An Amazing Guided Canoe Adventure in Jasper, Alberta with Wild Current Outfitters

/ Wild Current Outfitters/

Jasper National Park is home to incredible outdoor adventures, with so much to offer visitors (and locals!) all summer long. One thing that is on most “Canada Bucket Lists” is canoeing on a beautiful lake, surrounded by mountains and fresh air. One of the best ways to get this experience, plus the incredible knowledge of a local, snacks, and an amazing adventure, is to enjoy the Guided Canoe Experience offered by Wild Current Outfitters. 

This canoe tour is offered at iconic Pyramid Lake in Jasper National Park, and with Pyramid Mountain as a backdrop, it’s one of the best lakes for canoeing in Jasper. 

canoeing on pyramid lake - jasper national park

Tour At a Glance:

The guided tour starts at Pyramid Lake near the docks, right by Pyramid Lake Resort. You’ll see your guide and the handcrafted wooden canoe on the beach, and this is where the tour begins! After a nice intro and rundown about how the tour goes, you’ll hop into the canoe and set out on the water. Enjoy a nice, serene paddle on Pyramid Lake (you can help paddle, or just sit back and relax) until you make it to a little private beach tucked alongside the lake. The little beach is only accessible by boat! 

Here, enjoy homemade treats, warm drinks, and nice conversation. If it’s warm out (or you want to do a polar plunge in the chilly water!) make sure to bring your swimsuit and towel as well. This spot is a nice photo opportunity as well. 

After spending some time at the beach, continue the paddle around the lake, snapping photos, paddling (if you want) and learning about the area, before heading back to the starting point.

Make sure to ask your local guide about recommendations for Jasper before the tour is over as well! 

Highlights of the Canoe Tour:

Some of the treats from the tour

Knowledge of a Local

Our guide, Mike (one of the owners of Wild Current Outfitters!) was incredibly knowledgeable about absolutely everything. You can tell how passionate he is about canoe culture and providing an incredible experience. He would point out things in nature that the average person wouldn’t notice or even realize they’re looking at (like animal footprints under the water!).

Jasper is also home to so many birds, and the perfect time for birding is May and June. We had so much fun listening for the different bird calls in the morning and identifying the bird calls with Mike. 

There are also binoculars on the canoe for you to use throughout the tour. It was so awesome being able to look at stuff far out in the distance. Mike even paddled us over to a nest he knew about (that is protected and only available to see from quite a distance - it is monitored by Parks Canada), and the binoculars really helped to get a good view of it in order to respect the wildlife. 

Secret Beach

In the middle of the tour, we stopped at an amazing small beach that is only accessible by boat (no hiking trails or roads lead to it), which meant we were the only ones there! It’s at this beach where we enjoyed fruit and locally baked treats from Bearspaw Bakery (The Raspberry White Chocolate Scone was incredible, I had to go buy one as soon as the tour was done). We had stunning views of Pyramid Mountain from the beach and it was such a serene spot to enjoy some snacks, warm drinks, and mountain views.

If you’re visiting on a hot day, I would highly recommend bringing your bathing suit and taking a quick dip in the lake! 

Local treats at the beach

Treats From a Local Bakery

As mentioned above, the tour includes incredible baked treats that are locally sourced from a bakery in Jasper, and warm coffee or hot chocolate. Everything was so good and such an amazing moment during our time in Jasper.

Incredible Views Away From Jasper’s Crowds

Basically the entire time you’re on the canoe tour you’ll find yourself away from the crowds. And Jasper can get crowded (especially in July & August). Not as many people head out on the water, meaning this is the perfect way to get away from it all and enjoy nature and the views in peace.

A Relaxing & Incredible Morning

Canoeing can be hard work, but this tour is great because you don’t actually have to paddle if you don’t want to! Your guide will take care of it all, meaning you can use the entire time to snap amazing photos or just enjoy the incredible eye-candy all around you. If you do want to try out paddling though, everyone gets a paddle and can paddle as much or as little as they want to.

