Parking
Use the Dorothy and Christine Lakes trailhead parking area on the north side of Highway 16, about 11.5 km west of Jasper and just past the Meadow Creek Bridge. Follow the railway access road from the parking area to the signed trail start.
Overview
About Dorothy and Christine Lakes Trail
Why go
- Two peaceful lakes and mountain views with an optional Virl Lake detour
- Varied start with a railway crossing and Miette River footbridge
Heads up
- Average signage; junctions can make the Virl spur or lake continuation easy to miss
- Short, steep railway crossing and other steep sections can be awkward for some hikers
Dorothy and Christine Lakes are a quiet pair of Jasper lakes reached by a forested trail with mountain views. The route has a varied start, a steady climb, and an optional spur to Virl Lake for hikers who want a third lake.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapElevation1,093–1,359 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Dorothy and Christine Lakes Trail, 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
The Great Divide Trail CrossingListen
“If you see a hiker near the road with a lightweight pack and a weary but focused look, they might be tackling the Great Divide Trail. This is a monster of a route—over 1,100 kilometers along the spine of the Rockies.”
Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Hiking Jasper 101: Trail Etiquette and Bear-Spray Basics
- Who Was the Yellowhead?
- Reading the Rails: How Modern Trains Run the Yellowhead
- Beavers of Wynd Road
- 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 Dorothy and Christine Lakes Trail
Route overviewFrom the Dorothy and Christine Lakes trailhead parking area about 11.
From the Dorothy and Christine Lakes trailhead parking area about 11.5 km west of Jasper on Highway 16, follow the railway access road, cross the tracks carefully, and use the bridge over the Miette River. The trail then climbs through forest, with some steeper sections, to the junction for the optional Virl Lake spur. Stay on the main trail to reach Dorothy Lake, then continue about 300 m farther to the rocky shore of Christine Lake.
This row represents the main Dorothy-and-Christine out-and-back. Its mapped line follows the highway-side trailhead to Christine and stores the physical corridor once; the optional Virl spur is not included in the mapped line or listed distance. Plan on about 5.0 miles (8.0 km) round trip, roughly 250 m of elevation gain, and about 4.5 hours.
Trail character and accessThis is a moderate, forested hike used by hikers and cyclists.
This is a moderate, forested hike used by hikers and cyclists. Signage is not always obvious at junctions, so watch for the Virl spur and the continuation to Dorothy and Christine. There are no amenities or campsites along the route. A valid Jasper National Park entry pass is required, but no separate day-use permit is listed for this trail.
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.
