Oh Jasper, how we missed you. Our hearts broke this past summer as we waited for updates. Would our beloved Jasper Townsite, the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains National Parks still be there when we awoke the next day?

Unchanged over the years, Jasper has always been an authentic mountain town for outdoor adventure seekers. So peaceful and so beautiful, visiting Jasper always felt like coming home. It is a place where you just, belong.

We took a quick daytrip from Edmonton to visit the Town of Jasper in Jasper National Park, Alberta over the Christmas Break. This was our first time visiting since the Jasper Wildfire Complex ravaged the town and the park during the summer of 2024. The wildfire burned 1/3 of the town, hundreds of buildings and scorched 32,722 hectares acres (or 80,858 acres).

Yes, wildfires are natural and are an essential element for a healthy ecosystem (let's hope with the pine beetles) but it was still heartbreaking to watch.

Now for the good news. Most of Jasper is still there and the people of the town are ready to welcome visitors back with open arms. Most of the hotels were untouched by the fires and are open as are many of the shops, restaurants and tour operators. The town's character and charm along with its historic sites and the warmth of the people are intact. Even the elk that like to hang around the townsite are there to greet visitors as they return. Although, we were nervous about what we would see, we left Jasper with our hearts full. We were happy to see so many sites and businesses survived. The town and its people are even more community minded than ever and are ready to welcome you back. So, as you make your travel plans for 2025, please add Jasper to your list. It is still fantastic and the town needs tourism to help it recover.

If your 2025 Jasper plans include camping, please note that the Parks Canada Reservations system opens for Jasper front country sites on January 28 at 8:00am and January 29 at 8:00am for backcountry camping. Spots always fill incredibly fast, so it is best to be in the queue before 8am on registration day.