An Amazing Guide & Beautiful Handcrafted Canoe

I can’t say it enough, but our guide Mike was so kind throughout our tour and we had so much fun the whole morning. Plus, the canoe that you take the tour in is so beautiful. It’s a hand-crafted wooden canoe that is super sturdy and just overall stunning. The paddles are also amazing, and the experience and pictures you get are just that much more amazing because of it.

When Does the Tour Run?

At a glance:

  • Morning or afternoon

  • Late Spring to late fall - book early!

The guided canoe tour on Pyramid Lake runs both in the morning and in the afternoon. So you can choose whichever time fits into your day the best.

Check out the Wild Current Outfitters website for updated tour dates, but typically tours run between May and November (depending on weather). July and August are some of the busiest months in Jasper, so make sure to book everything early if you’re planning to visit during this time!

I personally went on the morning tour tour in the middle of June and thought it was perfect. I loved having our tour in the morning and starting the day off with this adventure - the water was so calm, the beach and entire area was so peaceful and serene, and it was an amazing start to a morning in Jasper. I do think an afternoon tour would be awesome as well, but I personally love a nice, calm morning out in nature, and being out on the water too makes it that much more special.

Who Can Join the Tour?

This tour is perfect for couples/pairs and groups. It’s also a great option whether you have canoeing experience, or absolutely none (no experience necessary!).

There are private, 2 guest canoe adventures available. So, whether you’re a couple or a pair of friends, if you’re looking to head out on the water and share an incredible memory together, this tour is an awesome option for you.

This canoe tour is also an amazing option for groups of 3-8 people. Families and groups of friends can sign up for the tour for an amazing morning or afternoon adventure in the Rockies and an unforgettable experience!

What’s Included in the Tour? 

  • Lifejackets and blankets for the duration of the tour

  • Use of binoculars throughout your tour

  • Baked treats sourced from a local bakery and hot drinks

  • Knowledge of a Jasper local - ask questions or recommendations for your time in Jasper!

  • Completely guided tour - you don’t have to paddle at all if you don’t want to!

Other Things to Know

  • Park in the parking lots closer to the Pyramid Lake Resort. You’ll see your guide and the beautiful canoe on the beach getting ready.

  • Bring a small pair of gloves if setting out in the early morning, even if it’s summer the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable and it can be chilly as it starts to warm up for the day.

  • Make sure your camera is charged! The views are stunning.

Things to do After the Tour

There are a bunch of things to do in the Pyramid Lake area that you can enjoy after your tour.

Visit the Iconic Bridge at Pyramid Lake

You can’t head to Pyramid Lake and miss seeing Pyramid Island. There is a beautiful bridge that is an amazing photo opportunity here that you can explore after your tour. The island is located a little further down the road from where the tour launches, you’ll probably see it from the water while on tour! 

Tip: If you don’t want people in your pictures, get to your tour extra early (20-25 minutes early) and stop here before setting out and snap a couple photos! Then you can explore the island after your tour.

Explore the Surrounding Trails

A nice hike to do at Pyramid Lake after your tour is the Pyramid Lake Loop. On the AllTrails website it is considered moderate, however you don’t have to do the entire loop if you don’t want to. A great option for those not interested in the entire trail, is to hike up to the viewpoint of Pyramid Lake and the surrounding mountains, and then hike back down. 

The trailhead is located closer to Pyramid Island than it is to the tour launch point. After the tour, you can continue driving down Pyramid Lake Road and find a new parking spot closer to Pyramid Island and the trailhead if you’re interested in the hike.  

Go for a Swim

If you’re visiting in the midst of summer (July and August), it may be perfect swimming weather. There’s a dock at Pyramid Lake Resort, or check out Pyramid Beach or nearby Patricia Lake. Another option for swimming is to head to Lake Annette or Lake Edith (about a 20 minute drive from Pyramid Lake) for semi-warmer water.

Tip: Check the available parking at popular places around Jasper using Jasper.Now throughout your trip (only updated in the summertime).

Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta

Head Out on Another Adventure!

There is so much to do in Jasper. More amazing spots to check out include:

Did you know Wild Current Outfitters also offers 1-day and multi-day canoe rentals on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park?

Interested in learning more? Explore our website and Instagram.