Easy Hikes Near Town: Valley of the Five Lakes (5 Turquoise Shades) & Old Fort Point Sunset

You do not have to drive an hour from Jasper Townsite to find glowing turquoise lakes or panoramic river viewpoints: two of the highest-rated short hikes in the national park sit 5 to 10 minutes' drive (or a 30-minute bike ride) from downtown Connaught Drive.

1. Valley of the Five Lakes (9 km South on Highway 93, 4.5 km Loop, 1.5 to 2 Hours, Only 66m Gain)

Located 10 minutes south of Jasper Townsite off the Icefields Parkway, the Valley of the Five Lakes (Trail 9a & 9b) is the top easy-to-moderate family hike in Jasper:

• Why Each of the 5 Lakes Is a Different Colour: fed by underground springs and differing depths of suspended glacial rock flour and white marl clay on the lakebeds, the five small lakes sit strung together like beads on a necklace, yet each glows a visibly different shade of deep sapphire blue (First Lake), emerald green (Second Lake), neon jade-turquoise (Third & Fourth Lakes, connected by a shallow channel) and aquamarine (Fifth Lake).
• Find the Famous 'Parks Canada Red Chairs' Between the Third & Fourth Lakes: halfway around the loop on the narrow grassy ridge separating the Third and Fourth Lakes sit two landmark red Adirondack chairs looking down into water so transparent you can watch brook trout swimming over sunken logs. (Check current Parks Canada trail status, as sections of the southern forest near Wabasso were affected by the 2024 wildfire while the lakes remain scenic).

2. Old Fort Point Loop (3 km East of Downtown at the Athabasca River Bridge, 3.8 km Loop, 1.5 Hours)

Want a 360-degree view over the Athabasca River Valley, Jasper Townsite, Mount Edith Cavell, Whistlers Mountain and turquoise Lac Beauvert in under 30 minutes of uphill walking? Cross the iron bridge over the Athabasca River toward the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge to the Old Fort Point Trailhead:

• Climb the Wooden Stairs First (Clockwise Direction): start up the wooden staircase behind the car park to reach the First & Second Grassy Knolls (130m above the river) in 20 minutes, keeping your eyes open for Jasper's resident herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep grazing on these bluffs at sunset.