Can it be done?

Yes!

First off, traditional hotels in Jasper National Park during the peak summer months are pretty much impossible to get below $100 a night.  It is a supply and demand thing.  The hotels tend to start at $150 a night and there’s a wider range to chose from in the $200 range.

If you want to save some money and stretch your travel budget, here are some ways to stay in Jasper for far less than the price of a hotel.

1. Hostels in Jasper National Park

Jasper hostels are rugged and a true back to nature type of experience.  A night in a Jasper National Park hostel typically involves sleeping on a bunk bed with strangers.  Bathrooms – yes.  Showers – maybe.

But the price is right.  A couple could stay at a hostel for well under $100 a night.

A fun adventure if you’re up to it.

2. Tent Site Car-Camping in Jasper National Park

Bring a ten and camp at one of the Jasper National Park campgrounds.  Renting a campsite is in the $10 to $40 a night range.

Sure, the guy in a nearby tent may be snoring loudly.  But you also are really close to nature.  Many a happy camper has seen some sort of wildlife within the campgrounds, such as the experience of elk walking through your campsite.

3. Backcountry camping in Jasper National Park

If you’re into backcountry camping, Jasper National Park should be on your list.

The reward for those bold enough to camp in the wilds of the Canadian Rockies are spectacular sites that most of the visitors to the park miss out on.  The risk factor is the potential for rainy weather.

Backcountry camping permits are dirt cheap…around$10.

While it may not be the most comfortable night’s rest, the solitude and splendor may be worth it – so long as the bears stay away!

4. Jasper Private Home Accommodations

If you require a good bed to sleep in, consider Jasper Private Home Accommodations.

As part of legislation to prevent over development of the park, residents of Jasper townsite must work within the park – no vacation homes. So, a lot of homeowners make rooms available for a little side income.

Jasper townsite in the center of Jasper National Park is the residential area where residents rent out rooms in their homes.

The price ranges vary depending on the amenities but it is possible to get a room for under $100 a night.  A place with a shared bathroom is less than a private bathroom.  The same goes for a shared entrance versus a private entrance and small bed versus big bed.

5. Stay next door in a hotel in Hinton, Alberta

I recently wrote about staying in nearby Hinton, Alberta for a few nights to save some money.  While it is not truly within Jasper National Park, it is a short drive to the eastern entrance to the park.

Hotels for $100 a night can be had if you look hard enough in Hinton.  While Hinton adds to the amount of daily driving, it may make sense. Get the details: Jasper National Park Hotel Alternative: 3 Hinton Hotels for $100 a night or less in summer.

Hope that helps in your quest to find a way to have an affordable Canadian Rockies vacation!

Athabasca Falls Wilderness Hostel delivers on the promise of the rustic, back to nature hostel experience. And for under $30 a night per person, it is one of the cheapest ways to spend the night in Jasper National Park – for those willing to go without the conveniences of hotels but want more comfort than tent camping.

For a cheap, camp-style hostel experience, Athabasca Falls Wilderness Hostel in Jasper National Park has the essentials – a bed and a place to eat. The HI-Athabasca Falls hostel is part of Hostellers International and consists of 3 dorm room cabins full of bunk beds (dorms of 16, 12, and 10 beds). A main community-use cabin has cooking, dining and relaxation areas where you can relax and put your feet up at the end of a long day of hiking or sightseeing in Jasper National Park.

The hostel is located 32 km south of Jasper townsite on the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93). It is 200 meters south of the Athabasca Falls entrance.

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The hostel is in a convenient central location for seeing all of Jasper National Park and even a day trip to Banff National Park is possible. The closest top attractions are Athabasca Falls (hence the name “Athabasca Falls Wilderness Hostel”) and the Jasper Tramway.

Running water? Well, kind of. Running water consists of a well where you can pump all the water you need, as the hostelers pictured are doing. There are no showers at Athabasca Falls Wilderness Hostel – a good reason to combine a visit here with a day trip to Miette Hot Springs (Miette Hot Springs has swimming/bathing facilities).

Oh, wait, I forgot to mention the outhouses. There are 2 at the hostel. Boys and girls.

The hostel’s location is convenient for hiking, located right near Fryatt Valley and Athabasca Pass. The Athabasca Falls Wilderness Hostel makes it easy for hikers to spend the day hiking without having to set-up a camp or carry a heavy backpack with camping gear while hiking.

Sasha, the manager of this Jasper Hostel, gives a great personal tour of the rustic Canadian Rockies hostel in this 5 1/2 minute video shot in March during the snow-covered grounds of winter.

Be aware that the hours are not like a typical hotel and may be closed during the day. Learn about the details of staying at this Jasper National Park hostel and how to make reservations at the Hostelling International Canada website, where you can also learn about other hostels in the Canadian Rockies. Be sure to check out some of the neat 360 degree pictures of the hostel here on the Hostelling International website.

I’ve been to Yellowstone National Park in the US and the situation is similar.  In fact, finding accommodations within Yellowstone National Park can be even harder than Jasper National Park.

As the saying goes, “it is what it is.”  If these great parks were full of hotels, they’d be cities.

Luckily, for the adventurous types, many hotel alternatives can give you a good enough place to sleep.

For travelers planning a visit to Jasper National Park, there are several alternatives to staying in hotels within Jasper:

1. Stay in Hinton, AB hotels on the eastern border of Jasper National Park.
2. Stay in Valemount, BC near Mt Robson Provincial Park, an hour from Jasper’s western border.
3. Stay in Banff National Park, on Jasper’s southern border.
4. Try camping in Jasper National Park in a tent or bring an RV.
5. Stay in a Jasper private home accommodation – Few travelers know about private home accommodations in Jasper National Park.  They are not heavily promoted and can be a bargain.

Or, do a combination of the above. Start on one side of the Canadian Rockies and then make your way across. Maybe start from Yoho National Park, spend a day or 2 in Banff National Park, then hit Jasper and maybe exit out at Mt Robson or head the other way to Edmonton.