Pyramid Bench Trail in Jasper: An Easy Hike with stunning Views
Looking for an easy hike in Jasper National Park that still rewards you with beautiful mountain views? The Pyramid Bench Trail might be exactly what you’re looking for.
During our time in Jasper, we wanted to explore more than just the park’s famous viewpoints and longer mountain hikes. Sometimes, after a demanding day on the trail, we’re just as happy to discover a shorter and easier route that gives us plenty of time to slow down and enjoy the landscape.
We hiked the Pyramid Bench Trail in June, and it turned out to be a lovely little adventure. The trail was quiet, we hardly encountered anyone along the way, and the hike took us only around two hours.
The highlight was reaching the viewpoint, where we were rewarded with beautiful views across the surrounding landscape.
It wasn’t the most challenging hike of our Canadian Rockies trip—and that’s exactly why we enjoyed it as a little break in between.
In this guide, we’ll share what we experienced on the Pyramid Bench Trail, how difficult we found it, what to expect along the way, and why we’d recommend it if you’re looking for an easy hike in Jasper National Park with a beautiful viewpoint.
Why We Chose This Hike
We don’t think every hike has to be a challenge.
While we love long and demanding mountain hikes, we also enjoy finding easier trails where we can simply slow down and enjoy the landscape together. That’s exactly what we were looking for when we chose the Pyramid Bench Trail in June.
With hardly anyone else around, a relaxed two-hour hike, and a beautiful viewpoint at the end, it turned out to be the perfect slower-paced adventure during our time in Jasper.
Pyramid Bench Trail at a Glance
| TRAIL INFORMATION | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Location | Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada |
| Trail Type | Hiking trail |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Time Needed | Approximately 2 hours |
| Our Visit | June |
| Crowds | Very quiet during our visit |
| Wildlife | None seen on the trail |
| Highlight | Beautiful viewpoint |
The Pyramid Bench Trail is a great choice for travellers who enjoy an easy hike or walk while exploring Jasper National Park.
And that’s exactly the reason why we first visited Maligne Lake and Spirit Island in the morning, followed by hiking the Pyramid Bench Trail in the afternoon after a quick lunch stop.
LET’S TRAVEL TIP
If you’re looking for a shorter hike to add between bigger Jasper adventures, the Pyramid Bench Trail is a great option. It doesn’t require an entire day, leaving you plenty of time to explore more of the national park afterward.
How Difficult Is the Pyramid Bench Trail?
One of the things we liked most about the Pyramid Bench Trail was how easy and relaxed the hike felt.
Compared with the Sulphur Skyline Trail, which gave us a serious workout with its steep elevation gain, Pyramid Bench was a completely different experience.
The trail is a good choice if you’re looking for something more manageable but still want to spend time outdoors and enjoy beautiful mountain scenery.
We took around two hours for the hike, including time to stop and enjoy the viewpoint.
There was no need to rush, and that’s part of what made the experience so enjoyable.
If you’re travelling with limited time in Jasper, or simply want an easier hike between more demanding adventures, this trail is worth considering.
Our Experience Hiking Pyramid Bench in June
We visited the Pyramid Bench Trail in June, deliberately travelling outside the busiest summer period.
That’s something we do whenever possible. We know that travelling earlier in the season comes with a little more uncertainty when it comes to weather and trail conditions, but for us, the opportunity to experience places without large crowds is worth it.
And Pyramid Bench was wonderfully quiet during our visit.
We hardly encountered other hikers throughout the trail, which allowed us to enjoy the surroundings at our own pace.
We didn’t see any wildlife during the hike, but that didn’t take anything away from the experience. Sometimes it’s simply nice to walk through the forest without constantly looking for the next sighting or viewpoint.
And then we reached the highlight of the hike: the viewpoint.
After the relatively easy walk, being rewarded with the surrounding mountain scenery made the hike feel completely worthwhile.
For us, that was exactly what we had been looking for—a beautiful landscape without having to spend an entire day climbing.
Getting to the Pyramid Bench Trail
The Pyramid Bench Trail is located near Pyramid Lake, just a short drive from the town of Jasper.
The drive itself is beautiful, with the road winding through the forest and the mountains gradually coming into view. Because the trail is so close to Jasper, it’s easy to include it in a day of exploring the surrounding area rather than planning a separate full-day hiking trip.
We recommend combining it with other sights around Pyramid Lake and Pyramid Mountain if you have enough time. This way, you can make the most of your trip to this part of Jasper National Park without having to spend the entire day on the trail.
LET’S TRAVEL TIP
If you’re visiting Jasper in June like we did, an early start is a great way to enjoy the area while it’s still peaceful. We deliberately travelled outside peak season, and the lack of crowds was one of our favourite things about the experience.
