Jasper National Park - Definition and Overview

Maligne River near Jasper.

Sunwapta Falls

Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It is located in the province of Alberta and covers 10,878 square kilometres. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and, of course, mountains. Wildlife in the park include elk, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bears and caribou.

Some of the park's many photogenic vistas include Mount Edith Cavell, Pyramid Lake with Pyramid Mountain, and Maligne Lake, all considered best photographed at sunrise except for Maligne Lake, which is best in the evening. Another attraction is Snocoach (bus-sized snowmobile) tours of the Athabasca Glacier, a distributary of the Columbia Icefield.

Major river systems originating in the park include

• the Columbia River
• the North Saskatchewan River
• the Sunwapta (Sunwapta Falls} and Athabasca River {Athabasca Falls} which flows north along the parkway then turns east at Jasper townsite to continue out of the moutains and on into the Mackenzie River system

Jasper was named after Jasper Hawes, who operated a post in the region for the North West Company.

The park's information centre is located in Jasper, Alberta.

External links

• Jasper National Park in Bivouac.com (http://bivouac.com/ArxPg.asp?ArxId=2023)
• Avalanche Conditions (http://www.avalanche.ca/Parks/Jasper/jasper_avalanche_bulletin_results.asp)
• Alpine Climbing Guide (http://www.rmbooks.com/books/dousel.htm)