Hike Tonquin Valley, Jasper National Park, Canada

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The Tonquin Valley is located in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. It is a popular destination for back-country hikers, ski touring and horseback trips to the two outfitters camps on the shores of Amethyst Lake. There are also a number of backcountry campgrounds and an Alpine Club of Canada hut. Hidden at the edges of the valley isthe Amethyst Lake Lodge and Tonquin Valley Lodge. Two trails into the valley are utilized by outfitters, skiers and hikers alike. There is the Portal Creek access, and the Astoria River access trails. Typically hikers will do the Portal Creek to McCarib Pass to Tonquin Valley and Out via the Astoria River. This route is 27 miles and can take 3 to 5 days. The 1928 High Trip of the Sierra Club took place in this area. Among those who participated was photographer Ansel Adams and Sierra Club director William Colby. Within the valley there is the scenic Amethyst Lake and Moat Lake. Tonquin Creek drains Moat Lake and flows west into Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia. The Astoria River drains south and east into the Athabasca River. The Tonquin Valley leads to Tonquin Pass which cradles the Amythyst Lakes at its crest beneath the 1,000-metre (3,300 ft) Precambrian quartzite wall of the Ramparts. The valley is a frequent locale for grizzly bears during the summer months as well as mountain caribou, and other Rocky Mountain Wildlife. The lakes are home to an introduced, and stable populations of rainbow trout and brook trout. Best time to go is July to September. Be prepared since it can snow any day of the year.

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