Canadian Rockies Hiking At Old Fort Point Of Japer National Park

Hiking is one of the main activities when you visit the Canadian Rockies. We are not a seasoned hikers, neither we are good at it. Therefore we usually choose to do some light hiking on less challenging terrain. Our main aim is to appreciate the nature, the scenic view and hopefully can get a close encounter with wild life, and not to have too much strain on our physical.



There is a very enjoyable and easy hiking track in Jasper that I would like to recommend, the Old Fort Point. It is located south east of Jasper Town centre, less than 30 minutes walk. You can get a map from the Jasper Information Centre. You just have to move south-east, after crossing the railway track and highway 16, you will be close to the Old Fort Point. There is already walking track along the way. Probably many people had hiked to the place. During the summer, there should be people walking around that you can ask for direction.



The Old Fort Point is just a hill, beside the Athabasca River. When you reach the top, you can have an elevated view of the Athabasca River, and a panoramic view of the surrounding mountain ranges. You will first see a bridge that extended across the Athabasca River. Standing on the bridge looking towards North, you will see the Pyramid Mountain. Walk across the bridge, when you reach the other end, on the right side there is a stair-way that leads you to the peak of the Old Fort Point. The slope is steep but manageable. We took about 15 minutes to reach the top. As you are climbing to the top along the ridgeline, you will be able to see how the Athabasca River flow across from the far end of the north down to the south. Do remember to stop along the way to take photos of the Athabasca River at different angle. When you reach the top, also must remember to take a 360 degree panoramic shot. Mount Edith Covell and Pyramid Mountain are the 2 most prominent landmarks.



If you are afraid of the steep slope, you can try the other route which is from the north west. This route is cutting across the forest and is will be gently elevated to the peak. The problem is you will not be seeing much scenery until you reach the peak of the Old Fort Point and you will miss the bridge and the chance to be close to the Athabasca River. Also this route is more difficult to navigate. We use this route for our return route to the Japer Town, as moving down slope is more challenging.



To watch video clips to have a preview of the Old Fort Point, you can visit the below web page:



http://www.travelpodblog.com/canadian-rockies-hiking-jasper-old-fort-point/