Making a national park part of your holiday doesn’t mean it has to be all about nature and wilderness.
Jasper National Park, for example, while stunning in all its glory at the heart of the Rocky Mountain, also offers an eclectic range of options for couples, families, children, and single travellers looking for a little bit of everything.
Jasper has always had timeless appeal as a peaceful, unpretentious and intimate former railway town that just happens to be set smack in the middle of some of the world’s most gorgeous protected wilderness.
Find out more about Jasper in our Top 10 Sights & Attractions of Jasper, Alberta.
Authentic and eclectic at the same time
Sure, you can get your sashimi fix and buy all the latest gear and gadgets here. But Jasper is refreshingly eclectic around the edges, something increasingly hard to find as more and more resorts vie to be the coolest spot of the season. Although there is new development on boutique strips such as Patricia Street, and in nightspots springing up around town, Jasper still retains its rustic and authentic charm without feeling old fashioned. It’s an authentic community where real people live, not just a tourism driven amusement park.
You can see this most vividly in the town’s distinctive architecture, best exemplified by Jasper Information Centre, one of the most influential examples of rustic architectural style found anywhere in Canada’s National Parks. Completed in 1914, it was the first of its kind to incorporate local cobblestone and timber construction materials. This practice became the design template for future Jasper buildings, as well as the inspiration for buildings in Canada’s other national parks.
Another architectural gem is the former Catholic Church, a lovely stone and stucco creation where none other than Bing Crosby sang in the choir whenever he visited Jasper, which apparently was quite often.
Jasper also has superb art galleries featuring one of Canada’s finest collections of Native Art, as well as yearlong special events.
Things kick off In January with the Jasper in January, featuring two weeks of family oriented activities. Other popular events include the 10 km Spring Runoff race, the Jasper Children’s Festival, the Heritage Folk Festival, a professional rodeo, and the Jasper Park Wildlife Festival each October, featuring free field trips with Park biologists and wardens, art shows, guided wildlife tours and more.
Stroll the streets popping into a café, pub or restaurant. Or simply sit on a park bench and watch the world go by and you’ll begin to feel Jasper’s sense of quiet peace.
The town, named along with the park after Jasper Hawes, who worked for the North West Company in the early 1800s, isn’t rushing to become something that doesn’t feel authentic. Nor are its resident’s content to remain in some retro time warp. Instead, they have managed to strike a fine balance between development, conservation, tourism and ecology. That’s a great feeling, whether you’re here for a holiday or a lifetime.
To visit Jasper, go to: www.jasper.travel or www.travelalberta.com.