As in Banff, there's a marked difference in rates between high season and the rest of the year, so if you can avoid the June-to-September crush, you may save up to 50%. All prices listed are for high season. Call for off-season rates, as they usually follow a complex price structure. Reserve well in advance if possible. If you can't find a room, contact Rocky Mountain Reservations (tel. 877/902-9455 or 780/852-9455; www.rockymountainreservations.com), which offers a free booking service for Jasper accommodations and activities.
If you find the prices too astronomical in Jasper, or just can't find a room, consider staying east of the park near Hinton .
Moderate--In high season, it seems that nearly half the dwellings in Jasper let rooms, B&B-style; contact Jasper Home Accommodation Association, P.O. Box 758, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0 (www.stayinjasper.com), for a full list. B&Bs listed with the local visitor association have little signs in front; if you arrive early enough in the day, you can comb the streets looking for a likely suspect. Note that B&Bs here are much less grand than those in Banff, and less expensive as well. Double-occupancy accommodations are in the C$60 to C$85 (US$48-US$68) range at most homes. You'll need to pay cash for most. There's no central booking agency in Jasper, so contact your host directly.
If you are really just looking for a motel room, Jasper has a few standard motor lodges to accommodate your needs. The Maligne Lodge, on the western edge of Jasper at 900 Connaught Dr. (tel. 800/661-1315 or 780/852-3143), offers an indoor pool, restaurant, lounge, and clean unfussy rooms starting at C$182 (US$146) double.
Inexpensive--Two Hostelling International hostels, both reachable at P.O. Box 387, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0 (tel. 780/852-3215; www.hihostels.ca), are the best alternatives for the budget traveler. Advance reservations are strongly advised in summer. The 80-bed Jasper International Hostel, on Skytram Road, 6km (4 miles) west of Jasper, charges C$22 (US$18) for members and C$27 (US$22) for nonmembers. The closest hostel to Jasper, it's open year-round. Two family rooms, a barbecue area, indoor plumbing, hot showers, and bike rentals are available. In winter, ask about ski packages. The Maligne Canyon Hostel, off Maligne Lake Road, 18km (11 miles) east of Jasper, sleeps 24; rates are C$15 (US$12) for members and C$20 (US$16) for nonmembers. This convenient hostel is just above the astonishing Maligne Canyon. Facilities include a self-catering kitchen and dining area.
In & Around Hinton--Just east of the park gate in and near Hinton are a number of options that offer high-quality accommodations at significantly lower prices than you'll find in Jasper. Downtown Jasper is a 30- to 45-minute drive away from the choices listed below.
Hinton has a number of motel complexes with standard, no-nonsense rooms. The Best Western White Wolf Inn, 828 Carmichael Lane (tel. 800/220-7870 in Canada, or 780/865-7777), has 42 air-conditioned rooms, most with kitchenettes. The Black Bear Inn, 571 Gregg Ave. (tel. 888/817-2888 or 780/817-2000), features an exercise room, hot tub, and restaurant. The Crestwood Hotel, 678 Carmichael Lane (tel. 800/661-7288 or 780/865-4001), has a pool and restaurant. Doubles at these motels cost between C$95 and C$120 (US$76-US$96).
A Local Guest Ranch--The venerable Black Cat Guest Ranch, 56km (35 miles) northeast of Jasper, P.O. Box 6267, Hinton, AB T7V 1X6 (tel. 800/859-6840 or 780/865-3084; www.blackcatguestranch.ca), boasts a superb mountain setting just outside the park boundaries. The rustic lodge, built in 1978, offers 16 unfussy units, each with private bathroom and an unspoiled view of Jasper Park. Rates of C$192 (US$154) double include three family-style meals. Activities include hiking, horseback riding (C$35/US$28 per hour for guided trips), canoe rentals, murder-mystery weekends, and fishing. The ranch staff will meet your train or bus at Hinton.
Camping--There are 10 campgrounds in Jasper National Park; prices range from C$14 (US$11) for primitive tenting sites to C$33 (US$26) for full-service RV sites. You need a special permit to camp anywhere in the parks outside the regular campgrounds -- a regulation necessary due to fire hazards. Contact the parks information office (tel. 780/852-6176) for permits. The campgrounds range from completely unserviced sites to those providing water, power, sewer connections, laundry facilities, gas, and groceries. The closest to Jasper Townsite is the Whistlers, up the road toward the gondola, providing a total of some 700 campsites.
