Skyline Trail

View from the Notch

Where: Jasper National Park, Alberta
Distance: 45 km
Type: One way
Time: 2-3 days
Difficulty: Moderate
When: Definitely not before July 1. I recommend not hiking it until July 15 - prior to that, you will encounter a lot of snow at the Notch, the highest pass on the trail.
Last time I hiked it: July 2012

Campgrounds: Evelyn Creek (km 5), Little Shovel (km 8), Snowbowl (km 12), Curator (km 20), Tekarra (km 30), Signal (km 36). For an ideal 3-day itinerary, stay at Snowbowl on night 1 and Tekarra on night 2. Both are lovely. For a 2-day itinerary, stay at Curator. It is a pretty spot, but you have to hike downhill for 1 km to get there, so of course you have to go back up in the morning, adding a bunch of elevation to your day right before you climb the Notch. All campgrounds have picnic tables, bear poles with cables, the beloved Jasper open-air toilets, and rock hard packed dirt tent pads.
 

Beautiful kitchen at Snowbowl campground

 
Booking: Skyline is one of the most popular hikes in Jasper. Book up to 3 months in advance with Parks Canada. If you want to go on a weekend, try to book as far ahead as possible. If you are able to go mid-week, you will have an easier time getting permits.



Summary: Choosing a favourite hike is a tough call, but honestly, I think Skyline is my favourite. When people come to the Canadian Rockies and they only have time for one hike, this is the one I always recommend. This trip includes a long stroll along a broad, open ridgeline that is practically a religious experience. The hike isn't terribly difficult, and you never have to retrace your steps, which is a fantastic quality in a hike. Due to a limited number of campsites and no backcountry lodges, there's also a wonderful sense of remoteness on this trail.

Lunch break on top of the ridge

Tips and Logistics:

• Start from Maligne Lake and end at Maligne Canyon (South to North). DON'T go the other way. There's a 9 km fire road that you have to hike down on your way out. It is boring, hot, and seems endless, so at least make sure you do it hiking downhill instead of uphill.
• To get back to your car, I hear that it is possible to hitchhike, although I don't know why you would. It's easy and relatively inexpensive to take the shuttle. We always leave our car at the end and arrange a pick-up with the Maligne Shuttle, which costs about $30 a person and takes you right to the trailhead at Maligne Lake. Even if you don't have a car at all, you can take the shuttle from the Jasper town site.
• It is possible to hike this trail in 2 days. Some very fit people even trail run or day hike Skyline in 1 day. In my opinion, that would be preferable to hiking it in 2 days. The 2-day itinerary seems to me like the worst of both worlds: no time to enjoy the trail, plus a heavy pack. I did it once, and it was no fun. If you have the time, take 3 days. You owe yourself a nice, long, relaxed day on the ridgeline. :)
• It gets cold at night. On one of my visits, it went down below 0C in July. You can have snow or hail at any time of the year on this trail. Bring warm clothes.