Jasper caribou habitat closures take effect through May 15

Seasonal public-access closures in two Jasper National Park caribou ranges took effect Sunday and will remain in place through May 15, 2027.

Parks Canada’s area-closure notice, issued October 20, covers the Tonquin and À la Pêche caribou ranges. Public travel is prohibited in the identified areas during the closure period, with reopening scheduled for May 16.

The closures are intended to reduce disturbance and protect threatened woodland caribou habitat during winter. Visitors must consult the official maps attached to the Parks Canada notice; the boundary is more precise than a general trail or valley name.

Travellers from Québec planning winter trips to Jasper should check current park bulletins before departure, because conditions, access restrictions and avalanche hazards can change independently of this scheduled wildlife closure.

Parks Canada states that violating a closure can lead to enforcement under federal park regulations. The notice is the controlling source for dates, boundaries and permitted exceptions.

Featured image: Caribou in mountain habitat by Katherina Lipatnikova via Unsplash, used under the Unsplash Licence. WordPress may resize the original. This is an illustrative stock image and was not taken during the reported closure.