Best Places to Swim in Jasper National Park
From luxury swimming pools to natural hot springs, there are some great places to take a swim in the Canadian Rockies.
What is a family vacation without a good spot to swim? Well, a little dry of course. With that in mind give these spots a try when you’re looking to take a dip during your Jasper vacation.
Undoubtedly one of the most picturesque, easy to access spots for soaking in the Canadian Rockies is Miette Natural Hotsprings. The views are great, the water is warm (although there are cool pools, too), you can spend the night and it is definitely kid friendly. In fact, one of my earliest and fondest memories of the Rocky Mountains was staying overnight in one of the cabins close to the hotsprings with my grandparents when I was a kid.
Lake swimming in Jasper National Park is definitely possible, but it’s cold! If you’re up for it, Lake Annette and Lake Edith are both beautiful spots. It’s definitely energizing to hop into either (Lake Annette is actually glacial fed), even if it’s only for a moment. And let’s face it, kids seem impenetrable to the cold if there is swimming involved, and once they’re used to it, might not want to get out.
Many of the hotels and accommodations in Jasper offer swimming pools with the best arguably at The Jasper Park Lodge, the Tonquin Inn, and Marmot Lodge.
The Jasper Park Lodge pool might not exactly be the Banff Hot Springs, but it is both heated and outdoors. The Tonquin Inn and Marmot Lodge are definitely more moderately priced than the luxury accommodations at the JPL, but both have heated indoor pools that will keep kids occupied in any season.
Likely one of the best places for a family swim in Jasper, rain or shine, summer or winter is the Jasper Aquatic Centre. The Centre boast a big pool, hot tubs, steam rooms and perhaps best of all for those travelling to Jasper with children, 185M water slide. There is also a weight room, a climbing gym and an ice rink in the winter.
So if you’re looking for a good place to swim in Jasper, give one of these spots a try. If none of them float, try asking one of the locals for a tip on one of the many secret swimming spots that dot Jasper National Park.