Parking
Turn into the first parking lot at Maligne Lake, near the historic boathouse. From the lot, take the pedestrian path down to the shore and join the paved Mary Schäffer Loop (Trail 21); the upper lots serve other trails.
Overview
About Mary Schäffer Loop
Mary Schäffer Loop is an easy 3.2 km (2.0 mile) loop at the north end of Maligne Lake. The route begins at the first Maligne Lake parking lot, follows the shore past Curly Phillips's historic boathouse and interpretive panels about Mary Schäffer, then leaves the shoreline through lichen-rich pine, spruce, and subalpine fir before returning to the parking lot. Plan on 1–2 hours for a relaxed walk, including time for the lake and mountain views.
This is a short day-use loop rather than a backcountry route. Take the pedestrian path from the first parking lot down to the shore and follow Trail 21; the upper parking areas serve other Maligne Lake trails. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Jasper is bear country, and mountain weather can change quickly. Carry bear spray, give wildlife plenty of space, stay on the marked route, and use care when the shoreline is wet.
Why go
- Easy, mostly level loop with Maligne Lake shoreline views.
- Curly Phillips's historic boathouse and Mary Schäffer interpretive panels add depth to the walk.
- Short 1–2 hour outing from the first Maligne Lake parking lot.
Heads up
- The Maligne Lake cruise and boathouse hub can be busy in peak season.
- The parking-to-shore access is easy to miss without following the Trail 21 signs.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapElevation1,678–1,723 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 Mary Schäffer 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
Opal Hills Trailhead: A Steep Climb or a Moose WalkListen
“The trailhead coming up offers two very different experiences.”
Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Maligne Lake Boat Cruise and Historic Chalet
- 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!!!!”
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.
