There aren’t many places you can hike on dry trail at this time of year. But if you find yourself in Jasper, the lowest community in the Canadian Rockies (1060m/3,480ft), you can get a jump on the season by hiking around the townsite on the Discovery Trail.

North end of the Discovery Trail, Jasper National Park

The Discovery Trail is a relatively new route created by Parks Canada, the Municipality of Jasper, the Friends of Jasper National Park and the Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society. I hiked the 8.3 km (5.2 mi) circuit one evening last summer and was surprised by many fine views over the town and to the high peaks up the Athabasca Valley.

Viewpoints on the west arm of the trail remind me of Banff’s Tunnel Mountain, while others are quite urban (passing behind condos and along Jasper’s main street). Sections along the west side of town are popular with mountain bikers, and the complete circuit would make a great evening run.

There are a number of confusing intersections on the circuit, so before you do anything exciting, like biking or running it, I suggest you hike it first. You can pick up a map at the Park Visitor Centre or download a trail map from the Brochures and Publications page on the Jasper National Park website.