Exploring Jasper National Park
Our first campervan adventure, spotting bears and taking an icy plunge!
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Hello again!
Let’s continue with our Canadian adventure, shall we?
After our exciting time in Vancouver, it was time to embark on our next adventure: a campervan road trip through the Canadian Rockies.
Our first time in a campervan
We picked up our campervan in Vancouver through Outdoorsy, and we instantly knew we wanted this van when we saw it.
It's the perfect size—not as big as the huge RVs you see around the parks, but still spacious enough for all our needs. We could park it in a normal car park space, which was super convenient. The van came with a small kitchen with running water, heating, a double bed (long enough for two tall Dutchies), and solar power!
She truly had everything we needed for our adventure.
Because yes, our campervan was a she - we named her Betty.
And isn’t she gorgeous?!
After meeting the owner and doing our mandatory intro driving lessons (which gave us both driving test-like nerves), it was time to hit the road.
We had around 900 km to cover to Jasper, so our first day was a big drive. It took us about 10 hours in total. But, with incredible mountains and beautiful landscapes along the way, the long journey already felt like an adventure.
Towards the end, Hannah also spotted a mama bear crossing the road with her cub in the rearview mirror. Mike missed it though (and still can’t confirm if it did really happen 🧐), but fortunately we lucked out a second time a few days later.
Day 1: Maligne Lake and our first hike
Our first day in Jasper greeted us with the ‘worst’ weather of our trip.
Although it wasn't raining or snowing, it was mostly cloudy and a bit windy.
Nevertheless, we set off to our first stop: Maligne Lake. After a 20-minute drive, we arrived at this stunning lake. Despite the cloudy weather, Maligne Lake was absolutely beautiful, with mountain ranges on both sides. If the sun had been shining, we both think it would’ve been one of the most beautiful places in all of Jasper.
At Maligne Lake, we decided to stretch our legs with a 2-hour hike to Lorraine Lake and Mona Lake.
The trail took us through a forest path, which was frequently covered in snow. As first-time Rocky-visiters, this genuinely took us by surprise. Yes, people had told us it would still be cold up north so we’d brought our warm coats, but we hadn’t expect slippery hikes.
Or frozen lakes for that matter!
Because all 3 lakes - Maligne Lake, Lorraine Lake, and Mona Lake - were still mostly frozen. Even though our lunch stop at Mona Lake ended up being a bit chilly, it was all very worth it.
Plus, we were treated to even better views at Maligne Lake when we returned!
Day 2: Valley of the Five Lakes and Pyramid Lake
On our second day we started with one of the most beautiful hikes of our trip: the Valley of the Five Lakes.
This trail, as you guessed, consists of five gorgeous lakes, each with its own unique charm and stunning turquoise water. The trail is a loop around the lakes, and you can hike it either clockwise or counterclockwise. We decided to go counter-clockwise, which seemed to be the more popular choice among hikers that day.
The trail was more touristy than the ones around Maligne Lake, with well-marked paths and more fellow hikers. Despite the crowds, the beauty of the lakes made it easy to see why this hike is so popular.
The clear, blue-green waters of the lakes were mesmerizing.
We took our time at each lake, soaking in the views and snapping plenty of photos.
After completing the loop and enjoying its stunning scenery, we headed to Pyramid Lake in the afternoon.
True to its name, the mountain at the edge of the water is shaped like a pyramid and provides a serene and picturesque setting. We joined a few others on the lake’s boardwalk and sat down to enjoy the view.
After soaking up the natural beauty, we started to feel adventurous.
H: You know what could be fun and refreshing?
M: What..?
H: Taking a cold plunge.
M: Let me think about i- never mind, let’s do it.
And so we did!
And it was great - chilly, but great.
A fun addition to the experience was a local Canadian woman cheering us on and handing us our towels when we came out. She also told us the lake had been frozen a week earlier, so basically, it was an ice plunge, right?
According to her it was 😎
Wrapping Up: the Start of Our Campervan Adventure
From picking up our van in Vancouver to exploring the beautiful lakes and trails of Jasper, we instantly fell in love with van-life and the Canadian Rockies.
Lots of hiking, quiet & early evenings, a simple life, no signal, and breathtaking views.
It’s safe to say: we could get used to this.
Luckily we still had 5 more days to go!
After Jasper, we journeyed along the Icefields Parkway towards Banff. Get ready for powerful waterfalls, weather-changing glaciers, and many more ice-blue lakes. Until next week!
It sounds like you are having a wonderful, Canadian experience!!