Jasper on a Budget: 10 Free or Cheap Things to Do

Jasper is one of the best-known places in Alberta and welcomes thousands of visitors every year. We recently spent 3 days and 2 nights there, and since we travel full-time, we are always looking for great things to do without breaking the bank.

The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy Jasper. In this post, we’re sharing 10 free or cheap things to do in Jasper that we did or discovered during our trip, so you can save some money while still enjoying the incredible beauty of this national park.

Most of the activities on this list are free and don’t require you to book a tour or purchase an attraction ticket. However, you’ll still need to account for Jasper National Park admission, transportation, parking where applicable, food, and accommodation.

If you’re wondering, Can I really visit Jasper and find free or cheap things to do? Let me tell you, you absolutely can.

Is Jasper expensive to visit?

Jasper is one of the most well-known destinations in Alberta, famous for its incredible Rocky Mountain scenery and wildlife.

But because it attracts so many visitors, a trip here can get expensive pretty quickly, especially when you factor in accommodation, food, and paid attractions.

The good news is that there are plenty of cheap things to do in Jasper, and many of them are actually free. You can hike, explore beautiful lakes, walk around town, spot wildlife, and enjoy some incredible views without adding much to your travel budget.

Are there Free and Cheap Things To Do in Jasper?

Absolutely! We visited Jasper for a short 3-day, 2-night trip from Edmonton, where we met up with some friends coming from Ontario.

We wanted to spend time together, explore Jasper, and choose activities we would all enjoy without necessarily breaking the bank.

And that’s exactly what we did. You don’t need to book a tour or pay for an attraction every day to have an amazing time here.

There are plenty of cheap things to do in Jasper, including some that are completely free, while still getting to experience what makes this national park so special.

Here are some of the free and affordable things we enjoyed during our time in Jasper and that we think are worth adding to your trip.

1. Go Hiking at Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake is located about a 12-minute drive from Jasper town, and this was the first hike we did on our second day.

There are several trails you can choose from in the area, and I recommend using AllTrails to find a route that works for you. That’s what we used, and it worked perfectly for us.

We hiked for around 3 hours in total, with about 2 hours of actual moving time. We took things slowly because one of our friends had a minor foot injury, stopped along the way to enjoy the views, and took a break at the top to eat some food we had brought with us. By the end, our loop was 6.89 km.

One thing we really enjoyed about this hike was that a good portion of it was under the trees. Even though it was a sunny day, the shade made the hike feel fresh and comfortable.

Along the way, you can get some awesome views of both Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake. The views from the top were definitely worth the climb!

I would consider the hike moderate. We are not expert hikers at all, and although there were a few challenging sections, we were able to do it without a problem by taking our time.

We started and finished near Pyramid Lake Lodge. Finding parking was a little tricky when we arrived, but we eventually found a spot.

Best of all? We paid $0 for this experience. We brought our own food to enjoy afterward, making this one of our favorite free things to do in Jasper during our trip.

2. STOP by Patricia Lake

While driving from Jasper town to Pyramid Lake, we passed Patricia Lake, and honestly, it was impossible not to stop.

The combination of the beautiful water and mountains in the background makes it such a nice spot to take a few photos and simply enjoy the scenery.

There are a few spots along the way where you can safely pull over, so keep an eye out for them. The road can be a little narrow in some areas, so make sure you only stop where there is enough space to do so safely.

It was a quick and completely free stop, but definitely worth adding to your list of cheap things to do in Jasper, especially if you’re already heading toward Pyramid Lake.

3. Walk around Lake Edith

This was one of our favorite walks during our three days in Jasper. We drove about 12 minutes from Jasper to Lake Edith, and when we arrived, there were very few people around.

We found a trail on AllTrails that loops around the lake, and it was gorgeous. We walked almost 5 km, and it took us around 1.5 hours because we took our time stopping along the way to take photos and look at the lake.

Because travel is part of our everyday life, we’re very mindful about where we spend our money. We like to choose a few experiences that are worth paying for and find other ways to explore without spending too much.

It wasn’t crowded at all during our visit, so for most of the walk, it felt like we had the trail almost to ourselves.

The trail was mostly flat and easy to walk, with beautiful views of the lake and mountains along the way. We even spotted an elk during our walk!

We also enjoyed seeing some of the beautiful homes around the lake and stopping for a few minutes by the water.

There was plenty of parking when we visited, but I wouldn’t recommend bringing a larger RV because some of the spaces and roads around the lake can be tight. Getting there by car or bike should be much easier.

This was another completely free activity and easily one of our favorite cheap things to do in Jasper. If you’re looking for a peaceful walk surrounded by beautiful scenery, we highly recommend adding Lake Edith to your itinerary.

4. Have a picnic at Lake Edith

After our walk around Lake Edith on day three, we brought out our picnic blanket and the food we had packed and had lunch with our friends by the lake.

Near the parking area, you’ll find picnic tables and spots for barbecuing, but we decided to take our blanket down to the beach and eat there instead. It was such a simple plan, but sitting by the water with our friends after the walk was lovely.

Bringing your own food is also an easy way to keep your day affordable, especially if you’re looking for cheap things to do in Jasper without having to head back into town for every meal.

And of course, make sure you take all your garbage with you and leave the area exactly as you found it.

5. Bring your own paddleboard or Watercraft

If you already own a paddleboard, canoe, or other non-motorized watercraft, bringing it with you is another way to enjoy Jasper’s lakes without paying for a rental.

We actually brought our paddleboard with every intention of using it at Lake Edith. But after walking around the lake and having our picnic, we ran out of time and never got it in the water!

Next time, we would definitely make time for it. Instead of walking around the lake, we might spend that time paddling and seeing it from a completely different perspective.

If you already have the equipment, this can be another great option when looking for free or cheap things to do in Jasper.

6.Explore downtown Jasper on foot

Exploring downtown is definitely one of the easiest free or cheap things to do in Jasper. You can simply wander around, check out the local stores, and admire some of the buildings around town.

On our first day, we met our friends for dinner in Jasper and spent some time walking around afterward. In one part of town, we saw several homes and buildings being reconstructed, likely as part of the recovery from the 2024 wildfire.

Seeing this in person was a reminder of how much the community has been through and how important it is to support local businesses when visiting Jasper.

There are plenty of shops and interesting buildings to see as you walk around, so even if you aren’t planning to spend much, it’s worth leaving some time to explore the town itself.

7. Look for the murals around Jasper

While you’re already walking around downtown Jasper, keep an eye out for the murals scattered around town. If you enjoy street art like we do, this is another completely free thing to do in Jasper.

We didn’t spend a lot of time downtown, but we still managed to spot at least three murals during our walk. They are beautiful and add another reason to explore some of the streets beyond the main areas.

You can even turn it into a little challenge and see how many you can find during your visit.

8. Spot Wildlife While Exploring Jasper

Keep your eyes open while exploring Jasper because you never know when you might spot wildlife. During our three days there, we saw several elk, and it was awesome!

We spotted elk near one of the campgrounds and even saw some just hanging out near the road. We also saw mountain goats while driving toward Jasper from Edmonton, which was pretty cool.

Of course, never approach or try to get closer to wildlife. Give animals plenty of space and observe them from a safe distance. Sometimes you’ll be surprised by how close they can appear on their own, especially while you’re driving or hiking.

Wildlife spotting costs absolutely nothing, and for us, it was one of the most cool parts of visiting Jasper.

9. Dip Your Feet in Jasper Lake

About an 18-minute drive from Jasper town toward Edmonton, you’ll find Jasper Lake and the Jasper Lake Sand Dunes. This was such an interesting stop because Jasper Lake looks like a huge body of water, but once you start walking into it, you realize just how shallow it is.

Aldo and our friend walked quite far into the lake, and the water was still below their knees. They said it was really cool to experience, although the water itself was definitely cold!

You can stop here, walk along the sandy area, dip your feet in the water, and enjoy a completely different landscape from the mountain lakes closer to Jasper.

It’s another simple and free stop to add to your Jasper trip, especially if you’re driving to or from Edmonton.

10. Stop at the Viewpoints That Catch Your Attention

One thing we quickly realized in Jasper is that you don’t need to pay for an attraction to get some of the best views.

Some of our favorite photos from the trip came from the free hikes we did, stops along the way, and places we simply discovered while exploring. With mountains, lakes, and forests almost everywhere you look, there are plenty of opportunities to stop and take a photo.

So don’t rush from one attraction to the next. If you see a viewpoint or a spot that catches your attention, stop when it’s safe to do so and enjoy it. Some of our favourite views in Jasper cost us absolutely nothing.

How we visited Jasper on a budget

We’ve been travelling full-time for a few years now, so when we visit a new place, we don’t treat every trip like a vacation where we can splurge and then spend the rest of the year saving for the next one.

Our trip to Jasper was no different. We spent money on the things that mattered to us, saved where we could, and still had a great three days with our friends.

If you’re also hoping to visit Jasper on a budget, here are a few things that helped us keep our costs down:

Stay at Jasper’s overflow campground

Accommodation can easily become one of the biggest expenses when visiting Jasper, but since we were travelling in our RV, we had another option.

We didn’t plan this trip very far in advance, and by the time we looked for a place to stay, the option available to us was Jasper National Park’s overflow camping area, located about 15 minutes from Jasper town.

This is a very basic camping option. You basically get a place to park and a picnic table.

There are no showers or other campground facilities, and campfires aren’t allowed. But if you’re travelling in a self-contained RV like ours, with your own bathroom, kitchen, and everything you need, it can be a great way to save on accommodation.

We paid only $40.76 CAD total for two nights, which was a great deal for us, especially during high season in Jasper.

If you need to empty your tanks, you can use the dump station at Whistlers Campground at no additional cost. We were able to do this during our stay, so not having a dump station at the overflow area wasn’t an issue for us.

It was definitely a no-frills stay, but we had everything we needed and saved a significant amount of money on our two nights in Jasper.

Cook some of your meals

Another way we kept our Jasper trip affordable was by preparing some of our own meals in the RV.

On our first morning, we met up with our friends, who were travelling separately, and had a homemade meal together in our RV.

