Bald Hills Jasper

Hiking Bald Hills in Japser, Alberta is one of those high reward for moderate effort hikes. Is it a simple, unchallenging hike? No, it’s not. But the views are incredible.

So what should you know about this day hike near Jasper? Everything you’ll need, including how to get there, the route to take and what to expect is below.

I’ll also drop some valuable links I used when planning my Bald Hills hiking day trip from Edmonton. This does make for a massive day., but totally worth it.

Bald Hills Jasper Basic Information

Length – 13 to 15 km

Type of trail – Out and back

Elevation Gain – 708m

Time to hike – 2 to 5 hours

Difficulty – Moderate

No dogs are allowed on the Bald Hills Trail.

This hike begins at Malinge Lake. Take Malinge Lake Road to the second parking lot and the trail head is opposite the boat ramp.

This trail is closed seasonal due to snow and even during the warmer months, pockets of white stuff cover the walking trail to Bald Hills Peak.

How to get to Bald Hills Trail Head Near Jasper

From Jasper, the trail head of Bald Hills is around a 45 minute drive, and you’ll be treated to some splendid views before you leave the car.

If you’re coming from downtown Jasper, head north on a yellow head Highway (Hwy 16) for 4.5km/7 minutes.

You’ll soon come to Magline Lake Road on your right. Turn right and left soon after. Follow Malinge Lake road for about 40 minutes until the end.

Park in the parking lot , and a few steps away is a beautiful view of Malinge Lake.

Head away from the lake and you’ll find the trail head by a information hut and pay phone. You’ll find this little hut opposite from the Maligne Lake boat ramp.

The start of this trail is also the same as Moose Lake Hike.

How long does hiking Bald Hills in Jasper take?

There are two options for this day hike, depending on your time limits and fitness levels, you can decide which is best for you.

The trail length here varies between the different paths and final destination along the way. There are multiple peaks along the way that you can turn around at. There are 3 different peaks people seem to call the end of the hike on.

Option 1 – The Longer Route: This is path I took, and taking this option turns the trek into a loop option. Which I personally enjoy more than out and back trails.

This trail is listed as 14.2km long, and loops around along the same dire road the teail starts on.

Along the way, you will get beautiful Malinge Lake views through the trees on your right and a secret lookout just before the shorter and longer route meet up.

Option 2 – The Shorter Route:

This seemed to be the path everyone else took. By far the more popular option. It’s shorter, but much steeper.

The total kilometer for this route is listed around 13km loop. It is a bit shorter but much steeper. Once you get to the ‘T’ intersection, the Bald Hills Trail will continue to the left, but I highly suggest a detour to the right for a couple hundred meters to the “secret lookout” over Maligne Lake.

Now the trails are combined, it is easy to follow and make your way to the Bald Hills Summit.

During June, I started to find patches and large sections of snow covering the trail.

There are a few snaking trails that eventually meet up as one. Keep an eye out for a yellow sign with black arrows to make your decision as you continue up the path.

Now, this is where there will be three different peaks.

What to expect from this hike in Alberta

You will get stunning views of the Jasper National Park, Maligne Lake itself, valleys, mountains and waterfalls. It’s an incredible view around Jasper, but does require a bit of effort to reach.

It’s very likely you will meet wildlife alone the trail to these beautiful lakes of Jasper. While there is always a chance of bear encounters (please read how to deal with bear encounters), smaller animals are common.

During my hike, I stumbled across a number of pikas, chipmunks and two marmots. They are very friendly and will slyly try to steal your lunch.

Its kind of sad I have to say this , but take your trash with you. Uts unfair to nature and every other hiker to pick up after laziness.

Enjoy your hike!

Take your time and enjoy the natural beauty of Jasper National Park and Canada!

The Bald Hill trail is pretty exhausting, so stop and enjoy your surroundings.

Did this post get something wrong? Questions? Please let me know in the comments and I’ll keep the post updated.

Thanks for reading,

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown