The Canadian Rockies have long since been famous for its flora and fauna. Tourists have been flocking to these gorgeous mountains since the early 19th century. Today, over nine million people annually visit the seven preserves along the Alberta-British Columbia border.
Some come for the scenery. Some come for the beautiful hiking. But most come for Canada’s stunning wildlife. One of the best places to spot wildlife is in Jasper National Park, a vast 10,878 km² area of wilderness within Alberta province.
I visited the Canadian Rockies in June of 2019 and, for me, Jasper National Park was the best place to see wildlife.
From the famous Grizzly Bears, to Black Bears, Bald Eagles and Beavers – Jasper National Park has it all in abundance.
But, the question is, where is the best place to find these amazing animals?
In this Jasper Wildlife Guide, I will show you the very best places to spot wildlife in Jasper National Park.
Unfortunately, it’s not an exact science. Wildlife photography never is. However, if you follow the tips in this article I’m sure you’ll have a decent chance of seeing lots of different animals all over Jasper…even bears.
Where is the best place to see wildlife in Jasper? I saw the greatest number and diversity of wildlife along the Maligne Lake Road just north of Jasper town. For the best chance to see bears and other animals, drive up and down the road in spring during the early morning or evening.
THE BEST PLACES TO SEE AND PHOTOGRAPH WILDLIFE IN JASPER NATIONAL PARK, CANADIAN ROCKIES
Table of Contents
The best place to see Grizzly Bears in Jasper
By far the most sought after and among the most rare animals to see in Jasper National Park is the Grizzly Bear. With impressive, muscular physiques, long snout and dusty brown fur (though the colour can vary), there’s no mistaking them. They are a truly magnificent creatures.
The first time I spotted a Grizzly was along the Maligne Lake Road just North of Jasper. In general, this road is one of the best places to spot wildlife in Jasper National Park.
As can be seen from the image above, the bears often graze on the dandelions (their favourite spring food) that grow along the side of roads.
I also had some luck along Route 93A up towards Marmot Basin which is a nice, quiet road (great in the early morning).
Chances are, you’ll spot a Grizzly Bear from the safety of your vehicle. But if you don’t, remember not to get too close! Their 15cm claws and large teeth can make short work of hikers and photographers that get too close – particularly if there are cubs around. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
Setting off early in the morning is a big advantage as the bears are most active just after sunrise.
You can spot Grizzly’s where you least expect them
If you are struggling to see Grizzlies outside of Jasper town, don’t worry. Another great spot to see them is on the golf course of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Yes, that’s right, the golf course! Where there is mown grass, there are lots of dandelions. And where there are dandelions, there are probably bears.
This is probably the best place for photographing Grizzly Bears in Jasper. the visibility is great (but it does lack that ‘wild’ feel).
If you really strike out and are planning on heading down to Banff there’s always the Grizzly Bear Sanctuary located a few hours south in Golden, BC, where you can visit their resident bear – Boo.
Season: April – October
Time of day: Mornings and evenings
The best place to see Black Bears in Jasper
While Grizzly’s are rare and elusive, thankfully, Black Bears are far more common and you’re almost guaranteed to see them all over Jasper National Park.
I saw my first ever Black Bear from the car, driving south past Spahats Falls to Clearwater. It was just for a few seconds and I wasn’t fast enough to take a picture – but it was a truly special moment for me. It was my first bear in Canada.
In Jasper though, I was fortunate enough to have several sightings of Black Bears all over the park. Like Grizzly Bears, Black Bears enjoy mown grass and dandelions. I saw a couple of bears heading North along the Pyramid Lake Road north of Jasper town.
Maligne Lake Road is also good (but if there’s a Grizzly around the Black Bears will stay hidden). You can also see Black Bears heading north from town along Snaring Road (closed between November and May).
Essentially, you’re likely to see a Black Bear along any of the National Parks roads, particularly if they’re well maintained and growing wild flowers (particularly dandelions).
The photograph above was taken from a car park. I’m afraid that’s often the sad reality.
Season: April – October
Time of day: Morning and evening
The best place to find Elk (Wapiti) in Jasper
One animal you won’t miss out on is the magnificent Elk (or locally known as Wapiti), particularly when the rut is on in September-October. Males can be quite aggressive during the rutting season. Be sensible and don’t get too close.
