Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Jasper National Park → Valley of Five Lakes

Location:  Jasper area, Jasper National Park, Alberta

Distance: 4.5 km/2.8 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain: 150 meters/500 feet

Time Required: 1 – 2 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Heavily trafficked, so be prepared! Entry into Jasper requires a daily fee of about $10 per person (or ~$20 per family/group); alternatively, you can buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass if you’re staying for an extended time.

What’s Nearby?: Sunwapta Falls, Athabasca Falls, Whistlers Summit Trail, Mt. Edith Cavell Trail (to Angel Glacier)

Possibly the most popular trail in Jasper (competing with Maligne Canyon for the honour), this trail is very busy and for good reason. In a short loop, you’ll see five beautiful lakes – these lakes would be very pretty if their water were a normal colour, but the fact that the water is in various shades of blue-green and turquoise makes these lakes really special. When you’re not staring at the lakes you’re strolling through green forests and a nice meadow, with views of the mountains all around. We visited on a beautiful clear morning and had the trail entirely to ourselves. Visiting so early meant we avoided the crowds and also had the benefit of lovely reflections on the lake surfaces – the downside is that the reflections obviously made it difficult to see the colour of the water. Pick what’s important to you when you’re planning your trip – I was happy with our choice, but I think we’ll probably do a return trip later in the day under better conditions for appreciating the water’s colour. It’s such a short hike, you may as well.

Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Jasper National Park → Valley of Five Lakes