Banff National Park, Banff

Banff National Park, Banff

Established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains, the Banff National Park sprawls over 6,641 square kilometres of magnificent mountains, valleys, glaciers, dense coniferous forests, undulating meadows, ice fields, placid lakes, and pristine rivers.

Established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains, the Banff National Park sprawls over 6,641 square kilometres of magnificent mountains, valleys, glaciers, dense coniferous forests, undulating meadows, ice fields, placid lakes, and pristine rivers. It is the oldest National Park in Canada, and home to a variety of wildlife including wolves, grizzly bears, cougars, coyotes, and caribou. Along with the Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks, and Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber provincial parks, it forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 'Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks', for its striking landscapes that illustrate glacial geological processes.

Be it summer or winter, there are always several things to do at the Banff National Park. Explore the area on a scenic drive, or hike up one of the several trails. Winters offer great skiing opportunities, while horse-back riding is available in summers. Take your pick from the range of hiking trails – the Fenland Trail, Sundance Trail, Johnson Canyon Trails, and Sunshine Meadows Trail are easy; hikes to Borgeau Lake, Sulphur Mountain, and Tunnel Mountain Summit are of medium difficulty; Cory Pass Loop and Aylmer Pass are difficult but commensurately rewarding. The main attractions in the area are –

• Mount Norquay Ski Resort
• Cave and Basin
• Upper Hot Springs with hot springs for people to relax in.
• Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel on the Surprise Corner just above Bow Falls. It is close to thermal springs, and has a 27-hole golf course.
• Sunshine Village
• Lake Louise Ski Resort.
• Castleguard Caves.
• Lakes such as Vermillion Lakes, Lake Louise, Moraine, Minnewanka, Bow, and Peyto Lakes.