Wapiti Campground

Reservations required to get an actual site in the woods, which all looked nicely spread out with good privacy. FCFS available for the same (too high) price in the “winter area” which is just a parking lot with electric posts. This place does the job if you’re desperate to find a site near Jasper, but it was not ideal at all. Two shower houses for the whole campground- one close to the winter lot, and the other near the entrance, meaning people were driving to take showers. Showers were pretty outdated and not well cleaned. Water would only run for 15 seconds per “push” and it was frigid. We stayed 3 nights because we couldn’t find any other non-reservation options.

Granted we were here during the Labor Day weekend which is a holiday weekend in Canada as well as the US. So those 2-3 nights were a zoo. Campground was full, people were celebrating the last weekend of summer, it seemed crowded (sites are fairly close and not private) and noisy. AFTER the holiday our stay improved quite a bit since the campground was only about 25% occupied and was quiet. That said, location is good for exploring sites and hikes closer to Jasper than Banff (especially Parker Ridge, Valley of 5 Lakes, Columbia Icefield, Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake, Athabasca and Sumwapta Falls). Amenities were good: electric at site, water available at a central location, shower house was clean and had 5 or 6 shower stalls. Access was easy. Roads inside the campground were a tad rough.

Main note: 50% of the mature lodge pole pine trees in Jasper NP are succumbing to the pine bark beetle infestation. Right now they are reddish brown. We could almost fool ourselves into seeing “fall colors” but truth is you are looking at a half dead forest. Yes, it’s Nature at work, cleaning out the old to make way for the new, expedited by changing climate, but we didn’t drive 2500 miles to camp in a dead forest. Probably would have stayed here even if we’d known ahead since there were things we wanted to see and do in the area, but forewarning would have saved us some dismay.

We stayed in the FF loop, which had electric hook ups and offered slightly more spread out sites. It's also closer to the Athabasca River and a great trail which leads into town (although it's pretty far). Elk herd hangs out in the campground and the meadows just to the north. The facilities were very nice. The entirety of the other major campground in town (just to the north of Wapiti and on the west side of the highway -- but its name escapes me at the moment) was closed for the 2019 summer season. From what I could tell, Wapiti is nicer than the other one.

$38.40 was my nightly reservation rate online. Then, when I get there, the campground receptionist asked if I wanted to have a fire. I said yes. He said that'll be $8.80. I said why? He said for firewood. They have a bad pine beetle problem in Jasper NP, so firewood must be used from the campground itself and nowhere else. I understand that, but why wasn't this built into the $38.40 I already paid? That's highway robbery for a basic campsite.

The loop I drove in was flooded and the bathroom was easily a 500-foot walk away. I would not recommend staying at this campground unless you have absolutely nowhere else to stay.

The location is nice being close to Jasper. Wapiti which means white rump refers to the backside of an Elk. Appropriately, we saw elk almost daily sometimes walking directly through our campsites, which is awesome! The campground has a central dump station, with fresh water to refill your tanks. Each loop (A-Y) also has several centrally located restrooms throughout the massive campground. There are several loops with power hook-ups available.

Now the downside. The campground is overpriced with lots of dead trees that when the wind gets blowing will keep you up at night. The outrageous thing is with all this wood that needs to be burned they still charge you $8.80 for the priveledge to help them dispose of the dead loss (Do Not Cut even a limb off a tree... illegal).

The shower houses are terrible. There are only two and I think there are 10 units for each sex (20 total). They are push-button which times out quickly and there is no temperature control. The shower house towards the gate area has faucets that are set at less than six feet high. To add to this frustration, as a 6’ tall person, the heads are fixed in a nearly vertical spray straight down the wall. So in order to get a shower, one must rake their bodies up against the wall… disgusting! The “better” shower house in the AA loop has no parking available so if you are on the other side of the campground have fun, it is a long walk. Once there you will find slightly nicer push-button showers with adequately tilted fixed showerheads mounted at 7' heights but don’t expect a good shower because the hot water heater appears to be incapable of maintaining a temperature even when only one shower is in use. I also found that the temperature was set to ice-cold in the men's while my wife stated that the women’s showers must have been set to scalding hot. Why anyone would build a shower house let alone two shower houses with a lack of user-based temperature control is beyond me. Unfortunately, in 2019 this is the only campground in Jasper National Park with any showers so there is no other place to go. Luckily, Whistler Campground across the street is being remodeled with new shower houses throughout the campground… hopefully, they do away with the temperature-controlled, fixed head, and push-button debacles that plaque Wapiti.

Stayed at this campground on September 9 & 10. Sites are fairly open but still lots of trees. Picnic table and fire pit. Only one shower building was open but we managed. Peaceful spot within a few minutes of Jasper. Lots of firewood for one daily fee of $8.

Due to the pine beetle, the majority of the trees have been removed from the campground. This isn’t great for privacy but is excellent for solar charging. We lucked out and our site was not overlooked by neighbours and backed onto a green area. Cook shelters are available for campers if the weather isn’t cooperating. Washrooms are often a bit of a walk but we’re cleaned every morning and tidied throughout the day. Staff weren’t as strict with coolers and bbqs being left out as they normally are in national parks. There are two shower buildings. I did use either so can’t comment on those facilities. There is a four vehicle Sani-dump on site and a community one just down the road toward Jasper. Some sites have electricity but none have full hook-ups. There is an path that connects to downtown Jasper (5km) that is nice and convenient on an ebike. Good cell coverage from Rogers.

We have stayed at Wapiti twice now. Once in October 2021 and most recently on May 30, 2022. It’s a quick drive to downtown Jasper, the service with ATT is great, there is a beautiful trail alongside the Athabasca river (not to be missed), elks walk right through the campsites daily, and there’s plenty of space between sites (other than the hookup sites in AA).

The downsides are that the dump/water station is a little tight for big rigs and the showers are push button. There’s no temperature regulation and you have to press the button every so often to keep the water on. The bathrooms are clean, however. The showers are nicer in the AA portion of the campground than the ones in the middle. Would absolutely stay here again as there is no “free” camping in Jasper (or Banff) National parks.

Dusty and hot in the heat of the summer. Temps in 2022 running way above average. Beware. No shade.

This is basically a field with very few trees for shade. I think the trees have been thinned out because of a beetle issue killing the pines. iDK. The loop restrooms do have a dish cleaning station setup for cleaning. Very cold at night and HOT during the day. No camp store and place to buy ice. They do have free firewood in Canada ( pick up across the street).