One of Jasper’s defining features is the noticeably triangular-shaped mountain, that rises above the town. You can get a closer look at it, by taking a short drive up the hill to Pyramid Lake.
Pyramid Lake is just 10 kilometers (6 miles) from downtown Jasper, so this is a quick scenic getaway. Just find Pyramid Lake Road in the middle of downtown, and drive up it. Just before you get to the end, you’ll see a few parking spots on the left. This is the access point for Pyramid Island.
A footbridge will take you out to the tiny island. Along the way…
…you’ll have a nice view of the mountains to the south and west, including The Whistlers (the destination of the Jasper Tramway), Fortalice and Muhigan Mountains.
Once on the island, a short loop trail takes you on a quick tour. The first attraction is this old shelter, built in 1933 by workers in a federal relief project during the Great Depression (Canada’s version of the CCC).
Walk out to the end of the island, and you get an unobstructed view of the main attraction: Pyramid Mountain. The lake is at 1,179 meters above sea level, while the mountain reaches 2,763 meters (9065 feet), which puts the summit nearly a mile higher than the lake.
I finished my hike around the island, then returned to the car and drove just a short distance back towards town. The road runs along the shore of Pyramid Lake, and there’s a small resort here.
In warmer weather, you could rent a canoe and venture out onto the lake. In March, though, these boats aren’t going anywhere. It’s a striking difference to the scenes I photographed in 2009:
You can see more of my warm-weather visit to Pyramid Lake here.
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