From its humble beginnings in 1811 as the earliest fur-trade post in the central Rockies, to Canada's third most visited national park, Jasper National Park offers a distinctive Rocky Mountain experience. The largest -11,228 sq km (4,335 sq miles) - and most northerly Canadian Rockies National Park includes the foothills to the east, the Continental divide to the west along the Alberta/British Columbia border and extends to the Columbia Icefield in the south. The mighty Athabasca River flows north and east from its origin at the toe of the Columbia Glacier through Jasper Park for 168 km (104 miles). If you are only able to visit one Rocky Mountain Park, I recommend this one. Jasper offers more than 1,300 km (808 miles) of superb walking, hiking and backpacking trails and excellent wildlife viewing. Snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, expansive valleys, sparkling glacial lakes and soothing hot springs fill the landscape. The town of Jasper is less commercialized than its sister park Banff, yet if offers many restaurants, accommodations, a variety of attractions and shopping. The author grew up in the Canadian Rockies and has been exploring them since she was a child. The Canadian Rockies are one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, and with good reason. Easily accessible adventures include walking, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, boating, horseback riding, skiing and wildlife viewing -- with some of the most spectacular animals in North America. Where else can you spend the morning hiking through spectacular wilderness and by afternoon enjoy high tea in one of the grand hotels? The guide is filled with inside information on how to avoid the tourist traps and where to find the special places off the beaten path that the tourists don't know about; the most worthwhile outdoor adventures and indoor activities; the hotels and restaurants at all price levels that are the very best; plus tips on places to avoid.
A review of the complete Canadian Rockies Adventure Guide from which this is drawn: "Having been to the Canadian Rockies numerous times and thinking we had seen all the wonderful places before we discovered this book, we now must plan many more trips there to explore all the other incredible places described in detail in this Guide. With numerous beautiful color photographs, most of which are by the author, this guide is a treasure because the scenery of the Canadian Rockies is some of the most spectacular in the world. A unique feature of this guide book is that it includes hiking details for each of the areas described. Since we have hiked many of these areas, we know this is a necessary and valuable tool for planning hikes. With each section Koller has Hikes, Drives, Sights, and Activities, so for non-hikers it is just as valuable, also giving information for booking guided tours. The Canadian Rockies have so many wonderful places to discover and some are quite hidden unless you know where to look, as you will with this guide. Everything from camping to exclusive hotels and restaurants are catalogued also." -- Bonnie Neely (Amazon reviewer)
