Jasper in 24 Hours: 3 Exceptional Experiences

Don’t despair if you’re visiting Jasper and you only have 24 hours to see some sights. There’s plenty you can accomplish in short order if you’re prepared to have a full day. I was in Jasper over a summer time (one of many visits) and did exactly as described below. It was a great day and one I’d recommend to everyone.

It’s amazing when you’re motivated and short on time what you can cover in Jasper in 24 hours. Having a game plan makes a big difference so you can fit everything in. Start early in the day – which allows you to beat the crowds, and finish with dinner somewhere around 7 PM – 8 PM.

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3 exceptional experiences to have in Jasper in 24 hours

Start the day in Jasper with a trip to Bear’s Paw Bakery. There are two of them about five blocks apart and both can be insanely busy so be prepared to wait for one of their world-famous pastries and a coffee.

The Jasper SkyTram Adventure – one of the fun adventures in Jasper when you have just 24 hours

Hit the Jasper SkyTram first thing in the day before the crowds build. Buy your tickets immediately because you may have to wait 20 – 30 minutes for a tram. Then go get your Starbucks if you need another caffeine hit.

My first impression of the Jasper SkyTram was one that screamed tourist trap. I was wrong. Yes there are a lot of people but the whole experience is extremely worthwhile.

The tram whips you most of the way up Whistler Mountain in just 7½ minutes. You could climb it but it’s 9.5 km one way with 1,216 m of elevation gain – and most of it is in the trees. There are better hikes in the area that deliver views faster.

Instead revel in the glory of the mountains. This is one of the top places to get a view of not only Jasper but of Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. There are loads of trails heading up from the gondola station.

Allow at least an hour so you can meander about, take photographs and see the area from different angles. If you’re a hardcore hiker the gondola station is also the starting point for the challenging Indian Peak hike but only attempt it if you’re come prepared and you have six hours to do it.

Don’t forget to bring a  light coat and a pair of shoes suitable for hiking at a minimum. The upper gondola station is no place for high heels and bikini tops. The mountain weather can be fickle and change in a heartbeat.

Prices for the return ride on the Jasper SkyTram are $39.95 for adults, $19.95 for youth aged 6 -15 and $99.85 for a family with two adults and two youth. Should you elect to hike up, you can do a one way trip down for $20.

Superb views of Jasper and the mountains from the top of the SkyTram
Superb views of Jasper and the mountains from the top of the SkyTram
You can get quite a hike in if you're prepared after leaving the tram
You can get quite a hike in if you’re prepared after leaving the tram
Big views everywhere you walk from the Jasper Skytram
Big views everywhere you walk from the Jasper SkyTram
The well-worn trails are harder to descend than ascend
The well-worn trails are harder to descend than ascend
Looking south down the Icefields Parkway
Looking south down the Icefields Parkway

Go kayaking (or canoeing) on Pyramid Lake

Drive six kilometres north of Jasper and you’ll find Pyramid Lake Resort. It is here you can rent canoes, kayaks, rowboats and paddleboats on a first come, first served basis. It’s a fun way to spend part of an afternoon when you only have 24 hours in Jasper.

You don’t have to have any paddling experience to appreciate Pyramid Lake by boat but if you’re new to paddling stay close to shore.

John and I spent several hours paddling the entire lake at a relaxed pace. It was a hot (for Jasper), sunny day and it felt great to be on the water. We certainly weren’t alone with all kayaks rented and out on the lake by the time we got back in the mid-afternoon.

On our paddle we saw a family of mergansers and a loon and her baby – though she obviously didn’t know that the far end of the lake is strictly off limits to everyone else but loons. 

We passed a group of young people whooping it up in their voyageur canoes. They’d paddled to a sandy beach for lunch and a swim and appeared to be having a grand old time. Everyone else was just enjoying the day and the feel of being on a lake on a beautiful summer day.

