Parking
Park at Jasper Activity Centre (303 Bonhomme St), near the start of Pyramid Lake Road. The Cottonwood Slough parking area lies along the route but is not the primary trailhead for this listing.
Overview
About Cottonwood Creek Loop
Cottonwood Creek Loop is a 5.1 km (3.2 mi) return loop from the Jasper Activity Centre on the Pyramid Bench trail system. Parks Canada rates it moderate, with about 60 m of elevation and 1–2 hours walking time. The route is mostly forested and follows Cottonwood Creek past wetland and lake views; it is a multi-use trail rather than a secluded walk.
Why go
- Official 5.1 km loop with modest elevation and easy access from Jasper
- Varied scenery including Cottonwood Creek, wetland, lake, and mountain views
Heads up
- Multi-use route with bikes and horses, especially near the stables
- Several road crossings and average signage make a map or GPS useful
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapElevation1,066–1,143 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Jasper Tour Guide
Your drive to Cottonwood Creek Loop, 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 tourRecorded for this area
Jasper's History at the Yellowhead MuseumListen
“You're approaching a part of town that holds a lot of Jasper's history. The Jasper Yellowhead Museum is right here, and it’s where the story of the park really comes into focus.”
Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Jasper Gas and EV Charging Hub
- Jasper Townsite Overview and Highlights
- Shell Gas Station and Historic Anglican Church
- HI Jasper and Closed Services
- 157 audio storiesacross Jasper’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 91 trails, 129 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Cottonwood Creek Loop
RouteStart at Jasper Activity Centre and follow signed Trail 2 onto the bench.
Start at Jasper Activity Centre and follow signed Trail 2 onto the bench. Continue to the Cottonwood Slough and Pyramid Lake Road area, then follow Trail 2a back toward the north end of Jasper. Use Town Trail 11 and the signed connectors to return to the Activity Centre. This line represents the complete loop, including the Trail 2 Church Trail section and the marked Trail 2/2a/11 junctions; the total visitor distance is the full 5.1 km loop, not a one-way measurement. Expect road crossings and take care around the stables area, where horse traffic is common.
Know before you goDogs are allowed on leash, and bikes and horses share parts of the route.
Dogs are allowed on leash, and bikes and horses share parts of the route. Carry a map or GPS because some junctions are not obvious. Bring water; there are no potable-water or backcountry facilities on the loop. Bears frequent the area during berry season: make noise and carry bear spray.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Jasper
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 mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Jasper. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
