Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Mountain Lodge

2-Days Exploring Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Sightseeing, Shopping, Hiking and Dining in Jasper and Area

An Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Mountain Lodge is one we have had our eye on for awhile. Having found a good deal, we jumped at the opportunity to fulfill this dream. Our plan was to drive out Saturday morning, grab lunch at Folding Mountain Brewing and to explore the trails at Overlander Mountain Lodge before checking in. After which we made dinner reservations at Stone Peak Restaurant. On Sunday we'd head into Jasper for breakfast and to wander around, then find another trail to hike before heading home after lunch.

Folding Mountain Brewing for Lunch on our Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Mountain Lodge

Our first stop on our Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Mountain Lodge was at Folding Mountain Brewing for lunch. This is one of our favourite stops when we are in the area. It is within walking distance to Overlander Mountain Lodge too. We enjoy Folding Mountain's craft beers. My top pick is the Afternoon Social Hazy IPA. In addition to brewing some mighty fine craft beers, Folding Mountain also makes delicious meals perfect for a lunch stop.

Overlander Mountain Lodge Alberta

Perched high on a hill just outside the Jasper National Park East Gates in Alberta, Overlander Mountain Lodge has a spectacular view of Jasper National Park. Overlander is a great base for exploring both Jasper National Park and the area just outside the park known as Jasper East. With fantastic mountain views, a high-quality restaurant, and over 25 km of hiking trails there are plenty of activities to keep guests entertained all weekend.

Mountain View Room

We chose a mountain view room in the main lodge for our Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Mountain Lodge. The Mountain View rooms have large balconies with fantastic views of Jasper National Park. These west facing rooms are the perfect spot for watching the sunset over the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Hiking Trails at Overlander Mountain Lodge

With more than 25km of hiking trails there is no reason to go anywhere during an Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Mountain Lodge. The longest trail is a 10km trail leading to the Brule Lake sand dunes. This is a moderately challenging route. There is also a trail that leads to Folding Mountain Brewing for hikers in search of lunch. Since we arrived late in the day we chose a short 1km trail to explore the property.

Stone Peak Restaurant at Overlander Mountain Lodge

Overlander Mountain Lodge is home to the award-winning Stone Peak Restaurant. This is a casual yet fine dining restaurant with a focus on serving fresh, local, and seasonal foods. Plan to splurge a little while staying at Overlander Mountain Lodge with dinner at Stone Peak Restaurant. The food was amazing. It was so delicious. The restaurant even has a wall of windows looking out on Jasper National Park offering dinners an incredible Rocky Mountain landscape to enjoy.

Exploring Jasper Alberta

We decided to head into Jasper during our Overnight Rocky Mountain Adventure at Overlander Lodge because Bear's Paw Bakery is one of our favourite places for a breakfast and coffee. Located in the heart Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains Jasper is a true mountain sport adventure town. A little less crowded than it's neighbour, Banff, to the south, Jasper has retained is rustic mountain charm. Most of the stores and restaurants are locally owned and independent. Naturally, when there are unique discoveries to be made in every store, it makes Jasper a fun place to explore.

Coal Mine Trail Near Miette Mountain Cabins

Before heading home, we had time for one last albeit short adventure. At only 900m in length, the Coal Mine Trail is a short loop near the Miette Mountain Cabins and not too far from Overlander Mountain Lodge. The trail is easy as there is little elevation gain. The Coal Mine Trail is paved making it an accessible outdoor experience. The coal mine was in operation from 1908 - 1921 when it shut down due to producing poor quality coal and low market prices. Leading past the ruins of the old coal mine and former Townsite of Pocahontas, Alberta it is an interesting place to explore.

Punchbowl Falls Jasper National Park

Punchbowl Falls is another quick and easy stop near the Coal Mine Trail. Just a short drive-up Miette Road and are before the winter road closure point is a pullout for Punchbowl Falls. It is a very short trail to the top of the falls. Really, is just a few meters. to walk to. The best view of the falls from above is near the midpoint on the bridge.

Getting to Overlander Mountain Lodge

Overlander Mountain Lodge has an excellent location just off Highway 16 (The Yellowhead Highway) and just outside of the Jasper National Park's East Gates. The lodge is 15 minutes to the Town of Hinton, 20 minutes to William A Switzer Provincial Park, and 20min to the Miette Hot Springs which are open spring-early fall. Additionally, it is a beautiful 40-minute drive through the Canadian Rocky Mountains to reach the Town of Jasper. Since Overlander Mountain Lodge is outside of Jasper National Park, no Canada Parks Pass is required. However, if you decide to head into the park like we did, you will need to stop at the gates to purchase a pass if you don't already have one.