’re visiting the Jasper Park Lodge Planetarium!
Jasper National Park is designated as a Dark Sky Preserve, making it a great location for stargazing and observing the night sky free from light pollution. When we booked our one-night stay at the Jasper Park Lodge, we noticed the Jasper Planetarium offers a planetarium and telescope experience and added it to our booking.
After a quick change of clothes and bundling up in the warmest jackets we brought, we head through the lodge lobby and up a flight of stairs to the Jasper Planetarium.
We spend two hours learning about the skies in Jasper National Park, then try our hand at being amateur astronomers, looking through some of the largest telescopes in the North American Rockies. It was a really cool experience that ultimately let us see Saturn and its rings, Vega, the North Star, the Big and Little Dippers, and much more of the Milky Way.
We learn about comets and meteorites and even learn that it's possible to see the aurora (Northern Lights) this time of year, though only once every two weeks or so. The best time of year to see the Northern Lights in Jasper is typically late August to late April (and we're here in early September).
The next morning, we’re up surprisingly early as the light streams through our living room window. We take Lincoln on a walk around the close side of Beauvert Lake, enjoying the gorgeous pink mountains rising over the trees in the distance.
This is a place you could stay for a while.
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| Beauvert Lake |
I wish we had one more day to lay by the pool, walk the lakeshore, get dinner on the outdoor terrace, and grab a lakeside s’more before enjoying a glass of wine from our patio… But for now, we’ll make the most of our morning before checking out.
After walking Lincoln by the lake, we grab our bathing suits and return to the pool area. It’s a chilly fall morning, so we head straight to the hot tub. Jonathan stays there while I eventually switch to the heated pool for a few laps, and then we both round out our morning soak with a trip to the sauna.
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| A perfect morning |
From the market and coffee shop around the corner, we grab a casual breakfast and take it back to our patio so Lincoln can join us. While I finish every last sip of my coffee and cinnamon roll, Jonathan ducks out a little early to get a few shots on the basketball court across the resort. (The perfect blend of his and her activities 😄)
Although it’s soon time for us to pack our things and check out of our room, we’re not quite ready to leave Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. So, we put everything in the car and once more walk around Beauvert Lake, this time making it all the way around its shores.
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| Beauvert Lake Loop |
As we finish the Beauvert Lake Loop, it’s time for us to officially leave Jasper and start our 7-hour drive to Waterton Lakes National Park. To get there, we’re retracing our steps along the Icefields Parkway, and, unlike our three-night stay along the parkway earlier in our trip, we have perfect weather and blue skies for today’s drive.
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| Peyto Lake on the Icefields Parkway |
Until next time, Jasper!
P.S. If you're here because you're thinking about booking a stay at Jasper Park Lodge and are wondering if it's worth it, my answer is a wholehearted "Yes!" — particularly if you're looking for some R&R while exploring the Canadian Rockies 💖
P.P.S. Keep reading about our Icefields Parkway Road Trip by clicking one of the links below:
(#1) Driving Icefields Parkway: Banff and Yoho National Parks
(#2) Driving Icefields Parkway: Hiking Big Beehive at Lake Louise
(#3) Driving Icefields Parkway: 24 Magical Hours at Chateau Lake Louise
(#4) Driving Icefields Parkway: Peyto Lake, Chephren Lake, and Mistaya Canyon
(#5) Driving Icefields Parkway: Parker Ridge, Columbia Icefield, and Sunwapta Falls
(#6) Driving Icefields Parkway: Toe of the Glacier and Athabasca Falls
(#7) Driving Icefields Parkway: Incredible Hikes, Eats, and Views in Jasper
(#8) Driving Icefields Parkway: Lakeside Resort in Heart of Jasper Nat’l Park