We didn’t stop on Pyramid Lake Island but we could have pulled up in our kayaks and enjoyed the view from a park bench. We returned instead on foot to see it from a different angle. The scenic little island was alive with birds and visitors.

Paddling Pyramid Lake gives you a chance to see the mountains from another perspective. And at the end of the paddle, a swim, a beach and an ice cream awaits. That’s a pretty sweet way to spend an afternoon.

People of all abilities can rent all manner of watercraft at Pyramid Lake Resort
People of all abilities can rent all manner of watercraft at Pyramid Lake Resort
Beautiful easy kayaking on Pyramid Lake - unless the wind blows up
Beautiful easy kayaking on Pyramid Lake – unless the wind blows up
Paddling on Pyramid Lake in Jasper
Another case of feeling small in the mountains
The Voyageur canoes looked like fun to paddle
The Voyageur canoes looked like fun to paddle
You can actually kayak around Pyramid Lake Island if you're prepared to duck under the bridge
You can actually kayak around Pyramid Lake Island if you’re prepared to duck under the bridge

Soak in the Miette Hot Springs – one of the top things to do in Jasper if you only have 24 hours

It’s a solid hour’s drive to get to Miette Hot Springs from Jasper one way but I still think it’s worth doing even if you only have 24 hours in Jasper – as you see a part of Jasper National Park you would miss – unless you drove in from Edmonton. Fortunately it’s a pretty drive though I was surprised at the location – 17 km in from the main highway. 

John and I planned our visit to coincide with the dinner hour. We figured – incorrectly – that everyone else would be eating. But it was quite the opposite and the hot springs were packed.

I later learned that they are one of the biggest attractions in Jasper National Park. Situated in the beautiful Fiddle Valley, they are a place where you just want to hang out and relax.

With a number of pools you can move from hot to cold to warm until your skin looks look a wrinkled prune. We lasted about an hour but never could bring ourselves to get into the cool pool. The water in the warmest pool is the hottest in the Rockies.

It’s too bad they aren’t open in the winter when you really want to luxuriate in their warmth but the road would be a tough one to maintain safely. Miette Hot Springs are open from mid-May to mid-October every year.

You can rent bathing suits and towels at the pool. Entrance fees have gone up and in 2023/24 will be $17.50 per adult, $15.25 per senior, and $15.25 for youth. Kids under 3 are free. In the summer the springs are open from 9 AM until 11 PM.

Note: There is also the option to do the fabulous Sulphur Skyline hike right from Miette Hot Springs. 

The Miette Hot Springs are at the end of a 17 km winding mountain road
The Miette Hot Springs are at the end of a 17 km winding mountain road
Jasper in 24 Hours: 3 Exceptional Experiences
The hottest hot springs in the Rockies – one of the things you must do in Jasper in 24 hours

Dinner in Jasper – when you only have 24 hours

By the time we got back to Jasper we were ravenous. That’s what being busy for 24 hours in Jasper does to you!

Immediately we made our way to Fomoso Neopolitan Pizza – because who doesn’t like a delicious, thin crust pizza at the end of the day? And that was our day – a full one but a great one.

Where to stay in Jasper

Plan your accommodations well ahead, especially in summer, so you stay where you want. Camping too should be reserved well in advance here. Note that front country reservations start the first week of January!!!

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge  sits on a pretty lake and is a wonderful albeit pricey choice.

The Maligne Canyon Hostel is an affordable option.

I’d recommend The Crimson Jasper from what I’ve seen and I did tour most of the rooms. 

A great of town choice would be the Pyramid Lake Resort.

For an-town option that’s walking distance to everything check out Whistler’s Inn. The renovated rooms are well done.

Pull up a chair and enjoy this view at the Fairmont Jasper
Pull up a chair and enjoy this view at the Fairmont Jasper

Further reading on things to do in Jasper and Banff National Parks

Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

3 of the must do experiences in Jasper in summer if you only have 24 hours

Thank you to Travel Alberta for making this post possible.

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