Henry MacLeod Trail Hike in Jasper
If you hike the Henry MacLeod Trail – beginning at the far end of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, you’re in for a treat. But unless you’re camping at the Coronet Creek Campground, accessibility is a huge issue.
Certainly mountain climbers make it into a multi-day trip but your average Joe isn’t about to paddle 21 kilometres, hike 16 kilometres and paddle 21 kilometres out again in a day.
However, the Henry MacLeod trail is a great hike if you are planning to spend a few nights camping on Maligne Lake.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
What you’ll see on the Henry McLeod Trail hike
The hike starts just past the tent pads at the Coronet Creek campground. The trail is signed at the start and at the rustic campsite eight kilometres later.
No other signage is around but 99% of the trail is obvious. The only time you may have to look around a bit for the trail is after each of the stream crossings.
I loved the mix of trail underfoot – soft mossy, almost bouncy through the woods to stony paths alongside the river. Most of the time there was some sort of view though it wasn’t until about a kilometer from the end that you could enjoy full on glacier and mountain views.
The Henry MacLeod trail is the sort where you can take your time – especially since you’re not rushing back to your car to drive home. Stop and admire the wildflowers. Eat lunch by the river. Dunk your head in the river if it’s a really hot day. Smell the pine scented air. This is definitely a hike for the senses.
The only concern hiking the Henry MacLeod Trail – and it’s a bigger issue earlier in the season, is that you must make two stream crossings. Take some time to scout the best place to cross.
The trail doesn’t gain a lot of elevation – perhaps 300 metres in total. At the end of the trail – if you’re so inclined you can explore the lower moraines of the glacier though that might entail more stream crossings.
Interestingly we hadn’t planned to do this hike. We thought we’d walk a kilometre or two and turn around – and have a relaxing day at camp instead. But we wanted to see what was around the next corner, and the next… The Henry MacLeod trail hike turned out to be far more delightful than anticipated.
Visit the Jasper National Park website if you need more information.
Further reading on things to do in Jasper National Park
- Hiking the Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park
- Bald Hills Trail Hike, Jasper National Park
- Geraldine Lakes Hike, Jasper National Park
- Valley of the Five Lakes Hike, Jasper
- Tonquin Valley Hiking Guide – What You Need to Know
Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.
@Mary At this time of year I certainly like to get into the mountains and commune with nature.
I always feel inspired to go outdoors after your hiking posts, Leigh. You hike at the most amazing places there. I love how picturesque and remote it looks. Those mountain-glacier views are beautiful.
@Debbie Sometimes the out of the way hikes are all that more special since so few people actually do them.
Your post always remind me how beautiful your neck of the woods are! Beautiful pictures even if they are hard to come by. The folded rocks look very interesting.
The scenery looks amazing! Seems like you had an awesome hike
@Brock Awesome, quiet & beautiful.
We used to do that on Sundays. Jump in the car and just keep going to see what’s around the next corner, then the next. Love how your hike turned out, Leigh. And no, I’m not tired of reading another post on hiking.
The views are just breathtaking. Not so sure I’d want that brain numbing hair wash though!
@Marcia That brain numbing hair wash felt sooo good ….after the fact! It was a fun hike.
I’m amazed by how deserted it looks. Don’t you ever meet other people when hiking in Canada?
@Mette This hike was deserted – we saw two hikers in the distance and that was it. I wish that was always the case though if you hike just a few miles you usually lose the majority of the people.
What gorgeous shots! They leave me speechless, the hike seems very enjoyable indeed.
Oh it was a lovely, unhurried hike Arti.
Looks like a gorgeous hike! And stunning photography too. I love the bottom end of the tree stump — it’s amazing how you can find such art in nature.
Looks like a gorgeous hike! And stunning photography too. I love the bottom end of the tree stump — it’s amazing how you can find such art in nature.
It never fails to amaze me how you can combine words like “huge debris flow”, “destructive avalanche path”, and “great hike”. You outdoors people never cease to amaze me, at least until I take a look at some of the fantastic pictures you bring back. You will have to provide a little more explanation for the hair wash picture though.
@Steve It just makes it that much more exciting! I’m thankful I wasn’t in the area in the winter.
It never fails to amaze me how you can combine words like “huge debris flow”, “destructive avalanche path”, and “great hike”. You outdoors people never cease to amaze me, at least until I take a look at some of the fantastic pictures you bring back. You will have to provide a little more explanation for the hair wash picture though.