Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park is in Alberta, Canada, and it is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies at about 11,000 square kilometres. It lies north of Banff National Park and west of Edmonton. The park has glaciers, lakes, hot springs, waterfalls and tall mountains.

It was set up as Jasper Forest Park in 1907 and became a national park in 1930. In 1984 UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. It is also a dark-sky preserve, so the night sky is protected and very good for stargazing. The park contains the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, springs, lakes and waterfalls, so there is plenty to explore.

A park shaped by people and ice

The land has been home to the Nakoda, Cree, Secwepemc and Dane-zaa peoples for thousands of years. In the early 1800s fur traders built posts here. The park's name comes from Jasper Haws, a fur trader who took command of one post in 1817, which people then called Jasper's House. The park holds the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, one of the great ice fields of the Rockies.

Under the stars

Jasper is a dark-sky preserve, which means lights are managed so the stars shine brightly. On a clear night visitors can see the Milky Way and, with luck, the northern lights. With mountains, lakes and forests so close to wild animals, the park shows what the Rockies look like in their natural state. Visitors are asked to stay on trails and keep a safe distance from wildlife.

On the globe

The toy globe marks Jasper National Park in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Zoom in to see the mountains and lakes.