Like many of the best places to spot wildlife in Jasper National Park, you’ll see plenty of Elk along the winding side-roads, as well as along the Icefields Parkway itself. Always keep an eye out for Elk crossing the road – you don’t want to hit one.
The best sighting of Elk I had was just outside town along the Maligne Lake Road near the Skyline Hiking Trailhead (where these photographs were taken).
If you’re camping, you may also see Elk wandering into the camp in the early evening to bed down for the night. The males often like to protect their females by leading them into campsites or even towns to avoid hungry predators like wolves.
I had a wonderful time at Wapiti Campground and (as the name may suggest) there were plenty of Elk in and around the camp almost constantly.
Calving Season: May – June
Rutting Season: September – October
Easy Icefields Parkway Hikes
The best place to find Moose in Jasper
Moose the largest member of the deer family and are among the most difficult creatures to spot in Jasper National Park. While the odds may be stacked against you, but it’s certainly not impossible.
Since the Moose are indeed wild, there’s no guarantee where they will be exactly. However, like Elk, they can be spotted along the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Lake Louise. Another spot is the aptly named “Moose Lake Trail” which wraps around Annette Lake (aka the Annette Lake Trail).
I’ve also heard of a good spot at the Becker’s Challets where Moose have been known to cross the river there. But I didn’t see anything there myself.
Season: Moose can be seen year round
Time of day: Mornings and evenings
The best place to find Beavers in Jasper
Beavers can be spotted along the rivers, streams and marsh-lands (obviously) that are spread all over Jasper National Park.
Like much of Canada’s wildlife, they’re elusive and difficult to spot. However, if you see a beaver damn you know you’re in the right place. Hanging around the damns in the early morning or late evening is often the best place to spot Beavers in Jasper.
You’re best bet is asking local people where the Beaver damns are, or simply picking trails that run along rivers and lakes. Remember, Beavers are nocturnal, so the best time to see them is first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. In winter, they spend most of their time in their lodges.
Spring and summer would be your best bet.
Make sure to check out my article: the best places to find Beavers in the Canadian Rockies for an in-depth look.
Season: April – October
Time of day: Sunrise of late evening
Is it possible to see Wolves in Jasper National Park?
I will start this paragraph by saying that, unfortunately, the chances of seeing wolves in the wild is next to impossible.
I met plenty of Canadians who live in and around Jasper National Park and have gone their entire lives without ever catching a glimpse of these incredible, mysterious creatures.
There are two ways (that I know of) to guarantee you see wolves (or the closely related Wolfdogs), but sadly both are further south in Banff National Park.
Firstly, there is the Yamnuska Wolf Dog Sanctuary, which is a not-for-profit organisation. The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary currently has 25 permanent wolfdogs, 10 ambassador wolfdogs, and any number of wolfdogs available for adoption.
Second, in the town of Golden, the Northern Lights Wildlife Centre is fantastic and even offer visitors a chance to walk with the wolves. If you are a photographer, this is your number one place to get some incredible images of wolves in a semi-wild setting.
The best place to see Bighorn Sheep in Jasper
Bighorn Sheep are among the most common wild life to see if Jasper National Park. You’ll likely see them scattered throughout the park as you go on your treks and adventures.
The sheep enjoy rocky areas and are known to scale the steep cliffs that are cut from the roadside, so keep an eye out on these as you drive.
The best place I found was at the southern end of the park along the Wilcox Pass hike just south of the Athabasca Glacier and the Icefields Centre.
The hike around Edith Cavell Meadows is also a good one for spotting Bighorn Sheep.
Season: April – October
Camping in Canada?
Finding the rodents: Squirrels, Marmots,
Chipmunks and Pika
If you are worried about where to see wildlife in Jasper National Park, fear not, as you’ll certainly come across Marmots, Pikas, Chipmunks and Squirrels a plenty. They are all over the place.
The best places to spot them are along the many mountain trails in Jasper National Park. Some of the best have to be The Bald Hills trail or the Tonquin Valley Loop.
For for Squirrels, you should definitely check out the Maligne Canyon. There easy to spot and generally make themselves known to you with their sharp rat-ta-ta-tat calls.
