After living in Alberta for almost two years and a lot of trips to Banff in that time, I kind of thought I'd seen most of what the Rockies have to offer.
However, I finally managed to fit in a trip to Jasper and now I've been, I'm desperate to go back and I'd actually argue that Jasper should be on anyone's Alberta bucket list over Banff.
Jasper has everything Banff has to offer and while it's definitely a lot further to travel from Calgary, it's well worth the trip.
I'd say because I travelled in the off-season, I didn't quite get the full Jasper experience in summer but the taste I got was more than enough to make me want to head back as soon as possible.
It's way less busy
Banff is such a popular tourist destination and it's close to some of Alberta's most famous spots like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Johnston Canyon. But it's also really crowded most of the time.
Banff gets over four million visitors a year while Jasper, which is a smaller town in comparison gets just over two million, according to Parks Canada so it's definitely a good option if you're sick of being surrounded by people.
I did travel to Jasper in the off-season which helps but it was so much quieter than Banff and so peaceful.
The drive up is beautiful
The view on Icefields Parkway.
The drive to Jasper, especially if you're travelling up Icefields Parkway, is so impressive that it's worth the trip alone. Travelling up from Calgary meant we got to take the drive up through the Rockies and it was incredible throughout.
There are also so many different places to stop on the route too so you can see waterfalls, glaciers, canyons and huge lakes. While the drive from Lake Louise is just over two hours and 30 minutes, you could easily take the whole day driving to explore as much as possible.
There's so much wildlife
While I still didn't get to tick seeing a moose in the wild off of my Alberta wildlife bingo card, there was still a lot more wildlife in the immediate area around Jasper than I'd seen in Banff.
According to Parks Canada, there are around 53 species of mammals in Jasper National Park with everything from black and grizzly bears, to moose and bighorn sheep, so you're bound to see something on your travels.
I did see elk, deer and a bald eagle which was pretty cool. Moose, I'm coming for ya!
The night sky is literally out of this world
Jasper National Park is a dark sky preserve which means light pollution is limited across the park. It also means you can get some of the best views of the night sky in the country.
From the Northern Lights to the Milky Way, you're likely to get a truly out-of-this-world experience if you head out to stargaze.
It has everything Banff has
Banff is famous for its huge blue lakes, waterfalls and mountain views and you get all the same experiences in Jasper.
You can head out to Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies, with its stunning blue waters and you can even get a ferry right to the other side of the 22-kilometre lake to see Spirit Island.
There's also the enormous Maligne Canyon to visit with its towering canyon walls and huge waterfalls. Best of all, you'll be dealing with way fewer crowds too.
