How to Get to Spirit Island in Jasper, Alberta

Spirit Island is located on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park and is known as one of the most photographed places in Canada. 

It is around 14 km from the Lakeshore of the Maligne Lake Boathouse, which can make it one of Jasper’s hardest places to visit. 

So, how do you get to Spirit Island? 

There are two ways to get to Spirit Island: 

1. Rent a canoe or kayak and paddle your way to Spirit Island
2. Board the Maligne Lake Cruise to Spirit Island

There are pros and cons to both options:

Option One: Canoeing/Kayaking to Spirit Island

In my opinion, canoeing or kayaking is the best way to get to Spirit Island.

Pros of Getting to Spirit Island by Canoe/Kayak:

ADVENTURE

Taking a canoe provides an element of adventure that just isn’t there with the lake cruise. And, canoeing on a lake in the Rockies is on so many bucket lists, so why not knock it off your bucket list while paddling to something incredible! 

STUNNING SCENERY

You can paddle at your own speed and are in charge of your own canoe, so you can stop and admire the amazing Maligne Lake and the surrounding mountains whenever you want.

UNLIMITED TIME AT SPIRIT ISLAND

If you canoe yourself, it’s really up to you how long you spend there. The only person’s schedule you’re on is your own, and 

IT’S A SIMILAR PRICE FOR A DAY OF ADVENTURE

Instead of spending 1 hour and 30 minutes on the entire Lake Cruise tour, you can rent your own boat for a similar price. Depending on how many people you have, you can share the cost of a canoe/kayak for the full day, rather than paying for individual tickets for the cruise. I would price compare and see what the price difference is! (I rented a 2 person canoe from Wild Current Outfitters and it cost us $190 total for 2 full days with the canoe).

Cons of Getting to Spirit Island by Canoe/Kayak:

IT TAKES A FULL DAY

Getting to Spirit Island by canoe or kayak is not the easiest paddle in the world. You will need a lot of time in order to enjoy yourself and not wear yourself out. It took my sister and me around 4 hours to paddle to Spirit Island, and about 4.5 hours to paddle back (a kayak would be a lot more efficient though). So it is a loooong day if you are trying to squeeze it into one day. If you are looking to paddle there, I would recommend checking out the campsites that are on Maligne Lake and turning your journey into two days instead of one! 

IT MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE

Of course, if you have small kids or are incapable of paddling a canoe for a long period of time, getting to Spirit Island by canoe may not be the right choice for you. In this case, if you are dying to see Spirit Island, I would take the Lake Cruise. (I did see families canoeing though, you know your family’s capabilities best!).

Wondering where to rent a canoe to paddle Maligne Lake?

• I highly recommend Wild Current Outfitters. Their canoes are located at the lake shore and Mike (the owner) is so friendly. I’ll never rent from anyone else. 
  • You do need to collect life jackets, etc. from the Jasper Adventure Center in the Town of Jasper, but the boats are located at the lake.
• Maligne Lake Boathouse. Located on Maligne Lake as well, you can rent from the boathouse right on Maligne Lake if you find yourself there and find you’re wanting to rent a canoe. 

Spending more time in Jasper? Find out 25 awesome things to do here.

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Option Two: The Maligne Lake Cruise to Spirit Island

There is a tour that leaves from the Maligne Lakeshore that will take you all the way to Spirit Island. These tours leave every 15 minutes and are a quick way to get there.

Pros of Getting There by Tour

IT’S FAST

If you’re short on time, the Boat Tour is a fast way to see Spirit Island. The entire tour is around 1.5 hours total. 

ANYONE CAN TAKE THE BOAT TOUR

If you cannot paddle a canoe or kayak, then this may be the only way to see Spirit Island. The boat tour is accessible to anyone, making it the only option for some. 

Cons of Getting There by Tour

LIMITED TIME AT SPIRIT ISLAND 

Getting to Spirit Island by Boat Tour only allows you 15 minutes on the Island itself. Now, there isn’t a whole lot to do here anyway, but if you’re trying to share the same viewpoint with everyone else on your tour boat, it can get kind of crowded and stressful. You spend a lot of money on the boat tour just to fight for a spot for a photo.

Usually, there is only one tour boat there at a time and they try to limit the number of visitors, but it can get crowded depending on how many people signed up for your particular time. 

BOATS POLLUTE THE WATER

In my opinion, running a boat tour every 15 minutes every single day is overkill and so harmful. It disrupts the peace of Maligne Lake and Spirit Island and I can’t see how it is good for the water. 

IS IT WORTH IT?

In my opinion, there are SO MANY incredible things to do in Jasper that you could spend your money on (try the Jasper Sky Tram, Miette Hot Springs, a canoe tour on Pyramid Lake…). If you’re on a budget, I probably wouldn’t spend my money on the boat cruise. 

In my opinion, the boat tour is expensive for a quick ride on the lake and only 15 minutes at Spirit Island with a bunch of other tourists trying to get the same picture at the same viewpoint in a short amount of time. Plus, I think the boat cruise really feeds into over-tourism and the pollution of Maligne Lake. Running multiple boats every 15 minutes all day everyday, in my opinion, is not how you protect this sacred place and keep the Rockies pristine.

READ MORE:

• 24 Things to do in Jasper National Park
• Where to Stop Along the Icefields Parkway
• 14 Tips for Planning a Trip to the Canadian Rockies

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