“It’s a really incredible time to visit Jasper, to bear witness to a large natural disaster and to see what it means for the ecology of the park and to understand it is part of the natural cycle of the ecosystem here in Jasper.”
Although the landscape may look different in Jasper National Park this summer, the offerings largely remain the same.
Graham Wylde, visitor experience manager for Jasper National Park, explained Parks Canada has worked extensively to reopen a majority of the park following the 2024 wildfire.
“Some areas do remain closed,” Wylde said. “Those areas were heavily impacted by the fire and require further assessment for safety as well as continued restoration work.”
Maligne Canyon and the Valley of the Five Lakes are two notable areas that are still under assessment. No timeline for reopening those trails is yet available.
In fire-impacted areas that are open to the public, such as Old Fort Point, visitors can expect to see evidence of fire such as burned trees and broken rock, but they will also see new vegetation begin to emerge.
“That’s one of the exciting things this time of year, having gone through a winter where it was very much black and white on the landscape to finally see the influx of green,” Wylde said.
“A lot of the green grass has started to pop up, we’re starting to see some of the shrubs coming back and it’s quite a beautiful thing that people can see and experience over the course of the summer, the regeneration of the park in those areas as they recreate,” he added.
Most restoration work for the campground and trails was completed throughout the winter and early spring, but Parks Canada advises work will continue in some areas and may require brief closures.
Those who are hiking or biking through burned areas should stay on the trails to avoid hazardous trees or impacting the regrowth. Wylde noted that while hazard trees adjacent to trails have been removed, no further assessment has been conducted off-trail.
Among other safety tips, users should also be aware of their surroundings, not linger in these areas and be extra vigilant during high wind or rain.
In Jasper National Park, the campground offer is around 75 per cent of what the full campground inventory would be. Wabasso Campground and a portion of Wapiti Campground are offline.
All other campgrounds are fully open and actively accepting reservations, with capacity still available for people to reserve. Because 20 per cent of hotel rooms were destroyed in the wildfire, visitors wanting accommodations within the townsite are advised to book ahead of time.
Visitors are also reminded that drones are prohibited in national parks, to keep their distance from wildfire and to plan ahead before visiting.
Wylde acknowledged that some people were apprehensive about visiting Jasper but emphasized the park was open and all services were available.
“It’s a really incredible time to visit Jasper, to bear witness to a large natural disaster and to see what it means for the ecology of the park and to understand it is part of the natural cycle of the ecosystem here in Jasper,” he said.
He added it was a unique opportunity to witness the regrowth and that repeat visits will allow people to see the landscape change over time.
For up-to-date information on closures in Jasper National Park, visit Parks Canada’s website or follow Jasper National Park on social media.
The Local Journalism Initiative is a federal program which supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of under-served communities across Canada. Content is available to media organizations through a Creative Commons license. The Jasper Local uses the LJI to access Jasper-based reporting to better serve its readers and is grateful to The Fitzhugh’s Mr. Shokeir for his coverage.
