It’s no secret that Jasper National Park is one of Canada’s greatest spots for photography. Located North of and often shadowed by Banff, Jasper seems to have less international recognition and a lower profile in general, however in many cases, can provide the same or often better opportunities for photographers in both landscapes and wildlife. Given its overlooked status, it is worth condidering as a complementary or alternate destination for a trip to the Canadian Rockies.

The Basics

Jasper and Banff National Parks are adjacent to each other and share a boarder at the Columbia Icefields on Hwy 93. The actual townsite of Jasper is quite a bit further North of that boarder and is about 300km North of the Banff townsite. It is almost an equidistant drive from Calgary or Edmonton (Alberta’s two major cities / airports) and the drive in good conditions is about 4-5 hours from either location. Given this, it is definitely more challenging to get to Jasper than Banff (when coming from Calgary) and this results in almost a 1/2 reduction in tourism numbers between the parks (4.5 million in Banff / 2.5 Million in Jasper, annually).

The town of Jasper is without question less immediately impressive than Banff, especially if you are looking for luxury. Most of the area is less commercialized and the infrastructure is definitely older and it shows. There are fewer shopping experiences and chain restaurants. The hotels of the area are mostly legacy buildings and not up to the modern aesthetics or amenities. If you are looking for a posh experience, this isn’t your town. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t charming. You get more of an old-timey experience in the area and it is a bit more of a time capsule for Canada’s mountain regions and their historic beginnings. Despite this the town is well setup for visitors and provides all the necessities and services you need, but does have significantly fewer high-end shopping experiences and fewer (but still plenty) dining options if that is something you care about.

Jasper vs. Banff

First, Jasper is more laid back and relaxed in atmosphere. Banff is more of a mountain experience for those who want to bring the city (and the crowds) with them. and Jasper is for a more grounded, quiet and escaping experience. If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle, Jasper is a better spot. The area is more remote and you can feel the small town vibe when visiting.

Banff on the other hand is the poster-child for the Canadian Rockies. The attractions are world famous and ubiquitous for what the Canadian Rockies are. If you are looking for all of those classic locations, that is where they are. The trade-off is that everyone knows about Banff and it is much more chaotic and busy. A lot of the time the main attraction areas are overloaded and tourist behaviour can be less than respectable at times. Given its close location to Calgary, there is almost always a high volume of traffic, especially on weekends. However there is more in terms of luxury amenities, high-end dining and shopping experiences and the town is generally more modern and visually appealing.

Jasper Landscapes

When it comes to landscapes, Jasper is top tier. Despite forming in a differing geological manner and looking somewhat different than the Banff mountains, the mountain ranges around Jasper are still a part of the Western Canadian Rocky Mountain ranges and are as impressive as would be expected. There are plenty of lakes, rivers and streams in the area that often have the same or similar mineral deposits that give off those unique colours. Hikes are plentiful and depending on what you are looking for, there is something for everyone. Another advantage is that the main views and attractions of the area are more spread out and require different roads / routes to get to them. This generally makes the crowds more manageable and driving significantly less stressful. I personally think you can get photos that are less ubiquitous that stand-out just as well as Banff’s finest spots.

Wildlife

When it comes to wildlife, Jasper is the spot. I don’t have any official numbers or stats to back this up, but over many years of visiting both parks, Jasper has provided significantly better and more plentiful opportunities for seeing wildlife. The town site itself is often “over-run” by elk alone. I have seen bears, moose, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, eagles, coyotes and I think a wolf once (it was dark out). It is not rare, but common to see many of these, especially big horns and elk. In Banff, it’s way harder to find any of these animals, especially on the roadway. If you are looking for a wildlife experience, Jasper outranks Banff without a question.

In general, the wildlife in the area see lots of people and can be seemingly comfortable around humans. For photos, this can be great as they tend to just hang around unbothered by your presence and you can shoot to your heart’s content in some cases. Despite this, the animals are still completely wild and tourists need to respect that. Safe viewing distances for the animals is paramount. No baiting or feeding them either. If animals become too accustom to people, they will be relocated or killed. No iPhone in their faces. That’s just stupid on all levels. If you want close-ups of wildlife, do it right with a big telephoto lens.

The best times for animal spotting that I have found is in the early to mid fall. The elk are in rutting season and are quite interesting to watch. Tourism volumes fall in between summer and ski season and the park is quite serine. It seems that the animals know this too and have been plentiful in my experience.

The Unfortunate

A recent and major downside was the 2024 forest fires. A good portion of the area around and in the townsite was completely burned. A couple tourism amentities were lost (a gas station, campgrounds and a few hotels and lodges). This has greatly affected the greenery from the Athabasca Falls area all the way into the town and up into the Medicine Lake area. Despite this, there are new opportunities to photograph and the atmosphere can be eerie in a workable way.

The town of Jasper has suffered both from destruction and lower visitor levels since. They would strongly benefit from a visit and have taken many efforts to attract people back. Almost all of the tourism infrastructure was saved and it still can accommodate significant volumes of people.

From my point of view, this has opened up the landscape in ways not previously seen and I think could be viewed as new opportunities for unique photos. A bit of this is just making the best of a bad situation, but it is still quite stunning regardless.

*Burnt trees at the beginning of where the fire started on Hwy 93.*

In Summary, if you’re thinking of going to Banff, I do strongly suggest trying Jasper out as either a complementary or alternative location. As an Albertan local, I do think that Jasper is quite underrated on the international stage and is well worth the time and money. It is a haven for photographers and offers so much opportunity to be ignored (although perhaps it is not the greatest place for street photography). Below is a list of notable places to explore that I have found success with.

Notable Landscape Spots

1.) Pyramid Lake - ~10 minute drive west of the townsite.

2.) Athabasca Falls - ~30-45 minute drive South of townsite.

3.) Sunwapta Falls - ~10-20 minute drive South of Athabasca Falls

4.) Medicine Lake - ~30 minute drive east of the townsite.

5.) Lake Edith & Annette - 10 minutes was of the townsite.

5.) Maligne Lake / Spirit Island - ~60 minute drive east of the townsite (spirit island by ferry or multi-day canoe trip from maligne lake).

6.) Whistler’s mountain (gondola / hike).

7.) Tonquinn Valley (multi-day hike).

8.) Icefields Parkway / Hwy 93 - South of Jasper townsite to Columbia Icefields (Jasper portion).

9.) Columbia Icefields.

“Best” Spots for Wildlife