Parking
Park at the P7 parking area at the north end of Pyramid Lake Road. Start here for the 5.3 km Overlook Loop distance and route described above.
Overview
About Pyramid Lake Loop
Why go
- Broad views over Pyramid Lake, Patricia Lake and the Jasper valley
- A short, worthwhile climb with a clear loop route
- Pyramid Island is an easy optional photo stop near the trailhead
Heads up
- The opening climb is steeper than the easy scenery suggests
- Trail 2 includes road-adjacent stretches and shared horse use
- Winter snow and ice can make the ridge sections slippery
The Overlook Loop is a 5.3 km loop from the P7 parking area at the north end of Pyramid Lake Road. Allow 1–2 hours, with extra time for the viewpoints. The climb is short but noticeable at the start, and the payoff is a wide look over Pyramid Lake, Patricia Lake and the Jasper valley.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Jasper map
Full mapElevation1,181–1,324 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 Pyramid Lake 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 trailhead
Pyramid Lake and its Famous IslandListen
“You're coming up to the Pyramid Lake area, one of Jasper’s most iconic spots. The main attraction is the incredible view of Pyramid Mountain reflecting in the water.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Jasper Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Jasper Red Chair Pyramid Overlook Trail
- Dark Skies at Pyramid Lake
- Pyramid Lake Resort: Lakeside Lodging and Activities
- Pyramid Lake Beach: A Swimmable Lake
- 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 Pyramid Lake Loop
Take the ridge routeFollow the signed 2b bench trail, then connect to 2j and Trail 2 to close the loop.
Follow the signed 2b bench trail, then connect to 2j and Trail 2 to close the loop. The natural dirt and gravel path has roots and a few road-adjacent stretches on the return. Parks Canada lists about 75 m of elevation gain; stay with the signed junctions around Pyramid Bench rather than wandering onto the nearby network.
Make time for the viewsPyramid Lake and Pyramid Mountain do most of the visual work here, while the higher bench opens…
Pyramid Lake and Pyramid Mountain do most of the visual work here, while the higher bench opens the view toward Patricia Lake and Jasper. Pyramid Island is a worthwhile short photo stop near the trailhead. At the overlook, include a little trail in the frame with the lakes and peaks so the bench has some scale.
A few practical notesStart at P7, not at the island parking or bridge, for the distance described here.
Start at P7, not at the island parking or bridge, for the distance described here. Dogs are allowed on leash, and horses share parts of Trail 2. Snow and ice can make the exposed ridge and roadside sections slippery in winter, so check Parks Canada trail conditions 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.
