Valley of the Five Lakes

From car park P15 on the Icefields Parkway, boardwalk leads east over the wetland to the junction of trails 9 and 9a. Turn left on trail 9b, then fork right onto the new ridge path above the middle lakes and go down the stone stairs to the Fifth Lake. Turn back north-west along the shore, past the red chairs at the Fourth Lake and by the Third and Second, to the tip of the First Lake. Trail 9b then runs south to the junction and the wetland. The loop goes clockwise; follow any direction signs.

It is 5.4 km round with 97 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: boardwalk and forest paths with short climbs, roots and stone stairs.

The July 2024 wildfire burned through the valley, and the trail reopened on 23 May 2026 with new boardwalks, a ridge section and stairs. It lies inside Jasper's wildfire area closure: the trails are open, but all ground more than 5 m from them is closed, so stay on the trail. Fire-weakened trees can fall, so keep away in strong wind. Give elk and bears room and carry bear spray.

The car park is 9 km south of Jasper, with no parking charge and no public transport. A Parks Canada pass is needed to visit Jasper National Park.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.