We prepared the food ourselves, sat around catching up, and didn’t have to spend anything extra on a restaurant meal or tips.

On day two, we invited our friends to join us at the campground for dinner. Visitors were allowed, so we brought out our portable propane grill and had a barbecue together.

We checked with the campground office beforehand to make sure we could use it, and they confirmed that it was allowed.

We did eat out for dinner once during our trip, and it cost us around $100 CAD per couple. We enjoyed it, but when you compare that with preparing your own meals, you can see how quickly eating out every day can add up.

We’re not saying you shouldn’t enjoy Jasper’s restaurants. But if you’re looking for cheap things to do in Jasper and ways to keep your overall trip affordable, preparing some of your meals and choosing when you want to eat out can make a big difference.

Pack food for your day trips

On day three, we packed our own food and had a mid-afternoon picnic after our walk around Lake Edith. Instead of heading back into town to buy lunch, we already had everything we needed with us.

If you’re spending the day hiking or exploring Jasper’s lakes, packing food, snacks, and drinks is an easy way to save some money.

It also means you don’t have to interrupt your plans just to find somewhere to eat.

Bring your own outdoor gear

Whatever outdoor activities you enjoy, consider bringing your own gear if you already have it. We brought our paddleboard with us, so if we had found the time to use it, we wouldn’t have needed to pay for a rental.

For reference, when we visited Pyramid Lake, we saw canoe rentals for two people for around $80 CAD for one hour, while a single kayak was around $45 CAD per hour.

At Lake Edith, we found a more affordable option for two people. When we visited, a kayak or paddleboard rental was $68 CAD for one hour, $78 for two hours, $88 for three hours, $98 for four hours, or $128 for the full day.

The longer rentals were definitely better value than what we saw at Pyramid Lake. However, when we went to rent one, they didn’t have any equipment left available.

Rental prices and availability can change, but this was another reminder that bringing your own gear, when possible, can save you money and guarantee you have it when you want to use it.

One Jasper experience we decided to splurge on

While we were looking for cheap things to do in Jasper, we also decided there was one experience we were willing to spend more money on: the Jasper SkyTram.

We paid around $181.60 CAD for two people. Alberta residents can get a discount, although I didn’t ask exactly how much it was when we visited.

The ride up gives you some incredible views of the mountains and the surrounding area. You can also see some of the damage left behind by the 2024 wildfire.

Once you reach the upper station, you’ll find a gift shop and a restaurant. There was also an option to purchase a ticket that included dinner at the restaurant. We didn’t do that, but it’s something we might consider another time.

What we did instead was hike once we got to the top, which doesn’t cost anything extra after you’ve paid for the SkyTram.

And I’m not going to lie, I found this hike hard. My ears were pounding, my head wasn’t loving the altitude, and it was definitely colder than it had been down in Jasper town. We took our time and kept going.

But oh boy, the views from the top!

If you’re comfortable with the hike, we highly recommend making your way farther up instead of only staying near the SkyTram station. For us, those views made the climb worth it.

We will probably write a separate post about our full Jasper SkyTram experience, but this was the one bigger expense we chose to make during an otherwise very affordable Jasper trip.

Conclusion

Our three days in Jasper showed us that you don’t need to spend a lot of money every day to enjoy this national park. In fact, some of our favorite moments from the trip didn’t cost us anything.

We hiked, walked around Lake Edith, stopped at Patricia Lake, spotted wildlife, explored downtown Jasper, had a picnic by the water, and enjoyed some incredible views along the way.

We also saved money by staying at the overflow campground, cooking in our RV, and bringing our own food and outdoor gear.

Finding cheap things to do in Jasper also gave us more room in our budget for the one experience we really wanted to spend money on, the Jasper SkyTram.

For us, travelling on a budget isn’t about spending nothing. It’s about deciding what we really want to spend our money on and finding simple ways to enjoy everything else.

If you’re planning your own Jasper trip, bring your hiking shoes, pack some food, and leave some room in your plans to simply explore. You might find that some of your favorite Jasper memories are the ones that cost you very little.

And if you’d like to keep exploring Canada, don’t miss these guides:

• Is Prince Edward Island Worth Visiting? A Complete Travel Guide
• Is New Brunswick Worth Visiting? 5 Weeks Exploring The Province
• Is Edmundston Worth Visiting On Your RV Trip Through New Brunswick?
• Where to Stay in New Brunswick, Canada: Best Hotels by area
• Is New Brunswick Worth Visiting? 5 Weeks Exploring The Province
• 50 Best Things to do in New Brunswick (Complete Travel Guide)
• Is Mount Carleton Provincial Park Worth Visiting? Everything You Need to Know.
• Is Bathurst, New Brunswick Worth Visiting? Things To Do In 48 Hours
• Is The Acadian Peninsula Worth Visiting? Everything You Need To Know
• 32 Things To Do In The Acadian Peninsula, New Brunswick
• 18 Best Things To Do In Miramichi In Summer
• Is The Acadian Historical Village Worth Visiting? A First-Timer’s Guide
• Is Fredericton Worth Visiting? Reasons You’ll Want To Add It To Your Trip