Several businesses, public areas in Jasper National Park and townsite now open, slated to open soon

Several Jasper businesses, trails and areas are now open or soon-to-be accessible.

Several Jasper businesses, trails and areas are now open or soon-to-be accessible.

The municipality of Jasper on Wednesday posted a list of businesses and public spaces that are now available to be visited following wildfires that destroyed about a third of the townsite in July.

Several trails and day-use areas in Jasper National Park are slated to open on Friday, park staff said in a Facebook post.

Businesses in Jasper now open include banks such as ATB and CIBC, lodging such as the Glacier View Hotel, gas stations, restaurants, the post office and tourist services. Parks in the town that are open include Centennial Park, Commemoration Park and Robson Park.

Areas in the national park that staff say have been assessed and declared safe for use starting Friday include trails, pullouts and viewpoints along Miette Road; highway pullouts, day use areas, and trails along Highway 16 between the east gate and the north side of the Snaring River; Talbot Lake and Jasper Lake; and the climbing area at Morro Slabs.

Along Highway 16 west of the townsite, all pullouts and viewpoints are slated to open Friday as are trails at Dorothy and Christine lakes to give access to trails in the Elysium Pass/Devona areas, park staff said.

Some sections of both the park and the townsite are still closed.