Canoeing Maligne Lake to Spirit Island
Maligne Lake is the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies and sits just an hours drive north of Jasper. It’s known worldwide for the scene pictured above, Spirit Island, surrounded by glacial-fed turquoise waters and massive snow-capped peaks. In a region that is jampacked with awe-inspiring views this one stands out above the rest. Spirit Island is a sacred place to the Stoney Nakoda First Nations people who believe the island is a place where the physical and spiritual worlds intertwine and the mountain peaks that overlook the island are representations of their ancestors.
Accessible only by boat, Spirit Island sits about 14 km down the 21 km long lake. There are motorboat tours offered but if you want to take your time and really experience the beauty this lake has to offer, you should paddle it. Experienced paddlers could get to Spirit Island and back in a single day but it’s better to stay overnight at one of the backcountry campgrounds. The Hidden Cove campground is only 4 km from the docks. Fisherman’s Bay is the most sought-after campground as its 13 km away, less than a kilometer short of Spirit Island. If you’re really adventurous there’s also Coronet Creek right at the end of the lake, 21 km away from the docks. All sites need to be booked in advance here: https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/. Reservations usually open at the end of January.
We wanted to do a two night trip, staying at Fisherman’s Bay the first night and Coronet Creek the second night, but Fisherman’s Bay was all booked up. So we decided to just stay one night at Coronet Creek campground. It would be two long days of paddling but we really wanted to see the whole lake. We stopped in Jasper at Wildcurrent Outfitters (highly recommend) to pick up our paddles, life jackets, waterproof packs and safety kits. Our canoe was waiting for us at the Maligne Lake docks when we got there. Keep your eye out for wildlife on Maligne Lake road. We spotted some elk and a black bear.
We started paddling in the rain but the scenery of this lake can’t help but keep your spirits high. We’ve done lots of canoe trips but nothing like this. The only downside was the tour boats ripping by every few minutes.
The wind was in our favor so we got to Spirit Island in good time. Less than 3 hours of paddling. And to our surprise the sun peaked out from clouds as we rounded the corner to get our first look at the island.
There’s an observation deck you can climb up for an overhead view of the island. Paddling in the rain all day was worth it. We could have stayed and stared at this view for hours. The pictures will not do it justice.
We could see another series of dark clouds coming our way and we still had 7 km to go before we’d hit Coronet Creek campground so we had to get moving. This stretch of paddling was a bit more enjoyable than the first because the tour boats don’t go any further than Spirit Island. It felt like we had the entire lake to ourselves!
What an awesome paddle. As we rounded the corner we finally saw the dock for Coronet Creek campground. It took about 4 hours to paddle the lake end to end (21 km). The final little bay where Coronet Creek is located is serene.
We managed to dry out a bit in the last hour as the rain held off. But as we unloaded onto the shore we could hear the thunder rolling. We quickly grabbed our gear and ran to our tent site to start setting up. Just as we zipped ourselves inside the tent the sky completely opened up and drenched the area for a good hour. After the downpour subsided we got out and made some dinner. Someone had set up some tarps over the picnic tables in the common area which was really nice. We sat by the fire with a large group of fellow campers and enjoyed our dehydrated backpackers fettucine alfredo. We walked out to the dock to enjoy the view before heading back to the tent.
As we packed up the next morning and grabbed our food out of the provided bear bins we saw a few deer friends had come by to say hello.
The rain was lighter today but continuous. And the wind was not in our favor, making the paddle more strenuous and much colder. We stopped at a beach to get a snack and try to warm up.
It took us closer to 5 hours to get back to main dock. We unloaded and immediately blasted the heat in the car. Our fingers and toes were numb. So much for a warm July vacation in Jasper! Overall, it was an insanely cool trip. We’d love to come back and spend more time in the area.
Check out some of our other adventures in the Canadian Rockies and leave a comment below: