Number 6: Spirit Island
Spirit Island is a tiny spot only accessible by boat. It’s about 12 km down the lake, and most people visit it via one of the Maligne Lake boat cruises (like I did). There are other ways though – namely, a canoe paddle, and I would love nothing more than to visit it this way in the future. You can paddle the entire distance in one day (that is a LOT of paddling) or camp in one of the water-access-only backcountry campsites that’s halfway there, which is what I would prefer!
When we drove to Maligne Lake from Jasper, we didn’t think we’d have a chance to get on a boat cruise, since all were booked, but were fortunate enough to get a last minute spot, and it was worth every penny. My geeky self wasn’t satisfied with the lighting, but it really didn’t matter. Traveling in the middle of the Queen Elizabeth range, seeing the amazing peaks of the Canadian Rockies and then the magical Spirit Island was all I hoped for and more.
I will definitely be back some day!
Teardrops & Ales 