Jasper fire update: What’s open in the national park 

Jasper National Park is open, and visitors are welcome and key to the town’s recovery.

That’s the message from officials, following the forest fire in the summer of 2024 that devastated parts of the townsite and scorched parts of the stunning scenery the park is famous for. While some things may look different, the beauty of Jasper National Park remains intact.

The tight-knit community has shown its resilience, working to rebuild while rallying together to reopen the hotels, restaurants and attractions that are key to the resident’s livelihoods. While parts of the town were directly affected, Jasper National Park is so vast that only about three per cent of it was impacted.

Visitors can still enjoy many hiking trails, bike paths and natural attractions like canyons, waterfalls, wildlife viewing and dark skies that this UNESCO World Heritage Site is so beloved for, and are being encouraged to return–responsibly–to support Jasper’s recovery.

Watch: Tamara Elliott joins Global Edmonton to chat about what visitors can expect in Jasper National Park

What’s open in Jasper: Scenic spots

With scenery being the main draw here, it’s a relief to know that many of the park’s most popular spots remain untouched.

These include:

• Sunwapta Falls
• Medicine Lake
• Pyramid Lake
• Patricia Lake
• Talbot Lake
• Maligne Lake
• Columbia Icefields

While the first 10 minutes of the drive along Maligne Lake Road suffered some fire damage, it’s still open and a great place to spot wildlife like moose.

The forests around Athabasca Falls, Lake Edith and Lac Beauvert also look different these days, though it’s not as obvious in autumn and winter when the leaves have fallen and trees are covered in snow. They are all still beautiful places to visit.

Trails have reopened even within the fire perimeter for those curious to see them–the key is to practice responsible tourism and respect any area closures.

Attractions in Jasper National Park

The town of Jasper continues to host events as usual, and annual ones returning in 2025 include Jasper in January and the Jasper Pride & Ski Festival.

Some of the best things to do in Jasper during the winter months are:

• Skiing at Marmot Basin (open starting in late November)
• Relaxing at a spa
• Visiting the Jasper Planetarium
• Snowshoeing
• Fat biking
• Jasper Food Tours

READ MORE: Fun winter activities to enjoy in Jasper, Alberta

Many of the park’s attractions are seasonal and start up again in the spring. These include:

• Miette Hot Springs
• Jasper SkyTram
• Columbia Icefield Adventure
• Glacier Skywalk
• Maligne Boat Cruise
• Tread Lightly Glacier Tours

Getting to Jasper National Park

The Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and the south end of Jasper is considered one of the world’s best road trips thanks to its jaw-dropping scenery, and thankfully the majority of it was untouched by the fire.

About 85 per cent of this 232 kilometre route through the Rockies still looks the same (the impacted area is between the townsite and about five kilometers from Athabasca Falls), so visitors can enjoy spectacular stops along the way like Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, the Columbia Icefields and several waterfall stops.

READ MORE: Scenic stops: What to see along the Icefields Parkway, Canada

Planning to drive Highway 93 during snow season? It’s still beautiful, but also important to be prepared as this is an avalanche zone with no cell service in some areas.

Here are some tips for driving the Icefields Parkway in winter, and remember that some of the famous pullouts are inaccessible during winter. Highway 16 which links Jasper to cities like Edmonton, AB and Prince George, BC is also open.

A bucket list-worthy way to get to Jasper is by riding the rails on the Rocky Mountaineer. These luxury, multi-day train trips navigate pristine wilderness between Vancouver and Jasper National Park, offering guests a front-row seat to otherwise untouched scenery–the majority of it also being untouched by the fire.

Enjoy fine dining, afternoon tea, charcuterie, wine pairings and engaging commentary from the on-board hosts, while admiring the sights through a panoramic glass dome in the GoldLeaf cars or out on a vestibule.

There are two routes:

Journey Through the Clouds: Vancouver-Kamloops-Jasper

This two-day itinerary kicks off in Vancouver with breakfast in B.C’s Fraser Valley. Gasp as you pass over roaring Hell’s Gate canyon and past magnificent Pyramid Falls, then spend the night in Kamloops before branching off to head north to Jasper the next morning and arrive in town by late afternoon.

Rainforest to Gold Rush: Vancouver-Whistler-Quesnel-Jasper

Journey from the Sea to Sky all the way up to Jasper National Park during this three day experience. The trip starts by winding past the scenic fjords of Howe Sound, past the adventure destination of Squamish and through the Coast Mountains up to Whistler.

Day two is a ride through the Fraser Canyon through steep gold-flecked canyons toward Quesnel, while the final day of the journey has a front row seat to the pristine landscapes of Northern B.C., passing Mount Robson which is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies before arriving in Jasper.

The trips run from April to October, and pricing starts at $2,245 CAD per person for a two-day package including overnight hotel in SilverLeaf service, while the same package with the elevated GoldLeaf service is around $3,065 CAD each.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about a Rocky Mountaineer train trip

Dining and accommodations in Jasper National Park

Despite the loss of some accommodations, there are no issues securing a place to stay. 80 per cent of the year round hotels in Jasper are taking reservations, with more opening again in spring. There are nearly two dozen hotels to choose from in peak season, though keep in mind they can get booked up in the summer months so be sure to book well in advance.

There are also plenty of restaurants, a brewery, cafes and fast food spots for dining–in fact, one called The Maligne Range actually opened after the fire.

While parts of Jasper National Park may look different than many of us remember, the changes to the landscape are creating a new type of beauty that we now get to learn about and experience, all while helping to support the local community.