What's open in Jasper National Park

Update on park recovery: What can we expect in 2026?

Trails, roads and day use areas

Parks Canada has been working throughout Jasper National Park to reopen trails and visitor areas affected by wildfire. This work includes clearing hazard trees; repairing and rerouting trails; building bridges, privies and signage; and monitoring for slope safety and invasive species. This complex work requires thoughtful planning, ecological understanding and close collaboration across teams to ensure these areas are safe and ready for visitors.

Thanks to this ongoing effort, summer 2025 saw the reopening of popular trails and areas at Whistlers Mountain, Lac Beauvert, Lake Annette, Lake Edith, Fifth to Sixth Bridge off Maligne Road and more. While the majority of Jasper National Park is now open and ready to explore, recovery work continues in a small number of locations.

The following locations will reopen in summer 2026

• Valley of the Five Lakes trail, featuring improvements to this much-loved trail including a realigned trail section, improved surfaces and signage, and new rest areas designed to enhance comfort and accessibility.
• Wabasso Lake trail and Curator trail, offering even more opportunities to experience Jasper’s remarkable landscapes and ongoing renewal.

The following locations will remain closed

• Trail 9 and 9C, connecting Old Fort Point to Valley of the Five Lakes, will remain closed until further notice. This area requires hazard tree clearing and environmental monitoring to understand how changes in the landscape affect the trail.
• Cavell Road and Maligne Canyon will remain closed for the 2026 season, as Parks Canada continues to assess conditions and plan the extensive rehabilitation work required to safely reopen these iconic areas.

These places require additional assessment, removal of hazards or replacement of infrastructure before they can reopen for visitors to safely enjoy.

More information about recovery of trails, roads and day use areas

Campgrounds

Parks Canada has worked hard clearing hazard trees, reconnecting utilities, and rebuilding campground infrastructure to maximize camping availability, supporting visitors and the Jasper tourism economy.

• In 2025, Parks Canada was able to open approximately 75% of frontcountry campsites and 100% of backcountry campsites. All of these campsites will be open for the 2026 season, with additional capacity being added when required through extended overflow camping and operating dates.
• Wabasso Campground, Whirlpool Group Campground, Marmot Meadows Group Campground, and a portion of Wapiti Campground will remain closed for the 2026 season, as Parks Canada plans for the rebuild of these heavily fire-affected campgrounds.

More information about recovery of campgrounds

Other fire-affected areas

The Palisades Stewardship and Education Centre suffered significant damage in the 2024 Jasper Wildfire and will be closed for the foreseeable future.

The Jasper National Park Cultural Use Area suffered significant damage in the 2024 Jasper Wildfire. This outdoor space has reopened for use by Indigenous partners and infrastructure replacement is ongoing.

Plan your trip to Jasper

Visitors can plan trips to Jasper National Park using the online interactive What’s Open map, featuring real-time updates on available facilities and areas. While in town, visitors are encouraged to stop by the Jasper National Park Information Centre for itinerary recommendations and guidance.

Visit Jasper National Park’s website to plan your visit.

More information

Valley of the Five Lakes trail

Restoration is near completion at Valley of the Five Lakes trail. Parks Canada staff have been hard at work clearing burned trees, rebuilding bridges and signage, rerouting trails, and monitoring the area for slope stability and invasive species.

With a planned reopening in summer 2026, several improvements have been made that trail users will enjoy, including:

• a realigned section of trail with stunning new ridgeline views
• improved signage for trail selection and wayfinding
• upgraded trail surfaces with improved drainage
• new rest areas with benches and picnic tables

Cavell Road and Maligne Canyon

Cavell Road and Maligne Canyon provide access to areas with high-angle slopes and exposure. The loss of trees and vegetation on these slopes creates an increased risk for debris flows and landslides.

For public safety, Parks Canada must ensure slope stability and roadway safety standards are met, including possible installation of infrastructure such as retaining structures, guardrails and signage, before reopening these areas.

Initial danger tree removal has been completed at Cavell Road and Maligne Canyon, and geotechnical assessments were completed in fall 2025. The results of the assessments are being evaluated, and Parks Canada is beginning to develop plans for required interventions. Timelines will be communicated as planning progresses.

Campgrounds

Parks Canada recognizes the importance of campgrounds to the overall visitor economy of Jasper and is proud to offer high-quality camping experiences.

Parks Canada has a dedicated infrastructure rebuild team working on recovery related to Parks Canada infrastructure destroyed in the 2024 wildfire. Planning for the rebuild of fire-impacted campgrounds (Wapiti, Wabasso, Marmot Meadows Group Campground and Whirlpool Group Campground) began in winter 2024 and is ongoing.

