Tonquin Valley - Day 1

Tonquin Valley is located in Jasper National Park. According to the Parks Canada website, "The Tonquin Valley is one of Canada’s premiere backcountry destinations, with impressive peaks, glaciers and scenic lakes. It’s also known for its variety of wildlife, which includes grizzly bears, black bears and caribou."

From Jasper, we followed the icefields parkway then turned onto hwy 93A. After following the hwy, we turned onto Marmot Rd. The hike starts at the parking lot near Portal Creek.

On the first day, we hiked to Portal Camp. According to my Coros Pace 3 watch, we hiked 9km with 583 metres of elevation gain.

The Hike

The trail begins ascending gently through the pine forest.

The trail follows alongside Portal Creek.

After departing Portal Creek, the trail ascends nearby Circus Creek. Using the bridge in the photo below, we crossed over Circus Creek.

Eventually, the trail emerges into a boulderfield.

As we crossed the boulderfield, we could see further into Tonquin Valley.

After descending, we followed along the creek again.

Portal Camp features four tent pads, bear lockers and throne style toilets. The camp is tucked inside the trees and willows. There are two picnic tables. We arrived fairly close to dark so we setup our tent, filtered water, ate dinner, and went to bed.

Final Thoughts

The hike to Portal Camp is a great way to start the trip into Tonquin Valley. The trail to Portal Camp ascends at a consistent grade. While it gains 583 metres of elevation, it doesn't really feel like it. There are ample places to filter water along the way. If you are driving from far away location, I recommend staying the first night at Portal Camp.