Wabasso Campground

This is a very nice National Park Campground with several loops. We used this area as a basecamp for the area while we made day trips to see the sites, and hike the trails. The campground is off the beaten path, so its not the most convenient location for a basecamp, but we didn't want to be that close to town. I spent a good amount of time riding my bike on the path that runs along the river, and also through the campground which is fairly extensive in size. I would for sure stay there again if were in the area, which we will be again without a doubt.

Pretty campground in a treed setting that still allowed in enough sunlight for our solar panel. 4 loops of campsites, 3 of which are non-electric for $21.50 per night. Includes use of sani-dump station which is great since there are no showers. Good cell signal, easy 25 min drive to the town of Jasper, 10 mins to Athabasca Falls.

Campground is generally accessible for bigger rigs, though some sites are more accessible than others and based on the assignments, the people at registration didn't know which sites were suitable for larger rigs. Scope out in advance or be prepared to go back and request a different site if needed.

I liked this campground best of the choices in the area since I don't need electricity, I like sunshine and I do need to dump often. It was more spacious, prettier and less busy than Wapiti campground closer to town and much sunnier than Mount Kerkeslin. Plus, the beautiful walking trail along the Athabasca River right beside the campground is great for dog walks!

Only about ten minute drive from Jasper Town, so very convenient for visiting the area around Jasper. We drove to Maligne Lake one day and took the Jasper Tram another day. We had hoped to visit Edith Cavell Lake which is quite nearby, but it was still closed the first week of June.
Because the largest campground near Jasper is closed for the entire season of 2019, Wabasso and Waipiti were fuller than usual. I got up at 6:30am to reserve this site 6 months in advance and still was only able to get half a “double” site. The campground was fully booked on the weekend but it did seem like people were getting sites as walk ins during the week. However, everything was full by late afternoon. And this is during the first week of June! It must be crazy here in July and August?!

However, the sites are spread far enough apart for privacy and it is pretty quiet. The Athabasca River runs behind the campground and there is a lovely long walk along its banks that we really enjoyed.

Would stay here again for sure! But prefer the less hectic pace of the truly off season!

Only about ten minute drive from Jasper Town, so very convenient for visiting the area around Jasper. We drove to Maligne Lake one day and took the Jasper Tram another day. We had hoped to visit Edith Cavell Lake which is quite nearby, but it was still closed the first week of June.
Because the largest campground near Jasper is closed for the entire season of 2019, Wabasso and Waipiti were fuller than usual. I got up at 6:30am to reserve this site 6 months in advance and still was only able to get half a “double” site. The campground was fully booked on the weekend but it did seem like people were getting sites as walk ins during the week. However, everything was full by late afternoon. And this is during the first week of June! It must be crazy here in July and August?!

However, the sites are spread far enough apart for privacy and it is pretty quiet. The Athabasca River runs behind the campground and there is a lovely long walk along its banks that we really enjoyed.

Would stay here again for sure! But prefer the less hectic pace of the truly off season!

This is a great campground for exploring the Jasper area. It's ~20 mins from town, and only 10 mins from Athabasca Falls and some great hikes. It's a bit far from the eastern end of the park, but the campgrounds out there did not have cell service, so they weren't an option for us.

The campground has 4 loops. A, B, and C are dry camping. D loop has electric hookups. We were in C loop. The sites were well maintained. They did vary quite a bit in terms of size and tree cover, though. The people assigning sites did not seem to have any idea what size rigs will fit in which sites, so if they assign one that isn't good for you, go ask for another. We were here in late May 2019, and there were plenty of sites available.

The highlight of the campground was the trail along the river. It was beautiful and well maintained. There was easy river access closer to D loop.

If you're in a big rig and concerned about 93A, it wasn't too bad. It's narrow, and north of the campground are some steep grades, but we didn't have any problems. A friend drove in from the south (following Garmin's directions rather than Google's), and it was fine as well.

Cell service was good for both Verizon and Google Fi.

I am not sure who designs the campgrounds in the Canadian parks, but they could use some assistance. Surrounding by jaw-dropping views in every direction, camping along a beautiful river mere steps away and we are stuck among the dead pine beetle forest with nothing to look at but our neighbors.

Sites have some spacing between neighbors, which is nice. All the trees are dead, so you can see right through them - good for solar, not for privacy.

When checking in you receive a long warning about the bears and how there has been one sighted in the campground recently. So you sit surrounded by ripe berry bushes and warned not to go out in the dark to the brand new very nice bathrooms (sans showers). For if the bears don't get you the mosquitos most certainly will!

Upon check-in, you also receive a warning to go to a clear area when the wind blows due to the danger of falling trees. Do you have any idea how hard it is to pack up camp and move your RV to a clear area? Every time the wind blows? We did have a branch fall on our roof during one of the wind storms and now have a nice cracked skylight. At some point, I can only hope they will remove all the dead trees (thanks pine beetles). Then it will be a nice green field and the bear berries can really fill in!

The dump station is double-sided and in very poor shape (needs an overhaul). But it works and freshwater is available as well as trash and recycle.

Our site, B4 was riddled with stumps that made parking a little tricky. The stumps are just the right height so you don't see them from the driver's seat, but they will wreak havoc on your tires and lower panels of your RV or motor home. With guidance, you can get in and squared enough to have all the slides out.

Location is not too far from anything but will require a car to get to the sites or into town.

For all my downsides, there are lots of positives. The spacing is nice, the location is good - close to trails and some of the popular sightseeing destinations. Generator hours are limited to morning and evening (the only contractor generator you hear is the one at the check-in office as the power went out frequently while we were there). You can walk to the river and enjoy it (bring your hammock and string it between a couple of trees by the river). Cell service is good and we were able to work with no issues. Each space has a fire ring and picnic table.
We did see lots of signs of bear markings on the trees and ran into a bear on our way back to camp one day - just a nice big healthy black bear out hunting for berries.

As choices go in Jasper, this is a good one. And the pros of Jasper Park outweigh any of the negatives. This is a beautiful area filled with amazing sights and tons of wildlife. Definitely worth the stop.

Pro Tip - Study the map if you are reserving and get a site close to the river in the B-Loop and you have a chance of seeing glimpses of the river. Note they do allow you to check-in early which helps beat the long evening line.

We stayed in both the A-loop (unpowered) and the D loop (powered). The campsites in both areas of the campground were well spaced out with ample elbow room between the sites. We had a great and quick check-in. The campground is adjacent to the river and a lot of the sites on the east side especially in the C-loop backup so that the water can be seen and heard. There is a great walking path between the river and the campground which is an easy stroll. The campground has great recycling options, clean bathrooms, and ample centralized water spigots in each loop. The only downside is that like many of the Jasper campgrounds this one has no shower facilities making it unsuitable for long stays. Cell phone reception was good with 2-bars and decent speeds. Once again the WeBoost doubled the speeds and made the data speeds reliable and fast enough to get work done and watch a little Netflix when not exploring the National Park.

You can pick any of the campgrounds in Jasper and get awesome views. Sites are well spaced and if you get one in the trees (our site wasn’t) then there is more privacy. Our site had great solar all day. ATT signal was good at 55Mbps down and 10Mbps up.

The place had all its Beattie-killed trees removed and now looks mostly clear cut. Rustic basic sites.

There are some clear cut areas here, but nothing compared to the lack of privacy at Whistlers. We stayed at both campgrounds and MUCH preferred this one. Our site was in the D Loop, and we had 30amp power. Loved how quiet it was and how nicely the sites were spaced. We have zero complaints! It’s also closer to Edith Cavell, Athabasca and Sunwapta Falls.