A forested loop featuring several small lakes.
R. Gruys
Saturday Night Lake
Jasper National Park
Saturday Night Lake Backcountry Guide (PDF, 784 KB)Step onto this backcountry trail right from the Town of Jasper. Travel through the hills adjacent to the town, visiting quiet lakes and viewing wildflowers and wildlife. The lower elevations of this trail often mean it can be accessed earlier or later in the season. The loop can be hiked or mountain biked.
Planning considerations
- Maintained trail: Medium priority
- 24.6 km loop
- Trail #3: 2 - 3 days
- Bikes permitted
- Horses permitted
- Dogs permitted
The details
No matter which direction you travel, this trail starts at Cabin Creek and climbs steadily. The trail going up to Saturday Night Lake is steeper, while the trail up to Minnow Lake is still all uphill, but the grade is more gradual. Many hikers prefer travelling clockwise for a more gradual incline, while bikers prefer counter-clockwise for a longer downhill section. Both Minnow Lake and Saturday Night Lake campgrounds provide nice views and are situated right on the shores of small lakes. The trail between Minnow and Saturday Night lakes is typically muddy, but still makes for a nice valley hike.
- This is a multi-use trail; make noise to alert other users and wildlife of your presence. When encountering horse users, bikers should dismount and stand to the side of the trail.
- Close to Jasper, the trail is marked as Trail #3 on yellow diamonds.
Elevation profile
Text version
- The elevation profile shows the trail beginning at just under 1100 m.
- The trail climbs steadily with some short, steep ascents and descents over 9.2 km to the Minnow Lake campground junction (1438 m).
- From there, the grade steepens over the next 2.5 km, then descends steeply 0.7 km to the to High Lakes junction at kilometre 12.4 (1586 m).
- The trail mainly descends over the next 5.6 km from the High Lakes junction with one significant hill in the middle to the Saturday Night Lake junction (1400 m).
- The final 6.6 km back to the trailhead descends steadily with some short, steeper sections.
Campground information
| Campground | Elevation | Description | # of sites | Toilet type | Food storage | UTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnow Lake #39  No horses |
1405 m | This campground is located in a pine forest next to the lake. | 4 | Barrel | Lockers | 11U 417672 5860555 |
| Saturday Night Lake #40 No horses |
1420 m | This campground is located 500 m off the main trail and situated next to a small lake. | 4 | Throne | Lockers | 11U 420720 5860925 |
How to get there
From the town of Jasper
- From the traffic lights at the junction of Connaught Drive and Hazel Ave in Jasper, travel west on Connaught Drive for two blocks.
- Turn right onto Pine Avenue.
- At the end of Pine Avenue, turn left onto Bonhomme Street.
- Follow this road for 650 metres before taking the gravel road on your right to the trailhead marked P2.
To reach Minnow Lake from P2, take trail 11 (Discovery Trail) leading westward behind the trailhead kiosk for 180 m to Trail #3. To reach Saturday Night Lake, head eastward up the slope opposite the trailhead kiosk, and immediately turn left onto Trail #3.
Are you prepared?
Safety is your responsibility
Refer to the Jasper National Park Backcountry Planning Guide:
- descriptions of trail types and campground facilities;
- equipment checklists;
- responsible camping practices;
- safety information.
Before heading out, check trail, weather and road conditions at: parks.canada.ca/jaspertrails.
Maps
| NTS | National Geographic | Gem Trek |
|---|---|---|
| Jasper 83 D/16 | Jasper South | Best of Jasper |
Permits
A backcountry camping permit is mandatory for all overnight trips and can be obtained online at reservation.pc.gc.ca or by calling 1-877-737-3783.
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