"Banff National Park" Banff National Park by JanPeter74


Banff National Park Travel Guide: 909 reviews and 1,522 photos

Banff National Park is located in Alberta and is the most famous, and most visited of the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks. It forms a unity with Jasper National Park that lies north of Banff NP and the smaller parks Yoho and Kootenay that both lie to the west in British Columbia. This area is filled with mountains, glaciers, forests, lakes and everything else that you can think of when thinking of Canada.

The park lies just a few hours drive west of Calgary and has two major townsites: Banff townsite and Lake Louise, which lies some 50 kilometres north of Banff townsite. North of Lake Louise starts the Icefields Parkway, one of the most, if not THE most scenic, roads in the world. This route leads into adjacent Jasper NP all the way to Jasper townsite.

The most popular drive (take a couple of days for this) is to enter Banff NP in the south, pass Banff, Lake Louise, and take the Icefields Parkway into Jasper. Once you have reached Jasper townsite, you take the road to the west and drive west out of the park into British Columbia (passing Mount Robson Provincial Park, which is also one of the highlights of a trip to Canada. See for tips my British Columbia page).

Of course this trip can also be done the other way around. In that case, the views on the Icefields Parkway are perhaps even more spectacular.

Check my tips for all the highlights that can be found in this park. Click here for a map of Banff NP. This is the same map you receive when entering the park. Nice to know: You pay an entrance fee for the entire area (all four parks) at once. They just ask you how many days you plan to stay in the area and give you a ticket for this period.

Number 1 spot in this park: Moraine Lake.

  • Last visit to Banff National Park: Aug 2004
  • Intro Updated Sep 15, 2004
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Reviews (13)

Comments (10)

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  • LeeKowal Jan 5, 2009 at 3:43 PM Report Abuse

    Beautiful shot! I started going there 25 years ago and it still rivals all other lakes I've been to. Know the spot you were standing for this pic.

  • poeticview23's Profile Photo
    poeticview23 Feb 9, 2008 at 6:59 PM Report Abuse

    Going in July. Hope I get some pics as beautiful as yours. Wondering if I should spend more nights in L.Louise or Jasper. Will start with 3 in Banff.

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    Helenbb Jul 20, 2006 at 7:36 PM Report Abuse

    Nice pics. Banff NP and Rocky Mountain. .. always in my dream...

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    Samscalling Jun 8, 2006 at 12:14 AM Report Abuse

    I loved this page! I'm going for 3 nights in Jasper, 4 in Lake Louise, 4 in Banff then 3 in Toronto over New Year this year. I'm so excited!

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    scottishvisitor Aug 16, 2005 at 12:50 PM Report Abuse

    Great Mountain & Lake shots - Banff is Beautiful as your pictures have captured.

  • glenn57's Profile Photo
    glenn57 Jan 23, 2005 at 4:40 PM Report Abuse

    Great photo of Moraine Lake. I also consider it to be the most beautiful lake I have ever seen.

  • ExGuyParis's Profile Photo
    ExGuyParis Oct 17, 2004 at 8:23 AM Report Abuse

    Great page for a very beautiful part of the world.

  • Maillekeul's Profile Photo
    Maillekeul Oct 13, 2004 at 5:23 AM Report Abuse

    Incredible !!! Splendid pics !!!

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    tuul Oct 1, 2004 at 12:11 AM Report Abuse

    WOW!!!!! I wish I was there when you took these pictures!

  • grets's Profile Photo
    grets Sep 26, 2004 at 7:47 AM Report Abuse

    Wow!!!!!!! What absolutely stunning pictures, I would love to visit this area one day, even more so after reading your pages. Excellent work!

JanPeter74

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy planning just another trip!”

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