Snaring Campground

Overview

About Snaring Campground

A rustic, first-come, first-served campground north of town, Snaring is where you go for space, scenery, and a genuinely quiet vibe. It sits near the Snaring River with sightlines to the Palisades and jagged peaks, so even a stroll to the water feels scenic.

Why stop

Reliable overflow nearby that rarely fills
Riverside sites with big mountain views
Well-treed, private sites and free firewood

Heads up

No hookups, showers, or dump station
Occasional train noise and no cell service

The adjacent Snaring River Overflow is huge and usually has space when everywhere else is full.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhat Makes It Different

Map

Where it is

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CampgroundSnaring Campground53.01078, -118.08652

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Snaring Campground

Arrive early on weekends for shaded or riverside sites.
Bring water containers—taps are for filling jugs, not RV tanks.
Pack earplugs if you’re sensitive to passing train noise.
If full, check the massive Snaring River Overflow for space.
Plan to be off-grid: no hookups and no cell service.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Open roughly mid-May to late September. Midweek and shoulder months (early season and September) are calmer. Early morning and late afternoon bring softer light on the Palisades and quieter riverbanks; weekends fill first, so arrive before midday if you’re picky about sites.

Campsites & Facilities

About 62 basic sites that suit tents and smaller RVs (best under ~27 ft).
Pit/vault toilets, potable water at shared taps (for filling jugs only).
Fire rings at sites, cooking shelter(s), and food lockers for tent campers.
Free firewood at the woodpile.
No hookups, no showers, and no dump station.

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 Snaring Campground, 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 place

Snaring Campground: Rustic Camping and Overflow Space

Listen

“You're approaching the Snaring Campground. This is a rustic, first-come, first-served spot with nice views of the Palisades mountain range.”

Plays as you drive up to Snaring Campground in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.

More about Snaring Campground

WildlifeExpect birds along the river and the usual chance of elk, deer, and the occasional bear passing…

Expect birds along the river and the usual chance of elk, deer, and the occasional bear passing through—store food properly and follow standard bear-safety practices.

Getting a SiteIt’s first-come. Arrive early on weekends for riverside or shaded picks.

It’s first-come. Arrive early on weekends for riverside or shaded picks. If the campground is full, check whether the overflow is open; it’s typically self-registration and very spacious when available.

Need-to-Know TradeoffsIt’s purposefully simple: pit toilets, shared taps, and no services.

It’s purposefully simple: pit toilets, shared taps, and no services. Light sleepers may notice trains at night. There’s also no cell service, which many campers see as a feature, not a bug.

What Makes It DifferentA mix of sunny, open sites and well-treed, more private nooks—plus a handful near the river.

A mix of sunny, open sites and well-treed, more private nooks—plus a handful near the river.
Easy in-and-out from Highway 16 if you’re arriving from the east.

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.