Even though there is still snow on the ground in Alberta, this warmer winter weather has us all reminiscing about the summer heat. Not only are we reminiscing about our past and dreaming of our future summer vacations, practically speaking we need to start booking in the national parks or it can be hard to snag a spot at one of the coveted cabins or campgrounds.
My focus at the beginning of the calendar year is reserving the busiest hotels and cabins that book up quickly. Cabins like Patricia Lake Bungalows and Miette Hot Springs Bungalows in Jasper National Park book up very early in the year, especially the pet friendly cabins. These cabins give the camping experience with the convenience of a kitchenette, a comfy bed and a personal shower.
My most popular video on Tik Tok gives a visual of how cute the Patricia Lake property is, sitting on the small lake and very close by Pyramid Lake. The Patricia Lake Bungalows are our first stop when booking our summer in Jasper. The property makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time, surrounded by the forest, lake and the sounds of nature and the smallest little neighbourhood of cabins. When you stay there, there is no need to leave its perfect paddling bubble, but if you do, you’re only minutes from town. There are only so many cabins and so many weekends in the summer, this is a trip that needs to be booked well in advance to secure the cabin style suites.
The Miette Hot Springs Cabins offer a more secluded stay that is still front country. The best part of your stay is the access to enjoy the hot springs out your door step and the option to do my favourite Jasper hike, The Sulphur Skyline Loop as your daily exercise. This is the kind of hike that you could do everyday and still be blown away at the scenery and most picturesque view of the Rocky Mountains. This area is a hiking and cyclists’ paradise. The Jasper House Bungalows need to be booked far in advance for good reason as well. They are nestled on the edge of the Athabasca River and are in very close proximity to town as well as the trail systems that connect the nearby campgrounds. This location is great if you’re looking to explore the lakes, trails and hikes south of the Town of Jasper.
When you’re staying in Alberta’s national parks you need to know that these are not 5 star full service locations. There are places that you can get the 5 star experience (like the Fairmont’s Jasper Park Lodge) and we stay there often. But it’s nice to switch it up with some of the above mentioned cabins and bring your own food, enjoy the nearby sites and attractions and feel a little more solitude.
If you are looking for a more all-inclusive experience while you’re immersed in the beauty of the Rockies, Jasper Park Lodge delivers. The lodge offers accommodations in private or duplex style cabins lining the turquoise waters on the property. Your other option is the hotel suites that give you the convenience of being attached to the restaurant, bar, pool and hot tub. This property boasts the only golf course in Jasper, rentable equipment, trails within steps of the hotel that lead you to more of the sandy beaches and turquoise water nearby. They offer dog and babysitting, and again proximity to the town of Jasper. I find the Lodge books up on long weekends in the summer but the availability isn’t as tight as the above mentioned cabins.
Another cabin option that is great if you haven’t planned ahead is the Jasper East Cabins. They are about 40 minutes from the town of Jasper but still offer kitchenettes and great options for families or people with pets. There are easy to difficult hikes nearby and our favourite summer hangout spot with our dogs, Jasper Lake on the Athabasca River.
This year Parks Canada will be moving their reservation system to a new platform and reservations for the 2023 camping season. The launch for the new platform is March 3, 2023 and reservations set to open March 13 and in my experience people wait in cue for the coveted site reservations hours before. This is the case for front country and back country camping and permit reservations. So this is your reminder to set your alarms to get in virtual line to book the coveted river front camping spots in Wabasso Campground, Wapiti Campground and the others that open in May. Typically the campgrounds that open in June have reservations open 3 months in advance so a separate race to book will have to occur in another month.
Plenty of camping spots and accommodations can be booked throughout the summer in Jasper but after 14 years of enjoying the park I have learned that if I want to visit my favourite spots at least a couple times in the summer, it is worth the planning ahead. Jasper is still a hidden gem and I believe it will stay that way for a long time due to it’s location but I’ve learned you’ll never regret planning your accommodations, a couple of hikes and backup plans so that you can maximize on your time in the park. Stay tuned for my Jasper Summer Hike recommendations for my favourite summer activities in the rockies and click any of the links throughout the blog to take a closer look at any of the locations mentioned.
