Watchtower Basin

Park: Jasper National Park, Maligne Valley region

13.2 km one way.

Terrain: Intermediate

Elevations (in meters)
Start:	1390	End:	2320
Minimum:	1385	Maximum:	2375
Net Gain:	990	Cumulative Gain:	990

Watchtower Trailhead: Follow Maligne Lake Road (5km east of Jasper off highway 16) for 18.5km to the trailhead. If you are connecting with the Skyline Trail and finishing at the northern terminus of the trail leave a vehicle at that trailhead.

Facilities available at the trailhead include:

Water is available

Uses

Backpack

Moderate.

2 days one way.

Description

This trail forms an alternate access to the Skyline Trail. It can also be hiked on it"s own and used as a base camp for hikes north and south along the Skyline Trail (useful if all campsites on the trail are reserved).

The trail starts by descending to a bridge across the Maligne River. Once across the river turn left and then quickly right up the slope. Continue on through the forest for about 7.5km until you reach Watchtower Valley. The trail passes through some muddy areas before getting to the valley and has a few moderately steep stretches and is indistinct in places as well. Once in the valley the trail becomes quite threaded as people have tried to make their own way around wet and muddy places. Try to keep to the main trail. After you have gone about 2km through the meadow start watching the far shore to see the bear pole that indicates the campsite. When we hiked the trail the bear pole was done in the shape of a tee-pee. Cross the river immediately across from the bear pole, there are very good stepping stones at this point.

Accessing the Skyline Trail from the campsite requires some route finding skills. The trail does fade in and out along the way.

Features

This trail features flowers, forests, meadows, rivers and views.

Hazards

Some streams are crossed on footlogs
some waterways must be crossed via rock hops, these can be slippery and caution should be exercised when making such crossings
route-finding skills are required

Campsites along the trail

Watchtower Camp	Approx 10.0 km		Bear cache/wire Tables Tent pads Pit toilet	Water is plentiful quality is good.
	This campsite was quite buggy.

Other trails in Jasper National Park

Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Pass
Bald Hills
Beauty Creek
Brazeau loop
Buck and Osprey Lakes
Cavell Meadows
Cavell Road
Columbia Icefield - Ice Walk
Fiddle River
Fortress Lake
Fryatt Valley
Geraldine Lakes
Horseshoe Lake
Jacques Lake
Jonas Shoulder
Lake Annette
Maligne Canyon
Maligne Lake
Maligne Pass
Mosquito Creek - Molar Pass - Fish Lakes.
Old Fort Point
Patricia Lake
Poboktan Creek
Pocahontas Mine Interpretive Trail
Pyramid Bench
Pyramid Lake
Saturday Night Lake Loop
Skyline
South Boundary Trail
Sulphur Skyline
Sunwapta Falls
Tonquin Valley
Valley of Five Lakes
Verdant Pass
Wabasso Lake
Wilcox Pass

Trail-conditions

View trail condition reports for this trail.