Jasper Townsite: 287km (178 miles) NW of Banff
Jasper, now Canada's largest mountain park, was established in 1907, although it already boasted a "guesthouse" of sorts in the 1840s. A visiting painter described it as "composed of two rooms of about 14 and 15 feet square. One of them is used by all comers and goers, Indians, voyageurs and traders, men, women, and children being huddled together indiscriminately, the other room being devoted to the exclusive occupation of Colin Fraser (postmaster) and his family."
Things have changed. Slightly less busy than Banff to the south, Jasper National Park attracts a much more outdoors-oriented crowd, with hiking, biking, climbing, horseback riding, and rafting the main activities. Sure, there's shopping and fine dining in Jasper, but it's not the focus of activity as it is in Banff. Travelers seem a bit more determined and rugged-looking, as if they've just stumbled in from a long-distance hiking trail or off the face of a rock.
For more information on the park, contact Jasper National Park, P.O. Box 10, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0 (tel. 780/852-6176; www.pc.gc.ca).
Jasper Townsite--Jasper isn't Banff, and to listen to most residents of Jasper, that's just fine with them. Born as a railroad division point, Jasper Townsite lacks its southern neighbor's glitz and slightly precious air of an internationalized alpine fantasyland. Instead, it gives off a lived-in, community-oriented feel that's largely lacking in Banff. The streets are thronged with avid young hikers and mountain bikers rather than the shopping hordes.
However, development is rapidly approaching: New nightclubs, restaurants, and shops geared toward tourists are springing up along Patricia Street, and that sound you hear in the distance is the thunder of tour buses.
