• Jasper Alberta, Jasper National Park Jasper National Park Hiking
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A great one-night backpacking trip, the Jacques Lake hike travels through a narrow mountain valley, skirting four lakes and crosses a watershed - over about 13 km, with a small change in elevation.

Hiking Distance 24.4 km return on the same hiking trail.
Hiking Time It will take 1-2 days to complete the Jacques Lake hike.

Getting to Jacques Lake Trailhead..

From Jasper, take Highway 16 east towards Edmonton until the Moberly bridge. Turn right across the bridge onto Maligne Road. Drive 28 km up Maligne Road to the end of Medicine Lake. Turn left into the parking lot and trail head.

The Jacques Lake Hike..

The hiking trail has a small amount of elevation gain (240 m), starting out on a fire road for the first 4.8 km. At 1.6 km you will arrive at Beaver Lake, a beautiful small lake with nice views. Hike the trail for another 3.2 km and you will arrive at the Summit Lakes. Some people choose to ride their bikes to these lakes, then lock them up and continue the final 7.6 km hike on foot.

The trail from Summit to Jacques Lake is an easy hike through dense forest with many small creeks. Once you arrive at the campground, which sits right next to Jacques Lake, you are rewarded with beautiful views of the Queen Elizabeth Mountain Range.

The Jacques Lake Hike - Need to Know
The Jacques Lake hiking trail is a great early or late season hike that can be quite muddy throughout the season, but is generally in good condition. Moose are common near the campground at dusk and dawn, and Grizzly bears can range these areas at certain times of the year.

East of Jacques Lake Campground may be impassable due to trail damage and fallen trees from a large forest fire. The campground is a wildlife travel corridors so always hang your food from the bear pole and keep your eating areas clean.

Jacques Lake Campground
The campground is located next to Jacques Lake and offers wonderful views of the Queen Elizabeth Mountain Range. There are 8 camping sites with a fire pit.

Jacques Lake Backcountry Camping Permits
A backcountry camping permit is mandatory for all overnight trips in Jasper National Park, and can be obtained online at reservations.pc.gc.ca or by calling 1877-737-3783.