From my experience, it rivaled and maybe even surpassed Maligne Lake in magnificence. The trail begins next to Miette Hot Springs, which is an hour drive from the town of Jasper. It is a 30 minute drive north on the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) then another 30 minutes to the end of Miette Road. There are other hikes that begin at the Miette Hot Springs Parking lot. Make sure you walk up to the Hot Springs. The trailhead begins to the right of it. It takes approximately an hour to hike to the first lookout point. Within that first hour, there is a gradual increase in elevation via many switchbacks. At the lookout point, you will get great skyline views of the mountains. However, it is not anything I have not seen on other hikes. If I stopped there, I would have noted the hike is very good but nothing special. Instead, I hiked another 30 minutes to get to the real summit. The trail to get there was rocky, windy, and cold. On my journey to the lookout point, I was sweaty and took off my jacket. From the lookout point to the summit, it was dramatically colder and I forced myself to wear my jacket. It was very uncomfortable to be sweating from the trek up but freezing and needing to put on a jacket. The path to the summit was also significantly steeper than the gradual elevation change to get to the lookout point. Consequently, I stopped approximately 5 times just to catch my breath. The steepness is also a challenge on the way down. Accordingly, go at your own pace and make sure you have solid footing before you step. Pebbles and rocks provided better traction than dirt by itself. Nevertheless, the extra effort was rewarded with a spectacular, 360 panoramic view of the Canadian Rockies. You will feel like you are standing among the mountain tops in the Park. You will only understand why the Sulphur Skyline is arguably the best hike in Jasper at the summit. I can honestly say it is unparalleled. The beauty will take your breath away more than the steep climb to the top will cause shortness of breath.
For hikers, the Sulphur Skyline should move to the top of the list of things to do in Jasper. I was also extremely with lucky with the conditions when I completed the trek. There was heavy smoke the week before my trip. Heavy rain from the day before cleared it all out. Moreover, the clouds dissipated in the morning and it was only partly cloudy later in the day. When I did the hike in the late afternoon, the sky was picture perfect. As such, I would definitely recommend trying to time this hike for the best conditions you are expected to see during your visit to Jasper. Completing the hike and taking the time to enjoy the summit took me 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I did not take a dip in the hot springs. However, it can totally be a reward for completing the Sulphur Skyline hike. Of course, you can enjoy it even if you do not hike. The Springs are basically a pool with hot, mineral water. Moreover, the mountains in the backdrop provide a picturesque setting that completes the perfect spot for soothing relaxation. The price is also reasonable. It is approximately $10 per adult to enter and rent a towel and locker.
If you are visiting the Canadian Rockies and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me through Yelp and I can share my itinerary/ recommendations, which includes my Yelp reviews. The information for an electronic copy can also be found via my Yelp profile. read more