Parking
Turn left into the first parking area at Maligne Lake, then left again and uphill to the farthest of the three lots. The trail begins at the northeast corner of that lot.
Overview
About Opal Hills
Why go
- High subalpine meadows and broad views over Maligne Lake
- A rewarding full loop with a strong mountain payoff
Heads up
- Sustained, steep climbing on a difficult mountain trail
- No dogs allowed; snow or mud may persist outside the main summer season
Opal Hills Loop is a demanding climb from Maligne Lake to high subalpine meadows with broad views across the lake and surrounding Jasper peaks. The payoff is especially strong in the wildflower season.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike itMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapElevation1,690–2,157 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Jasper alerts
- ClosureOpal Hills hiking area closedMentions this trailDo not enter the Opal Hills hiking area; it is closed to all traffic and travel because a female grizzly bear with two offspring is in the area.Official details
- 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Jasper Tour Guide
Your drive to Opal Hills, 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
Opal Hills Trailhead: A Steep Climb or a Moose WalkListen
“The trailhead coming up offers two very different experiences.”
Plays as you drive up to this 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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Opal Hills
Trail overviewThis is an 8.2 km (5.
This is an 8.2 km (5.1 mi) loop with about 460 m of elevation gain and a typical hiking time of 4–6 hours. Parks Canada rates it difficult. The route is a sustained, steep mountain trail rather than a casual lakeside walk.
Route and experienceBegin at the northeast corner of the farthest of the three parking lots at Maligne Lake, then…
Begin at the northeast corner of the farthest of the three parking lots at Maligne Lake, then follow the short approach shared with the Mary Schäffer Loop before climbing into the Opal Hills meadows. The upper trail forms a loop and returns to the Maligne Lake access. Expect forest, open meadows, changing mountain views, and a natural dirt-and-rock surface.
Heads upDogs are not allowed on this trail.
Dogs are not allowed on this trail. This is bear country: travel in a group where possible, make noise, and keep bear spray accessible. Snow or mud can persist outside the main summer season; check Parks Canada’s current trail information before setting out.
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.
