Thinking about hiking the Valley of the Five Lakes? Well, you’re in the right spot. One of the easiest trails around Jasper and it’s also quite short.
As a resident of Alberta for the past 7 years, the Valley of the Five Lakes Loop is a trail I’ve heard mentioned many times. Why it took my 7 years to make the trip out to Jasper with this hike in mind, I’m not sure, but I’m glad I finally got to it.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan a beautiful hike to the Five Lake Valley of Jasper, Alberta.
Jasper’s Five Lakes Trail Basics
- Length – 4.5km
- Type of trail – Loop
- Elevation Gain – 172m
- Time to hike – 1.5 to 2 hours
- Difficulty – Easy
The Five Lakes Hike is a pretty easy hike 9km south of Jasper. There is a trail map below and you can easily see a couple of loops around the bright blue and green pools of water.
How to get to the Valley of the 5 Lakes in Jasper?
Take the Icefields Parkway Highway south from Jasper 9km from the set of lights, you’ll take a left hand corner into a decently large carpark.
The trail head begins next to the public toilets right next to the carpark.
How long does the Five Valley Hike near Jasper take?
The hike around the 5 lakes takes somewhere between 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on breaks taken and your fitness level.
Sure, you could run the fairly flat and even trail, but stopping and taking time to soak in the Canadian scenery should be high on your list.
Taking the loop around the valley of lakes near Jasper, Alberta
As you begin the hike, the trail will split into two loops, one left and one right. The left goes to lakes 1,2 and 3, while the right 4 and 5.
Lakes 4 and 5 tend to be the highest-rated, personally, I enjoyed Third Lake.
That is the official name for the lakes, numbered 1 to 5, left to right.
By taking the left loop, you’ll spend a bit of time walking through a forest before hitting the shore of First Lake and following the shoreline.
At the edge of First Lake, that’s closest to the town of Jasper, you’ll cut right. Eventually, you will have the option to turn right to cut between First and Second Lake or continue along the shoreline of Second, Third and Fourth Lake, before taking the trail between Fourth and Fifth Lake.
Since First Lake is by far the bigger lake, it’s pretty easy to both legs if you really want to.
Whatever direction you take, its sure to be a beautiful walk through stunning lakes and dense forest.
What else should I know about the Valley of the Five Lake hike?
Yes, this hike is quite an easy one compared to the hikes Jasper has to offer. However, there are still 172 meters of elevation gain.
On top of that, this isn’t paved at all. It is a trail and uneven patches that make it easy to trip and fall.
You’ll still need a small level of fitness to complete the loop and not regret your decision out of exhaustion.
This little hike near Jasper is quite beautiful. Even though it is popular, it was pretty quiet and you felt alone in nature at times.
The views you’ll be treated to are limited to a lush green valley and crisp blue lakes – don’t go into here expecting mountain top viewpoints.
This trail I would consider easy. You still need some fitness, decent walking shoes and you’ll do fine. The trail can be uneven, as well slippery/muddy in wet weather.
Even though this is a well-trafficked trail, be prepared to encounter wildlife, such as bears.
Feeding any animal in the Canadian wilderness can harm their chances of survival as they can become dependent on food from hikers.
Also, please ensure you take all your garbage with you when you leave. This includes scraps of food.
Enjoy this popular hike in Jasper!
This is quite a popular trail near Jasper, so be prepared to meet others along the trail. But there’s plenty of beauty to be shared around.
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Did I get something wrong or have things changed? Please let me know in the comments below and I’ll keep this up to date for the next hiker.
Thanks for reading!
Happy and safe travels,
Ben – Horizon Unknown
