In July 2024, a wildfire engulfed 80,852 acres of Canada’s Jasper National Park. Lightning struck, flames caught, and ancient forests were choked. Crucial wildlife habitats were obliterated, and homes and livelihoods were decimated. Swept up by the wild winds of the Rockies, the fire garnered worldwide attention and transformed the small, tourism-dependent town of Jasper.
Photo: Peyton Lea/Shutterstock
A Year After the Wildfire, Jasper National Park Is Recovering — and Welcoming Travelers
A little over a year after the devastation was wrought, the town and its population are slowly clawing back a sense of control. Drawing on lessons from the past and guidance from the park’s First Nations guardians, wildfire-prevention strategies are being refined and reinforced. The community is rallying, too.
“Jasper is a very close-knit community,” Tyler Riopel, CEO of Tourism Jasper, tells Matador Network. “People help each other, and that local connection is what drives us through recovery and keeps us focused on the progress.”
Progress is certainly being made. According to Riopel, “New homes are regularly breaking ground, and many businesses and accommodations are looking better than ever.” To date, more than 25 accommodations, 50 experiences (including educational tours that launched as a direct result of the fire), and 70 restaurants in Jasper are back to welcoming visitors.
Tourism has an important role to play in Jasper’s recovery. Not only can travelers witness the ramifications of the fire firsthand on expert-led tours — as well as see the new life sprouting in the park’s thick forests — but visiting Jasper and its namesake national park also directly supports local businesses and the community at large.
Things to do in Jasper
Wildfire Peak-Nic Tour by Jasper Food Tours
Ascending through thickets of scorched trees, blackened and branchless in the wake of the wildfire, the Wildfire Peak-Nic Tour travels across roughly 2.5 miles of forest floor. Detailing the ecological damage inflicted and the history of fire across the park, guide Nic Gosselin puts the devastation into context. The tour compels travelers to slow down — to look beyond the burnt-out bark and see the signs of fresh life springing up all across the forest. Capping off the hike with a picnic overlooking the town, the slow-paced trail gives visitors essential insights into the recovery process and the hope that prevails in Jasper.
Jasper Food Tours: 500 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 0A8, Canada
Jasper Wildlife Discovery Tour by SunDog Tours
Inarguably one of the best places to spot emblematic Canadian wildlife while in the Rocky Mountains, Jasper is crawling with forest critters. On the Jasper Wildlife Discovery Tour’s journey up from the town toward Maligne Lake, travelers have a chance to see gargantuan bull moose lazing on the road, elk skulking between the barren trees, and grizzly bears meandering along the water’s edge. Despite having devastated the park’s animal population, the fire has actually made it easier for visitors to spot wildlife. No longer camouflaged by thick foliage, the animal inhabitants can be spied despite lurking deep between the trees.
Though wildlife visibility has increased, inappropriate visitor interactions shouldn’t. According to Tracy McKay, an ecologist team leader with Parks Canada, “Existing boundaries, considerations, and wildlife viewing guidelines remain the same and should continue to be followed.” Best practices include not approaching or feeding wildlife, not littering, and being mindful of your surroundings at all times.
SunDog Tours: 611 Patricia St, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0
Fireside chats with Warrior Women
Matricia Brown — singer, speaker, and teacher from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation — leads weekly fireside chats in Jasper’s downtown. Educating a gaggle of avid listeners, she speaks about the culture that has been conserved in the Rockies for thousands of years. The intimate experience invites visitors to ask questions freely, to learn about the history and the contemporary lives of the Canadian Cree, touching on topics ranging from First Nations’ fire prevention tactics to Indigenous spiritualism and the origins of the nation’s distinctive iconography.
Warrior Women: 500 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 0A8, Canada
Things to eat and drink in Jasper
The Maligne Range
Pairing thick cuts of smoked meat with house-made whiskies, the Maligne Range leans into mountain tradition. The refined interior with cabin-style wooden accents creates a warm atmosphere for diners diving into generous portions of juicy beef brisket, spiced elk sausages, and near-melting short ribs.
The Maligne Range: 604 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0
Otto’s Cache Provisions + Café
Serving up decadent brunches, heaped sandwiches on fresh-baked bread, and warming cups of coffee, Otto’s Cache is an ideal mid-morning stop. Travelers can fuel up here for a big day of woodland wandering or grab some goodies to go to have a gourmet picnic in the park.
Otto’s Cache: 410 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 0A8
Harvest Food & Drink
A small, family-run restaurant in the heart of town, Harvest Food & Drink serves up hearty dishes from morning to night. Its indulgent platters of gourmet cheese and cured charcuterie are matched by its signature mains, which utilize quintessentially Canadian tastes, including elk and bison.
Harvest Food & Drink: 616 Patricia St, Jasper, AB T0E 0A8
Where to stay in Jasper
Forest Park Hotel
Inspired by the mountains and the pines wrapped around the town of Jasper, the sleek, contemporary rooms at the Forest Park Hotel pay homage to the surrounding scenes of the Rockies. Minutes from the middle of downtown, it’s a convenient option for travelers looking to plan an action-packed itinerary.
Forest Park Hotel: 76 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Travelers seeking to splurge on their accommodation should book a stay at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Situated on the edge of the crystal-clear Lac Beauvert, the resort’s cozy cabins blend mountain lodge aesthetics with high-end luxury. The lodge has an on-site spa and world-class golf course to enjoy after a long day exploring the park.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge: 1 Old Lodge Rd, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0
How to get to and around Jasper
Photo: Fotogro/Shutterstock
Jasper National Park sits at the northern end of one of the world’s most beautiful roads: the Icefields Parkway. While it’s quicker to fly into Edmonton and drive the four hours to the park, it’s worth extending your schedule slightly and landing in Calgary. Add an extra three hours and drive via Banff and the parkway for unparalleled views of the Rocky Mountains.
To make the most of Jasper’s optimal geographic position — and of the waterfalls, glaciers, and turquoise lakes that sit just beyond the town’s bounds — it’s best to have a car of your own. However, the small town’s streets are very walkable, and tours exploring deeper into the park will collect travelers from their hotel doors.
More than a year after the wildfire, Jasper National Park is largely open and welcoming visitors. A small number of significantly damaged areas remain closed, including Cavell Road and Maligne Canyon, while Parks Canada continues rehabilitation and hazard assessments. Travelers should be prepared to check closure updates before and during their trip, stay on designated trails, and respect all off-limits areas (entering closed areas of the park is dangerous, illegal, and punishable by fines up to $25,000).
While exploring, keep your phone camera handy for opportunities to join in the rehabilitation efforts. Together with the University of Waterloo, Parks Canada has developed a project called RegenEye that lets visitors document post-wildfire regrowth near Old Fort Point. Says Marcia Dewandel, Resource Conservation-Vegetation Restoration Specialist at Parks Canada, “visitors simply have to place their phone in the stand, take a photo of the site, and submit it via the QR code located on-site or through GeoReach.ca.” 
Editor’s note: Additional reporting by Alex Bresler