BANFF AREA HIGHLIGHTS
NORTH TO SOUTH
Athabasca Glacier
Mistaya Lake
Peyto Lake
Bow Lake
Lake Louise
Moraine Lake
Vermilion Lakes
Johnston Canyon
Banff Gondola
Banff Townsite
Upper Hotsprings
Cave and Basin
Banff Hoodoos
Lake Minnewanka
Bow Falls
 Frozen Waterfalls?

Great Hikes

 

 

 

Icefields Parkway
Hotsprings
Ski Alberta
Wildlife of Alberta

JASPER PARK

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 Banff National Park


Banff Park was Canada's first National Park.

It is and hour and a half from Calgary, 3 and a half hours from Edmonton and an easy day-drive from Vancouver. The name Banff comes from the homeland of the first president of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. He was born in Banffshire which was shortened to todays name. Prior to that it was simply know as Siding 29.

The park came to being in 1883 after two Canadian Pacific Railway workers stumbled onto a hot water spring near the south bank of the Bow River. The federal government stepped in to protect the area in 1885 and thus was born the first of 40 National Parks in Canada. 4,000,000 visitor per year come to Banff and Jasper (to the north) receives 2,500,000 per year.

 

Humans have lived here for about 12,000 years. The first settlers moved into the area as the last great ice-age came to an end. At the same time several local species of animal became extinct including wooly mammoth, camels, cats with sabre-like teeth and other species.

 

Banff Park Map

Group Travel Arrangements
For 10 or more traveling together

 


The Banff Springs Hotel sits as majestic as a castle at one
end of the town of Banff in the heart of Banff National Park.


 
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