Clearwater to Jasper — Mount Robson, an Accidental Hike, and Elk Season
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300km on the map today, a timezone change, and a short “leg stretch” that turned into one of the best unplanned hikes of the trip so far. Jasper was waiting at the end of it — wildfire scars, bugling elk, and all.
Breakfast Plans Foiled
Spahats runs a small honesty bakery some mornings, and we’d planned on grabbing bread and pastries there before setting off. Cash only, as it turned out, and we had none. Change of plan — we knew there was a small cafe at the junction back onto the highway, so we stopped there instead.
Wild Flour Cafe had a queue out the door by 8:30am, but it’s a tiny shop and the line moved fast. With no seats inside, we sat on a bench outside, people-watching with a good spread of pastries on a beautiful morning.
First Sight of Mount Robson
The plan was simple: get to Jasper, with a stop at Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, along the way. We also changed timezones on this drive — clocks moving forward an hour, a first for me outside of a flight — which made for a shorter day than the distance suggested.
The roads were quiet, and the mountains kept getting more dramatic as we approached. The first sight of Mount Robson is something else — it’s suddenly just there, right in front of you as you round a corner. Genuinely lucky timing to see it on such a clear day.
Lunch at the Visitor Centre
We reached the Mount Robson visitor centre car park around midday and had lunch at the on-site cafe — surprisingly quiet given the number of cars and campervans outside. Soup, a window seat, and the mountain for company. Hard to complain.
The “Short” Walk to Kinney Lake
After lunch, we wanted a leg stretch before continuing to Jasper. The map showed a track up to Kinney Lake — 10km return, which in theory was too long for the day. We set off anyway, camera and a water bottle in hand, planning to turn back at the next viewpoint.
An hour later, we were at Kinney Lake. The track runs alongside the fast-flowing Robson River, the gradient stayed gentle, and our legs felt good enough to just keep going. Kinney Lake itself is a striking glacial blue, with reflections of Cinnamon Peak, Whitehorn Mountain, Mount Robson, and a few others besides. A few people were in the water — we were decidedly not prepared for that.
Twenty minutes and roughly 100 photos later, we started back down. What began as a 30-minute leg stretch turned into a 2.5-hour side quest — completely worth it.
Into Alberta
With around 90km left to Jasper, it had already been an excellent day. We crossed the British Columbia–Alberta border and picked up a Parks Canada Discovery Pass on the way in, given we’d be in national parks for the foreseeable future.
First Impressions of Jasper
We headed into Jasper township first for groceries ahead of the next few days. It’s a busy little place, with what felt like the entire town congregating on the main street. We found parking, got our groceries, and headed to Whistlers Campground.
The landscape around Jasper is confronting — the area was devastated by wildfires in 2024, and this was the first time the campground had reopened since. You can see exactly how much was lost, along with roughly a third of the township itself. Sobering to see in person.
Elk Season at Whistlers Campground
The Australian running check-in told us not to worry about bears, but to watch out for the elk instead — it’s mating season, and they’re all over the campground. The males get particularly aggressive this time of year. We found our site and settled in for the night, and almost immediately heard the elk “bugling” nearby — which sounds a lot more like screaming than anything resembling a bugle.
A Clear Night and First Attempt at Astrophotography
The campsite sits a little way from town, open and genuinely dark. With a clear sky overhead, I had a go at some astrophotography before bed — with some surprisingly good results for a first attempt.
An excellent day, start to finish.
The Numbers
What we spent:
| Item | Cost (NZD) |
|---|---|
| Breakfast at Wild Flour Cafe, Clearwater | $44 |
| Lunch at Mt Robson Cafe | $36 |
| Gas at Mt Robson | $100 |
| Parks Canada Discovery Pass x2 | $213 |
| Parking in Jasper | $7 |
| Groceries in Jasper | $95 |
| Total | $495 |
Other Resources
- Departure Day — Auckland to Vancouver, and Our First Night in the Campervan
- A Day in Whistler — Gondolas, Marmots, and a Very Small Van
- Whistler to Clearwater — Lake Heffley, Bear Spray & A Rough Patch
- A Day in Wells Gray Provincial Park — Waterfalls & the Gaitlin Gorge Trail
- Elaine’s description of Whistler to Lake Heffley
- Elaine’s description of Lake Heffley to Clearwater
- Elaine’s Wells Gray to Jasper post
