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Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 km² (4200 mi²). It is located in the province of Alberta, to the north of Banff National Park and west of the city of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and, of course, mountains. Wildlife in the park includes elk, caribou, moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, grizzly bear, black bear, beaver, Rocky Mountain pika, hoary marmot, gray wolf, mountain lion, and wolverine.
[edit] HistoryJasper was named after Jasper Hawes, who operated a trading post in the region for the North West Company. Before this it was referred to as Fitzhugh. The park was established on September 14, 1907 as Jasper Forest Park, and was granted national park status in 1930, with the passing of the National Parks Act.[2] In 2006, Jasper National Park had 1,988,600 visitors.[1] [edit] World Heritage SiteThis park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, together with the other national and provincial parks that form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, for the mountain landscapes containing mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and limestone caves as well as fossils found here. [edit] GeographyMajor river systems originating in the park include the North Saskatchewan River (part of the Hudson Bay basin), the Athabasca River and Smoky River (part of the Arctic Ocean basin). [edit] Attractions Some of the park's many photogenic vistas include Mount Edith Cavell, Pyramid Lake with Pyramid Mountain, Maligne Lake, Medicine Lake, and the Tonquin Valley all considered best photographed at sunrise except for Maligne Lake, which is best in the evening. Other attractions are the Marmot Basin ski area, the Snocoach (bus-sized snowmobile) tours of the Athabasca Glacier, a distributary of the Columbia Icefield, Athabasca Falls, Maligne Lake, Whistler Sky-Tram the Jasper Tramway, and numerous other outdoor related recreational activities (such as hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, rafting, kayaking and camping). The Miette Hotsprings are located close to the northeast entrance.The Miette Hotsprings is created by an extremely hot spring cooled by the mountain to just the right temperature for humans to use. It is the most natural hot tub in the world. Among the most stunning of attractions is the Icefields Parkway, a highway 230 km (143 miles) in length from Lake Louise, Alberta in Banff National Park, to Jasper, Alberta. The highway parallels the continental divide, providing motor and cycle access to glorious mountain scenery. Along the highway travellers can take in both the Athabasca, and Sunwapta Falls which are easily accessible. An aerial view of the one of the falls can be seen here. [edit] Photo gallery
[edit] See also[edit] References
[edit] External links
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