Lake Annette, Jasper: Made of a Tropical Sea

Nestled in one of Alberta’s most famous national parks, Jasper is a charming town with spectacular mountain views. Popular with the tourists at any time of the year, Jasper National Park has nearly any activity that you could imagine. From hiking, rock climbing, or horseback riding to lounging by one of the blue-green lakes, the opportunities are endless. In the town itself, the streets are lined with bars, restaurants, candy stores, souvenir shops, and sports shops where you can book your active excursions with professional guides.

My family has always loved camping. We grew up going to the same place every summer for our vacation – our own lake lot at North Buck Lake in Alberta. Now, even when we go away from our hometown we often choose camping over hotels. This time around, we opted for Wapiti Campground. Family-friendly, the option of bringing an RV or a tent, and located just off the bank of the rushing Athabasca River, Wapiti is a great choice for campers coming to explore all that Jasper has to offer.

For only $25.00 a night you can have your very own un-serviced campsite equipped with a picnic table and fire pit. For those wanting the luxury that electricity provides you can pay $35.00 a night. Of course there is a 24-hour accessible shower/washroom building that has electricity for those who need showers, mirrors, plug-ins, etc. I’m not going to lie; I did my hair and makeup more days than not.

After our first evening spent bonding with family from England and Australia that we hadn’t seen in a few years, we made our way to one of the nearby lakes. Lake Annette is a lesser known lake destination for those visiting Jasper. You will find it a lot less crowded here and will have a very good chance at finding a spot on the narrow sandy beach to lounge in the sun. If you come here on a warm, summer day you will find people BBQ-ing, tossing Frisbees, suntanning and, of course, making the most of the crystal clear water.

It didn’t take long before I spotted the walking trail that loops entirely around Lake Annette. This looped trail is completely paved and fairly flat the entire way around, making it accessible even to those in wheelchairs. As we strolled around the lake, wading in the water at one point to cool off, we were awarded with incredible mountain views at every angle.

According to the insightful bits of information scattered throughout the trail:
“Made of a Tropical Sea: The landscape around you had its beginnings as the bottom of a
warm, shallow sea, about 600 million years ago. Sediments were carried to this
sea where they were deposited layer by layer. Eventually these sediments
were compressed and uplifted, folded and fractured, to form the Rocky Mountains.”

Don’t you just want to jump right in?

I can’t get enough of the water in these photos and, if you can believe it, it’s even more beautiful in person. Haven’t been to Jasper yet? I suggest you pack your bags and go on a spontaneous trip right now. More of a winter person? In just a few months, Jasper will once again be a haven for winter sports. To read more about my time in Jasper, click here.