Spirit Island — Attraction in Spirit island

Sigh. This is going to be a hard and contradictory review to write. I am telling you this ahead of time, so that you know I am aware of how self-contradictory I sound. I am sorry for that and sorry if I confuse anyone. I hope you get something out of this review, regardless. I have mixed feelings about Spirit Island. On one side I feel awe-struck and enthused by what I saw, but on the other side I feel tricked, scammed, disheartened and even a bit angry. Spirit Island is the place that made me want to come to the Canadian Rockies, so naturally I had very high expectations. The instant I saw a photo of it, I knew I needed to go there and so I started my research. Now, I pride myself on doing research for wherever I am going. I am an organizer, a planner, someone who carries her notes with her everywhere she goes. I plan down to the half hour where I am going to be. I research for months before I go anywhere and yet somehow this was the only time that has ever failed me. Nowhere else in the Rockies did it fail me, only Spirit Island. Back to that later though. I think I will start with the positive things first.

Spirit Island is gorgeous. It’s a small area with 10-20 evergreens. It’s surrounded by the beautiful lake, wilderness, and mountains. Canada has spent a lot of money to try to preserve the Island. They’ve spent over a million dollars on a solar powered restroom near the Island. That’s about where the positive part ends and the negative starts.

First off, why do you need a restroom at all near Spirit Island? You only get about 15 minutes there, so I think people can either hold it or go into the woods. Let’s not act like that’s a ridiculous thing to do. Where do people think the wildlife go? Our waste is no more dangerous to the environment than theirs’ is. Second off, it’s extremely weird, to put it nicely, that they’re concerned about a solar powered restroom nearby, yet the boats they use to get to Spirit Island are gas powered. Do they honestly thing that gas is good for the lake or the environment? Don’t act like its priority, when it isn’t. If it was, they wouldn’t be using gas powered boats.

Onto the part where I felt scammed. I knew that you could canoe and take a cruise to Spirit Island. I knew that the “Island” was a peninsula. I knew there were trails around Maligne Lake. The first day I went there, I had every intention of hiking to Spirit Island thinking that of course trails went to or near one of the most popular nature views in the world. I was wrong. No trail goes here or near it. If you want to hike, it is going to take you a heck of a long time and a map, since you’ll have to go off the trail, which I don’t recommend ever doing in the wild. The only parking lots are on the complete opposite side of Maligne Lake, which I have to assume was intentional. Its set up in a way that if you want to see Maligne Lake, you will be either paying for a canoe and taking up a whole day or paying for a cruise and hurting the environment and majestic area with gas! I did so much research between message boards, the parks website, and even calling Jasper NP several times and not once did I come across info that you could not hike to it. They should probably be upfront about it. While Jasper if my favorite park in the Rockies, I will not be recommending Spirit Island to anyone or on my blogs.

Do yourself a favor. If you want to see Spirit Island, put an entire day aside to canoe to it and back. Bring your own canoe or rent from a different location. If you don’t need to see it, but want to see something similar, you can check out Sunwapta Falls along your Icefields Parkway drive or you can check out the other peninsulas in the Canadian Rockies. There is one in Banff off of Lake Minnewanka near Two Jack Lake where they actually have a dock leading right to it with picnic tables on it! No scam set up, no money required. No random bathroom. Is Spirit Island beautiful? Sure. Is it special or...

The highlight of our trip! We had the most incredible experience on the Maligne Lake Cruise, a true 5-star adventure that exceeded all expectations. The history surrounding Maligne Lake is fascinating - this glacial masterpiece dates back millions of years, with depths reaching an astounding 300 meters and a temperature that'll give you chills, but the breathtaking beauty warms your soul.

As we sailed, I couldn't help but reflect on the spiritual and cultural significance of this place to the Indigenous peoples. The mountains surrounding Spirit Island hold a special energy, and visiting this iconic spot felt like a sacred pilgrimage. Speaking of Spirit Island, its history is awe-inspiring - imagine the stories it could tell of the countless visitors who've marveled at its beauty over the years.

We were able to experience this cruise through the Banff Pursuit Package, which was a fantastic decision as it significantly reduced the cost. The 1.5-hour cruise was perfectly paced, and the 20 minutes spent on Spirit Island felt like a dream.

For those planning to embark on this journey, I have a few invaluable tips. When you first board, snag a seat near the front to capture those stunning photos of Spirit Island framed by majestic mountains. After your must-have shot, head to the lower area for closer island pics - you won't believe the detail you'll capture. And don't forget the back of the boat while it's moving away from the island - the perspective is simply magical.

For the best lighting and most picturesque moments, I recommend booking the latest cruise. The way the sunlight plays with the water and mountains is truly enchanting, and your photos will be nothing short of...

On a recent trip to Jasper, we visited Maligne Lake and Spirit Island both of which are among the most amazing, breathtaking, and culturally significant sites I have visited.

Maligne Lake is a huge expanse of water surrounded by untouched wilderness that could have been an image on a postcard. The stunning views go on and on for miles before reaching Spirit Island. On the way we were informed of the history of the area, the original custodians of the land and how to best respect the area.

When we arrived at Spirit Island, we were truly speechless at its beauty. The glacial green water and picture-perfect Island are not done the justice they deserve on Instagram, and I would urge anyone who can see it in person to do so. There is something really special about the place that you can just feel, and you really can understand why the first nations people hold it in such high regard.

You could honestly spend days just gazing at the place and still never get tired of it. Nothing I can say, or any pictures would describe how amazing this place is and instead I would urge anyone who can go to just do it and see...