Jasper Skyline Trail Campgrounds: Six Camps and Their Two-Night Limits

The six campgrounds, south to north

Most hikers go south to north, from Maligne Lake to Signal, because you lose more height than you gain. Parks Canada's table lists the sites at each campground. All have food lockers, and none allows horses.

• Evelyn Creek (#27): 4 sites, 1,824 m, about 4.8 km (3.0 mi) from Maligne trailhead, good for a late start
• Little Shovel (#28): 8 sites, below Little Shovel Pass, quieter than Snowbowl
• Snowbowl (#29): 8 sites, 2,094 m, at km 12.2, in a sheltered meadow
• Curator (#30): 8 sites, 2,070 m, 0.8 km off the trail, popular with two-day hikers
• Tekarra (#31): 8 sites, 2,062 m, next to a fast creek
• Signal (#32): 4 sites, 2,014 m, at the top of the Signal Fire Road

Planning nights around the limits

Parks Canada sets a two-night maximum stay at Snowbowl, Curator and Tekarra. Some tent pads at Snowbowl and Tekarra are recycled plastic lumber that you cannot peg into, so bring rope for the 16 anchor points.

Between Curator junction and Tekarra the trail climbs 2.6 km (1.6 mi) very steeply to The Notch at 2,510 m, the highest point. Parks Canada says The Notch can be impassable early in the season, and snow can fall at any time of year. In bad weather the 15 km (9.3 mi) Wabasso Trail is an escape route to the Icefields Parkway.

Rules on the Skyline

No fires at any Skyline campground, so carry a stove. No dogs between Maligne Lake and the Signal trailhead, no bikes between Maligne Lake and Signal Fire Road, and no hammocks at any Skyline campground. Store all food, garbage, toiletries and cooking gear in the lockers. Boil all backcountry water and carry bear spray.

A backcountry camping permit is mandatory for all overnight trips. Camp only at the campgrounds on your permit, on the reserved dates, and carry it with you.

Fees and cancelling

The backcountry fee is CA$15.00 per person per night, and the reservation fee is CA$11.50 online or CA$13.50 by phone, once per stay and not refundable. You also need a park entry pass: CA$12.25 per adult per day or CA$83.50 for an adult Discovery Pass, free for youth 17 and under. Parks Canada's reservation terms: cancel at least 3 days before arrival and you get a full refund less the non-refundable reservation fee and a cancellation fee (CA$11.50 online, CA$13.50 by phone). Cancel later than that, but before 2 pm on arrival day, and you also lose the first night's camping fee. Changes can be made until 2 pm on arrival day for a CA$11.50 online fee, and delaying your arrival inside those 3 days costs the first night too.

What PermitSnag does here

Each permit page says whether you can set a PermitSnag alert for it, and links to the agency that sells it.

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