Backpacking Trails
Jasper's system of backpacking trails and 111 backcountry campsites makes it one of the leading areas for backcountry hiking in North America. To stay overnight in the backcountry, pick up a Wilderness Permit ($6) within 24 hours of your departure, from the park information centre in Jasper Townsite or at the Columbia Icefield. All trails and campsites operate quota systems; contact the park information office for details and book yourself a backcountry campsite(s) - and thus trail place - as soon as you can. Reservations cost $10 (nonrefundable). Trails remain busy even into September: the busiest are Skyline, Maligne Lake, Brazeau and Tonquin Valley. The office staff offer invaluable advice, and issue excellent low-price strip maps of several trails. Overnight hikes are beyond the scope of this book - talk to staff or get hold of a copy of The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide - but by general consent the finest long-distance trails are the Skyline (44km; 820m ascent) and Jonas Pass (19km; 555m ascent), with the latter often combined with the Nigel and Poboktan passes (total 36km; 750m ascent) to make a truly outstanding walk. Not far behind come two hikes in the Tonquin Valley - Astoria River (19km; 445m ascent) and Maccarib Pass (21km; 730m ascent) and the Fryat Valley (3-4 days). Others to consider are Maligne Pass and the long-distance North and South Boundary trails (the latter both over 160km). To summarize, a quick guide to the best walks in Jasper at a glance: ? Best stroll: Maligne Canyon ? Best short walk: Wilcox Pass ? Best day-hike (easy): Cavell Meadows ? Best day-hike (moderate) Opal Hills ? Best day-hike (strenuous): Sulphur Skyline ? Best backpacking trail: Skyline Trai
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