Parking
Turn into the first parking lot at Maligne Lake, at the end of Maligne Lake Road. Follow the signed paths down toward the historic boathouse and shoreline to begin the Mary Schäffer Loop.
Overview
About Maligne Lake Lakeshore Trail
The Mary Schäffer Loop is an easy, 3.2 km (2.0 mile) shoreline loop at the north end of Maligne Lake. It begins at the first parking lot, follows the access paths to the lake and the historic boathouse area, then returns along the shore. Expect an easy outing of about 1–2 hours with little elevation change and broad turquoise-water views framed by the surrounding peaks.
Why go
- Easy add-on: link to Moose Lake Loop to see landslide-shaped terrain
- Interpretive signs that bring the lake’s history and ecology to life
Heads up
- Very popular area—expect crowds near the boathouse midday
- Sections can be muddy after rain despite otherwise easy footing
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapElevation1,682–1,722 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 Maligne Lake Lakeshore 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 trailhead
Maligne Lake Boat Cruise and Historic ChaletListen
“The road ahead ends at Maligne Lake, one of Jasper's most famous destinations. The main event here is the boat cruise to Spirit Island, which is one of the most photographed spots in the Canadian Rockies.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Opal Hills Trailhead: A Steep Climb or a Moose Walk
- The Red Chairs at Maligne Lake
- The Map to Maligne Lake
- The Phantom River: Where Maligne Goes Underground
- 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 Maligne Lake Lakeshore Trail
What you’ll seeThe route follows the lakeshore and passes through short stretches of cool conifer forest.
The route follows the lakeshore and passes through short stretches of cool conifer forest. Interpretive signs share local history and ecology, including Mary Schäffer’s role in bringing attention to Maligne Lake. Quieter coves can attract moose, while bears may move through the area.
Route notesThe loop uses packed dirt and gravel with some paved sections near the facilities.
The loop uses packed dirt and gravel with some paved sections near the facilities. Follow the signed Mary Schäffer Loop (Trail 21); the mapped line includes the short public access connection from the first parking lot to the named shoreline loop. If you want a longer outing, Moose Lake Loop is a separate nearby trail rather than part of this route.
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.
