Tonquin Valley

The Tonquin Valley is a backcountry area of Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, known for the dramatic scenery of the Ramparts, a 1,000-meter wall of Precambrian quartzite that rises above Amethyst Lakes as part of the South Jasper Range. The valley runs north-south along the continental divide, straddling the boundary between Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park; Tonquin Creek drains northwest to the Pacific Ocean by way of the Fraser River, while the Astoria River drains south to the Arctic Ocean through the Athabasca River system. It takes its name from the Pacific Fur Company ship Tonquin, destroyed in Clayoquot Sound in 1811, and supports rare wildlife including mountain caribou, grizzly bears and wolverines; recreational horse use was prohibited in 2021 and the valley has been closed each winter from November to mid-May since 2022.