Day 9: Jasper National Park

Our alarm clock rings at 7 am. We quickly have breakfast and leave the campground at half past 8. Our destination is Maligne Lake. On the way, we pass by Medicine Lake and see an eagle's nest with a bald eagle chick. After an hour, we reach Maligne Lake. From there, our boat trip across the lake starts at 10 am. Maligne Lake is about 21 km long and about 90 meters deep at its deepest point. It is located at an elevation of 1673 meters above sea level. The scenery is dominated by majestic snow-capped peaks. We see several glaciers. After 45 minutes, we reach the south end of the lake where Spirit Island is located. We land and walk a short loop trail, enjoying a postcard-like view in bright sunshine. Then we head back to the starting point. Shortly before Jasper, another highlight awaits us: Maligne Canyon. The narrow gorge, only a few meters wide, is deep and the river flows swiftly through it. This has created hollows in the rock. Some tree trunks have gotten stuck, but the water finds its way. There are 6 bridges spread out over the gorge. We stand at the top and walk downhill. We turn around after 1.5 kilometers at Bridge 4, as we have to climb up the mountain again. With a short break, it's not as exhausting as expected.
Now we want to make a short detour to Jasper. We stroll through the town and visit the Information Center again. The kids complete all tasks in the Junior Park Rancher program and receive their badges. Then we buy souvenirs and make our way back to the campground.