Tucked into Alberta's Jasper National Park, Miette Hot Springs holds a title no other pool in the Canadian Rockies can claim: it's the hottest of them all. Water flows out of the mountainside at a scorching 54°C, then gets cooled to a more swimmer-friendly 40°C before filling the four pools on site — two hot, two cold — all framed by panoramic mountain views.
If this is on your list, the timing matters. The facility runs daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., but gates close for the season on Monday, October 12 and won't reopen until May 2027. Last entry is 8:30 p.m. It sits about 61 kilometres from the town of Jasper, along Miette Road — a narrow, winding route that Parks Canada warns is off-limits to trailers and large motorhomes past Miette Campground (there's a trailer drop-off at the Lower Mine Trail parking lot).
Planning a visit is refreshingly simple, but a few quirks are worth knowing. There's no public transit, so you'll need a car or a tour. No reservations either — entry is first-come, first-served, so expect a possible wait at peak times. Lockers are included with admission, towels are available to rent, and you can bring snacks and non-alcoholic drinks in unbreakable containers onto designated areas of the pool deck. Booze is a no.
You'll also need a Parks Canada pass to get in — either a day pass or a Discovery Pass, sold at the park gates, online, or at the springs themselves. Tickets for the pools are in-person only. A single entry runs $19.75 for adults, $17.25 for youth (3-17) and seniors, while a day pass with unlimited re-entry is $28.75 / $25. Family passes covering four people (max two adults) cost $64.25 single entry or $92.50 for the day, and kids under three swim free.
For travellers, the appeal is obvious: a long, affordable soak in genuinely hot mountain water, with the shoulder-season calm of October and fall colours as a backdrop. Just build your Jasper itinerary around that October 12 deadline.
