The day after our first morning of car trouble in Jasper National Park, we awoke to a gentle pitter patter of rain on the van’s metallic roof…and discovered the car battery was dead yet again. Our generous camping neighbors jump-started our van’s battery again and we set off researching mechanics in Jasper that could help us troubleshoot our camper van’s battery issues. Unfortunately, no mechanics in the town of Jasper could fit us into their busy schedules for several days.

Ford Dealer Service Shop Hinton

After a 1-hour drive to the town of Hinton to visit the Ford dealer service shop, it was discovered that our Ford Transit 250 camper van was supposed to have two car batteries working together, but for whatever reason ours only had one battery. This battery was replaced and we were finally on our way. I would not have thought to check how many batteries our rental vehicle was supposed to have! Regardless, we learned the hard way that it’s a good idea to always have at least jumper cables in your possession during a long road trip.

Freson Bro’s Hinton

Freson Bro’s — a fresh market chain originally based in Hinton, Alberta in 1955 and now with several locations in Alberta– was the highlight of our unexpected visit to Hinton. We stumbled upon this gem after a quick search for groceries. We indeed bought groceries, but also ate a full lunch at the Freson Bro’s food court. Things on the menu we loved: spicy chicken Caesar salad, Beef on Bun sandwich, sourdough cinnamon bun.

Of note, the Hinton location for Freson Bro’s offered free RV parking and complementary coffee and tea. Freson Bro’s would be a good overnight camper van overnight parking location if the town were of Hinton was along our route.

Camper van repair finished, we wanted to make the most of the rest of our last day in Jasper National Park. On the way back to Jasper, we stopped for a beer at Folding Mountain Brewing Taproom and Kitchen located conveniently right along Highway 16.

Maligne Lake

Upon arrival back in Jasper, we headed for the incredible views at Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake. Wildlife sightings are common along the quiet roads between these two lakes and we spotted an adolescent brown bear in addition to a mother black bear and her cub!

Spirit Island

Maligne Lake’s long winding shape is also home to Spirit Island. Spirit Island is a spiritually important place for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, who believe their ancestors are represented by the mountains surrounding this landmark. Photographers flock to Spirit Island to capture the beauty of the emerald glacial water surrounding the small island topped with trees and nestled amongst towering mountains. Spirit Island can only be accessed by boat, and you have two options to get there:

• Maligne Lake Boat Cruise
• Rent a canoe/kayak from the Boathouse at Maligne Lake and paddle to Spirit Island (4 hour trip one-way)

We definitely didn’t have the energy to complete a paddle trip of 8+ hours round-trip and didn’t have time to book the boat cruise, so we were content with viewing Maligne Lake from the shores.

Moose Lake Loop, Jasper

At the end of Maligne Lake Road you will find the Moose Lake Loop trailhead, near the kiosk for the Bald Hills trail. I was excited to hike the Moose Lake Loop as moose are often encountered in this area. This 2-mile loop was one of the quietest hikes we did in Jasper. It meandered through moist forest leading to a shady (and mosquito-filled) swampy lake. We stood at the lake for a bit hoping for a moose to appear, but we unfortunately did not get lucky with any moose sightings