The rebuild effort required is significant. Much of the infrastructure lost at these campgrounds was at or near the end of its lifespan (50+ years). While pursuing aggressive timelines and exploring ways to reduce campground closures, Parks Canada will deliver essential repairs and replacements while modernizing the camping offer at these sites. There will be future opportunities for Indigenous partners and the public to engage in the rebuild process.

Overview of damage to campgrounds

• Wabasso Campground and Whirlpool Group Campground suffered extensive critical infrastructure damage and will remain closed until further notice.
• Wapiti Campground was open at 30% capacity in 2025 due to critical sanitary and electrical infrastructure loss affecting 70% of sites.
• Whistlers Campground infrastructure was mostly spared; however, burned areas and wind-damaged trees required significant clean-up prior to opening in May 2025.

Camping offer in 2025

Parks Canada opened 75% of frontcountry campsites and 100% of backcountry campsites for the 2025 season. Work included clearing hazard trees, reconnecting utilities, rebuilding campground infrastructure and replacing signage.

• opened Overflow Campground for the full camping season and added most sites to the Parks Canada Reservation System
• extended the camping season earlier in the spring and later into the fall at select campgrounds

Camping offer in 2026

• 75% of Jasper’s total frontcountry campground inventory (pre-2024 wildfire) and 100% of the backcountry inventory will be available for public camping.
• Campsites to support displaced residents and local businesses will be offered at Whistlers Campground again in 2026.
• Camping for contractors working on the Jasper rebuild will be offered at Wabasso Campground again in 2026.

June 26, 2025: Area closure update: Cavell Road, Maligne Canyon and the Valley of the Five Lakes

Parks Canada has worked diligently to reopen most areas of Jasper National Park impacted by the 2024 Jasper Wildfire. Visitors can enjoy the full range of Jasper activities including hiking and biking along extensive trail networks, swimming and canoeing in turquoise lakes, safely observing wildlife, and taking in scenic viewpoints that offer vistas of the ecological regeneration that follows a wildfire. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and reserve Parks Canada campsites.

Recovery efforts continue throughout the park: three highly impacted areas remain closed and will require more time to recover.

Parks Canada is continuing to work on and assess Cavell Road, Maligne Canyon and the Valley of the Five Lakes trails and day-use areas. Given the extent of damage following the wildfire and the scope of the rehabilitation work ahead, Parks Canada will maintain these closures until further notice.

What’s next

We understand how special these areas are to our community and visitors and we’re committed to restoring safe access. The closures are in areas that involve significant slopes and/or roadways, and to ensure public safety, Parks Canada must confirm that slope stability and roadway safety standards are met before these areas can be reopened. The next steps involve hazardous tree removal, detailed geotechnical analysis, and infrastructure design, engineering and rebuild.

Parks Canada is working with technical experts and will engage stakeholders as appropriate as we focus on restoring access, and ultimately, building for Jasper National Park’s future.

• Cavell Road was most impacted by wildfire in the first ~ 3 km of the road, including the switchbacks. This part of the road has always been prone to debris flow, rock falls and flooding, and since the wildfire, the lack of trees and vegetation increases this risk. Hazard trees remain a safety concern along the roadway. Slope stability and roadway safety standards (including installation of infrastructure such as retaining walls, guardrails and signage) must be met before reopening the area. The section of road above the switchbacks is unaffected. At this time, there is no confirmed timeline for reopening Cavell Road. Parks Canada is working diligently and will share updates as soon as more information is available. 


• Maligne Canyon trail from First Bridge to Fifth Bridge suffered significant infrastructure and vegetation damage from particularly intense wildfire behaviour. The loss of trees and vegetation on the steep slopes and in the canyon itself creates a high risk for debris fall and landslides. Working on this sloped terrain is dangerous. Removing hazard trees will be a difficult operation. Further geotechnical analysis will be required before operational repairs (extensive trail repairs, trail rerouting, fencing and signage replacement) can be completed safely. Work is ongoing to remove the hazards at Fifth Bridge day use area. At this time, there is no confirmed timeline for reopening Maligne Canyon.


• Valley of the Five Lakes trail still requires hazardous tree removal. The wildfire changed the landscape, and new water flow patterns may affect how the trail is designed. Minor trail repairs, trail rerouting, and the replacement of signage, small bridges and privies are required before this area can reopen. Work is being completed to remove hazards and repair or replace infrastructure.


• The Curator Trail (#101) is closed below Shovel Pass Lodge for 2025.

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