Skyline Trail
A 44 km multi-day backpacking route beginning at Maligne Lake, the Skyline Trail is Jasper National Park's most famous multi-day backcountry hike.The Skyline Trail hike is celebrated for its breathtaking alpine scenery and long stretches above the treeline. Stretching roughly 44 kilometers from the Maligne Lake area to the outskirts of Jasper townsite, it typically takes hikers 2 to 4 days to complete, depending on pace and chosen campsites. What makes this route so exceptional is that about 25 kilometers of it are spent in open alpine terrain, offering uninterrupted views of mountain ranges, glaciers, and sweeping valleys for hours at a time.
The trail can be hiked in either direction, but most people start at Maligne Lake and finish at the Signal Mountain trailhead near Jasper. This direction allows for a more gradual ascent and positions the most spectacular high-alpine sections midway through the trip, when hikers are well acclimatized. Early on, the path climbs steadily through forest, past meadows and small streams, before breaking above treeline onto wide, windswept ridges. Landmarks along the route include the Big Shovel Pass, the dramatic "Notch" saddle, and expansive ridgelines where you can see far across Jasper's wilderness. On clear days, the Columbia Icefield is visible to the south, and Maligne Lake glimmers in the distance behind you.
Wildlife encounters are common-marmots bask on rocks, pikas dart between boulders, and caribou, elk, or bears are sometimes spotted in the valleys below. The weather can change rapidly in the alpine, with bright sunshine turning to cold wind or even snow in minutes, even in mid-summer, so layers and good gear are essential. Campsites such as Snowbowl, Tekarra, and Curator are spaced along the route, each offering unique views and different environments, from lush meadows to stark rocky basins.
Late July through early September is the most popular hiking window, as snow lingers on the high passes well into summer. In autumn, the trail is quieter, and the golden hues of alpine larch and tundra grasses create stunning color contrasts against the surrounding peaks. Because of its exposure, remoteness, and popularity, the Skyline Trail requires advance planning-permits for campsites are limited and must be reserved. For those prepared for a backcountry adventure, the Skyline offers one of the most memorable and panoramic trekking experiences in the Canadian Rockies, living up to its name by keeping hikers high above the valleys, immersed in a world of sky and peaks.
The Skyline Trail is considered the crown jewel of Jasper's backpacking routes because it gives hikers a rare sense of sustained elevation and openness-once you break out of the forest early in the journey, you spend most of the hike traversing high ridges and wide-open passes where the horizon seems to stretch forever. Unlike many mountain hikes where you pop above treeline briefly before descending again, the Skyline keeps you in the alpine for long stretches, making every step feel like part of a grand, continuous panorama.
Starting from the Maligne Lake trailhead, the route begins gently through dense subalpine forest, with the sound of streams and bird calls accompanying you. As you gain elevation, the forest thins into meadows filled with wildflowers in midsummer-Indian paintbrush, mountain avens, and arnica add splashes of color to the green slopes. Soon you emerge onto the high ridges, where the first big landmark is Little Shovel Pass, opening views into a sprawling alpine basin. From here, the trail meanders across rolling tundra toward Big Shovel Pass, where the surrounding peaks crowd closer and you can see the route threading its way toward the dramatic saddle of The Notch.
The Notch is one of the most photographed points along the Skyline-a steep, rocky gap that marks the high point of the trail. Standing here, you can see the path snaking away across the ridges, with valleys dropping steeply on either side and distant glaciers glinting in the sun. From this vantage point, it's easy to see why the trail is named the Skyline; the route seems to float between earth and sky.
Beyond The Notch, the trail traverses airy ridgelines where you might walk for an hour or more without seeing a single tree, just open sky and endless views. Weather is a constant consideration in this section-winds can sweep across the ridges with sudden force, and afternoon storms can roll in quickly. Because of the exposure, hikers often start early in the morning to avoid getting caught above treeline in lightning or heavy rain.
The descent toward the Signal Mountain trailhead takes you past Tekarra Campground and along views of Tekarra Mountain's sheer cliffs, before re-entering the forest for the final kilometers. Along the way, you may spot wildlife such as mountain goats on rocky slopes, or see the flash of a ptarmigan moving through the tundra.
Hiking the Skyline requires permits for designated backcountry campsites-Snowbowl, Curator, and Tekarra being the most popular. Each campsite has a different feel: Snowbowl offers sweeping meadow views, Curator is tucked beneath towering cliffs beside a small alpine lake, and Tekarra sits on a ridge with expansive sunset panoramas. Because these sites are limited and in high demand, securing reservations months in advance is essential.
For those prepared with the right gear, fitness, and planning, the Skyline Trail is more than just a hike-it's an immersion into the high heart of Jasper's wilderness, with a sense of scale and openness that few trails in the Canadian Rockies can match.
Skyline Trail
The Skyline Trail's appeal lies not only in its scenery but also in the variety of landscapes it strings together over its 44 kilometers. Each segment of the route feels distinct, as if you're moving through different chapters of a mountain story.The early forest section from Maligne Lake offers a gentle warm-up, winding through spruce and fir with occasional breaks to view distant ridges. In summer, the air here is heavy with the scent of pine, and streams from snowmelt trickle across the trail. Soon after, the first real climbs begin, leading to Little Shovel Pass, where the trees give way to open, rolling meadows. In mid-July, this area bursts into bloom, and marmots are often seen basking on nearby rocks while pikas dart between crevices.
Past Little Shovel, the Snowbowl area opens into a wide alpine basin surrounded by ridges. This is a favorite campsite for those taking a slower pace, as it offers a tranquil setting and soft meadow ground for tents. The next stage, toward Big Shovel Pass, is more rugged, with views deep into the Brazeau River Valley on one side and the Maligne Valley on the other. This section feels wilder and more remote, with a greater chance of seeing wildlife like caribou or even grizzly bears at a safe distance.
Approaching The Notch, the trail becomes steeper and rockier, with loose scree in some spots. The climb is rewarded with what is often described as the most exhilarating view on the trail-mountain ranges stacked one after another into the horizon, valleys dropping away sharply, and the trail itself stretching ahead like a line drawn across the sky. This is also the section where the weather can change the fastest; it's not uncommon for hikers to start in sunshine and find themselves in snow flurries within an hour, even in August.
Once over The Notch, the ridge-walk section is pure alpine magic-kilometers of high ground with minimal elevation change, allowing you to walk at an easy pace while absorbing 360-degree views. On clear days, the glint of the Columbia Icefield to the south is visible, while to the north you can pick out Jasper town and the Athabasca River snaking through the valley. Tekarra Mountain looms ahead, a sheer wall of rock marking the beginning of the descent.
The final stages drop back below treeline, passing Tekarra Campground-a scenic spot perched above the valley with sunset views-before winding down toward Signal Mountain and eventually the trailhead. The last forested kilometers can feel long after days in the open, but they add a satisfying sense of return to the valley floor.
Because of its sustained time in exposed alpine terrain, the Skyline is best hiked in late July through early September, when snow has melted from the passes but before autumn storms set in. Outside of this window, deep snow and high winds can make the route dangerous. Even in summer, strong sun at high elevation, coupled with the possibility of sudden cold, demands that hikers pack for all weather conditions.
For those who make the journey, the Skyline offers more than just scenery-it provides a rare sense of perspective, both physically and emotionally. With so much of the trail spent high above the world below, there's a constant feeling of being on the edge of something vast, where the land and sky meet in an unbroken sweep of wilderness. It's an experience that stays with you long after the final step back into the forest.
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