Mount Edith Cavell

Overview

About Mount Edith Cavell

Why stop

Close-up views of Angel Glacier and a turquoise meltwater pond
Cavell Meadows’ wildflowers (July–August) with sweeping glacier-and-peak vistas

Heads up

Parking fills early and summer crowds are common
Cavell Road is seasonal, narrow, and closed to large vehicles

Mount Edith Cavell is Jasper’s signature peak: a serrated wall of quartzite draped with the Angel Glacier and fringed by a surreal, iceberg-dotted pond. Few places in the Rockies deliver such dramatic glacial scenery with so little effort.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy go

Map

Where it is

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Full map

SightMount Edith Cavell52.66833, -118.05667

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Mount Edith Cavell

Arrive before mid‑morning or late afternoon; the parking lot fills fast in summer.
Check Cavell Road conditions and seasonal opening; trailers and large RVs are not allowed.
Pack warm, windproof layers—conditions can be cold and gusty even in July.
Stay on marked trails and well back from the glacier and pond edge.
July–August is peak wildflower season in Cavell Meadows; bring a camera.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Mid-summer brings peak views and wildflowers (July–August), but also the biggest crowds—arrive early or late in the day to find parking. Always check Cavell Road status before you go; weather at elevation turns quickly, so pack warm layers even in July.

Logistics & amenities

Access is via Cavell Road (seasonal, twisting; no trailers or large RVs). There’s a formal day-use area with parking and vault toilets at the trailhead, plus interpretive displays. No food, shops, or water—bring everything you need.

8 active Jasper alerts

ClosureWildfire-impacted areas and facilities closedStay out of closed wildfire-impacted areas and facilities in Jasper National Park; closures protect public safety after the 2024 wildfire and remain in effect while recovery and safety work continues.Official details
Closure93A (Wabasso Road) no through travel during roadworkFrom mid-October to early November 2026, plan for 93A (Wabasso Road) to be accessible from the south entrance only; no through travel is expected during roadwork.Official details

See all 8 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Jasper Tour Guide

Your drive to Mount Edith Cavell, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Jasper National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Jasper audio tour

Recorded for this area

When the Ghost Glacier Fell

Listen

“Back in August 2012, a huge piece of the Ghost Glacier broke right off Mount Edith Cavell. It slammed into the small lake below, triggering a powerful surge wave—basically a mini-tsunami in a mountain lake.”

Plays on the road 2.1 km from Mount Edith Cavell in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.

More about Mount Edith Cavell

What you’ll seeAngel Glacier spilling over a 300 m cliff, with Cavell Glacier and a vivid turquoise pond below…

Angel Glacier spilling over a 300 m cliff, with Cavell Glacier and a vivid turquoise pond below (often with floating ice).
Cavell Meadows’ broad alpine views and, in summer, carpets of wildflowers.
Fresh moraines and raw terrain reshaped by the 2012 Ghost Glacier collapse—powerful, visible evidence of a changing landscape.

Trails and viewpointsPath of the Glacier Trail: a short, interpretive walk to prime viewpoints over the pond and…

Path of the Glacier Trail: a short, interpretive walk to prime viewpoints over the pond and glaciers, with signage about glacial retreat and plant recolonization.
Cavell Meadows: a bigger payoff hike into alpine meadows and ridges with panoramic looks at the north face and surrounding valleys. Options range from easy walks to more sustained climbing into the meadows.

WildlifeKeep an eye out for marmots, pikas, ground squirrels, and mountain goats.

Keep an eye out for marmots, pikas, ground squirrels, and mountain goats. Bears, elk, and birds of prey are occasionally seen, and some visitors even report rare caribou sightings from the meadows. Carry bear spray and give all wildlife space.

Safety notesThis is serious glacier country.

This is serious glacier country. Do not venture onto the ice, the pond’s edge, or beneath seracs; rock and icefall are real hazards, heightened since the 2012 collapse. Some areas remain permanently closed—respect signs and stay on established trails.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Jasper

All Jasper wildlife maps

174 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

43 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

40 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map

12 sightingsCanada LynxMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

315 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map

1,028 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Jasper. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.