Hiking the Pyramid Bench Trail
The Pyramid Bench Trail is a relatively easy hike, making it a nice change of pace if you’ve already tackled some of Jasper’s more demanding trails.
The route takes you through the forest, with the landscape gradually opening up as you approach the viewpoint.
What we particularly enjoyed was that the trail never felt rushed. Since the hike was relatively easy, we could simply walk at our own pace, stop whenever we wanted, and enjoy being outdoors.
There weren’t any dramatic moments where we had to push ourselves physically. Instead, the enjoyment came from the peaceful surroundings and the anticipation of reaching the viewpoint.
And because we encountered very few other hikers during our visit, the trail felt even more relaxing.
Reaching the Viewpoint
The viewpoint was definitely the highlight of the hike for us.
After walking through the forest, the landscape suddenly opens up, giving you a much wider perspective of the surrounding mountains.
It’s one of those places where the relatively easy effort of the hike feels completely justified.
We stayed at the viewpoint for a while simply enjoying the scenery. Because there were so few people around, we didn’t feel like we had to take a quick photo and move on.
We could just sit, look around, and enjoy the view together.
And honestly, that’s exactly the kind of experience we look for when we travel.
Is Pyramid Bench Worth Hiking?
Yes—especially if you’re looking for an easy hike with a beautiful payoff.
We wouldn’t choose the Pyramid Bench Trail because we wanted a physical challenge. There are other hikes in Jasper that are much more demanding.
We’d choose it because it’s an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours outdoors without exhausting yourself.
For us, the combination of:
- an easy trail,
- very few other hikers,
- beautiful scenery,
- and a rewarding viewpoint
made it absolutely worth doing.
It’s also a great option if you’re building a Jasper itinerary that includes several hikes. Not every day needs to be a major summit adventure.
Sometimes an easy trail is exactly what you need.
Best Time to Hike Pyramid Bench
We visited the Pyramid Bench Trail in June, and we particularly enjoyed how peaceful the area was.
June is also a good choice if, like us, you prefer travelling outside the busiest summer months.
However, conditions in Jasper can vary significantly depending on the year, particularly early in the season. Before heading out, always check current trail conditions and weather forecasts.
If your priority is warmer weather and the most reliable hiking conditions, the summer months are generally the easiest choice.
If you’d rather avoid the busiest period, June or September can be worth considering.
For us, the quieter atmosphere was more important than having guaranteed summer weather—and our June visit worked out beautifully.
What to Bring To the Hike
Because we found the Pyramid Bench Trail to be an easy hike, you don’t need an extensive amount of specialised equipment.
We’d still recommend bringing:
- Comfortable hiking shoes or boots
- Water
- A few snacks
- Light layers
- Rain jacket
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Bear spray
Even on an easy trail, you’re still hiking in Jasper National Park, where weather can change and wildlife can be present.
Wildlife on the Pyramid Bench Trail
We didn’t see any wildlife during our Pyramid Bench hike.
That said, Jasper National Park is home to an incredible variety of animals, and you should always treat the area as wildlife habitat.
Keep your distance from animals, never feed them, and carry bear spray when hiking.
One thing we love about hiking in Jasper is that you never quite know what you’ll encounter. Even though we didn’t have a wildlife sighting on Pyramid Bench, we had already spotted a black bear on the drive to the Sulphur Skyline Trail earlier in our Jasper adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
We found the Pyramid Bench Trail easy and much less demanding than some of Jasper’s longer mountain hikes.
We completed the hike in around two hours, including time spent enjoying the viewpoint.
We spent approximately two hours on the trail.
Your exact hiking time will depend on your pace and how long you spend at the viewpoint.
Yes. If you’re looking for an easy Jasper hike with a beautiful viewpoint, we think Pyramid Bench is well worth adding to your itinerary.
Yes, June can be a lovely time to visit. We hiked it in June and particularly enjoyed how quiet the trail was.
However, always check current conditions before setting out, as early-season conditions can vary from year to year.
Final Thoughts
The Pyramid Bench Trail wasn’t the most challenging hike we did in Jasper—and it didn’t need to be.
Sometimes the best experiences are the simple ones.
We spent around two hours walking through a peaceful landscape, encountered hardly anyone else, and ended up at a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the surrounding scenery.
For us, that’s exactly what made Pyramid Bench special.
If you’re looking for a short and easy hike in Jasper National Park, especially one you can fit between other adventures, we’d definitely recommend giving it a try.
And if you travel like we do—outside the busiest season, with a preference for quieter trails and time to actually enjoy the places you visit—June can be a particularly lovely time to experience it.
Not every hike has to be an epic challenge.
Sometimes, all you need is a quiet trail, a beautiful view, and a couple of hours to enjoy it together.
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