Whether you want to go for a leisurely ride around town or a scenic journey down the Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park offers plenty of options for enthusiastic road cyclists.
Jasper’s ultimate road ride is the freshly paved 14 km Edith Cavell Road climb. It’s almost exactly 50 km round-trip from the town of Jasper, with just under 1000 metres of climbing.
LOCAL TIP: Ride it before the road opens on June 15 and enjoy the road without traffic.
Jasper’s best 100 km ride, the road to Maligne Lake is as challenging as it is scenic. Long sustained climbs are mixed in with some of Jasper’s best wildlife viewing along this route, especially along Medicine Lake where Big Horn sheep are commonly seen.
LOCAL TIP: Don’t be fooled by the profile. Although it’s mostly downhill on the ride back, headwinds can make it equally challenging.
Combining 93A and the Icefields Parkway, the 60 km Athabasca Falls ride is one of Jasper’s few circle routes.
LOCAL TIP: Ride the loop counter-clockwise to keep the harder climbs at the beginning of the route.
The Miette Hot Springs Road is one of the quietest paved roads in Jasper National Park. It’s also the most customizable route, too, because it’s possible to make it as short as 34 km when starting from Pocahontas CabinsPocahontas Cabins, and as long as 120 km if riding to and from the town of Jasper.
LOCAL TIP: Shorten the ride and avoid the head winds that plague the return ride to Jasper by driving east and parking at Talbot Lake.
Looking to sneak in a ride without leaving cell service? It’s possible to create quite the circuit. Start with climbs up to Marmot Basin and the Jasper SkyTram, and then take the back road from Old Fort Point to The Fairmont Jasper Park LodgeThe Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
LOCAL TIP: For even more kilometres, add in out-and-back segments to Maligne Canyon or Pyramid Lake.