Marmots and Pika prefer the more rocky areas up in the mountains, but you can also find them nesting in build up areas, or on lawns.
Usually, they burrow under a rock which protects them from predators. You can identify each from their short, sharp screams as you stumble across them.
Chipmunks were a little less common but perhaps the most tame creatures in Jasper National Park.
Obviously, don’t try to feed them, but they’ll usually come right up to you and dance around your feet. You can find them at any of the major tourist hot-spots such as Maligne Lake or Edith Lake.
The best place to see Woodland Caribou in Jasper
Sadly, Woodland Caribou have become increasingly rare in and around Canada’s national parks.
In Jasper, as of late 2018, only around 40 wild Caribou remain and the species looks set to disappear from the National Park all together soon.
The Caribou are split into two main herds. The largest can be found around the Tonquin Valley Loop and contains about 31 animals according to the 2018 census.
The Brazeau and Maligne herds have just 10-11 Caribou left and can be found around the Maligne Lake trails and Brazeau Lake.
Woodland Caribou are the most endangered species on this list.
If you do see one, please be respectful and keep your distance so as not to disturb or disrupt the animals from their normal routine.
The best place to see Bald Eagles in Jasper
These incredible birds of pray are not uncommon and can be seen all over the Rockies.
If you are wondering where the best place to see Bald Eagles in Jasper National Park is, you could do worse that Medicine Lake.
There are at least a couple of nests around the lake which give tourists are good opportunity to see and to photograph Bald Eagles.
They’re opportunistic feeders and like to eat carrion of fresh fish from the lake itself.
If you’re lucky, you can see them hunting by swooping down on the water to catch a fish with their sharp talons. Sadly, I didn’t see this myself but it’s certainly on my bucket list!
In general, if you want to see Bald Eagles in Jasper and other birds of pray, head out to any lakeside trail head and start walking – remember to look up!
Try to spot a white tennis balls in the trees. If you see one, chances are, it’s a Bald Eagle. Good luck.
Season: Year round, but most active in the spring and summer.
The best place to see Grouse in Jasper
As the image might suggest, Grouse can be found at the tops of trees all over Jasper National Park. However, more commonly, you’ll spot them on the trail head – usually walking about 50ft in front of you.
For some reason, they never seem to run away or hide. Rather, they enjoy becoming a little forward party, walking along the trail but never leaving it.
I liked to think that they would be an excellent advanced warning for any Grizzly Bears coming the other way…but I never got to test it.
They have been known to frequent trails around Tonquin Valley, Berg Lake, and Maligne Lake, arguably three of the best places to spot wildlife in Jasper National Park.
If you hear a dull, low “whomp” sound, that’s a male grouse seeking a mate. It’s a hard sound to follow, but if you do, you’ll no doubt see him, chest out and looking tremendously impressive.
They can be quite aggressive in mating season, so keep your distance or risk an attack.
A word on respecting the wildlife in Jasper National Park
So that’s it. My definitive guide on the best places to spot wildlife in Jasper National Park. I hope you have found it useful.
The Canadian Rockies are a truly amazing environment. I can honestly say that I’ve never been anywhere quite like it before and I’m excited for you to get there and see all of this for yourself.
Remember, the wildlife in Jasper (as with all wildlife) is delicate and we must do everything we can to respect it and let nature do it’s thing. No matter how tempting, don’t approach the animals and NEVER feed them.
Sadly, you’d be surprised at how many reports there are of tourists attempting to feed the animals, including bears. Some people just don’t think. With the rise of social media, the temptation to get up close for the perfect photo or shareable ‘selfie’ sometimes outweighs plain old common sense.
Please don’t let this be you.
The wildlife in Jasper National Park and the Canadian Rockies is truly awesome. Let’s all do what we can to keep it that way.
Where to stay in Jasper National Park:
hotels and camp sites.
There are plenty of options for staying in Jasper National Park. Depending on your budget, you can go fill-on luxury or keep it simple hostel style.
If you’re driving to Jasper from Vancouver and need to buy some gear before you arrive, make sure to checkout my guide on where to buy camping gear in Vancouver.
Below are some recommendations for places to stay in and around Jasper: