Banff
Alberta, Canada Pictures
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Banff National Park Map | Getting to Banff | Canada Map | Alberta Travel Guide
Alberta's larger urban areas are fine for work or mad summer festivals such as the Calgary Stampede or Edmonton's Capital EX (Klondike Days), but hardly a tourist must-see under normal conditions.
They are, however, important transit points for Canada's two best national parks, the sensational Rocky Mountains and lakes of Banff and Jasper,...
Banff town, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. Photo from Sulphur Mountain after a pricey but superb gondola ride.
... and activities therein that are Alberta's biggest attraction. Little Banff town is at the heart of the action in Banff National Park, though Lake Louise town or Canmore are also good options.
Banff Avenue looking towards Cascade Mountain
by Diderot
Banff town, inside the National Park at 4,800ft (1,463m), is surrounded by mountains and offers many tourist-oriented activities in both summer and winter, including natural hot springs (New Year's Eve: air temperature 27F {33C}, outdoor hot pool temperature 100F {38C}), hiking, biking and climbing during summer months.
There's a small and scary gondola ride from Banff to the top of Sulphur Mountain where the view is stunning, but the cost is high and the restaurant at the top is terrible. Fit travellers can cut the cost by hiking down the trail to Sundance Canyon.
Make sure you get to the Banff Visitor Centre as they are friendly and extremely helpful with local advice on where to stay, what to do and what not to do. e.g. they will know if trails are closed due to wildlife protection, such as happens on the Johnston Canyon walk from time to time.
Hiking around Moraine Lake (and its ten snowy peaks) with canoeists in the distance, Banff National Park.
Generally Banff's best sights have crowds and parking problems in the summer, especially gloriously green/blue Moraine Lake, so early arrival is imperative. e.g. 9 am. Lake Louise offers similar stunning views and pleasant walking trails as well as a superb hotel for the lucky few, the Fairmont Chateau.
Some alternative Banff summer activities include climbing, camping, fishing, horseback riding, wildlife spotting, mountain biking and easing your tired muscles in hot springs.
BTW, if you come across a bear or moose while you're driving don't get out of your car to take photos! Both of them will switch into attack mode in a heartbeat. The same goes, of course, for walkers...back off very slowly.
Peyto Lake seen from Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park
by Tobias Alt
At any time of the year the Bow Valley Parkway (parallel to Highway 1 and the Bow River) from Banff to Lake Louise is a sensational, craggy must-drive, much more scenic than the more travelled Highway 1.
There's plenty of wildlife to see and stopping points from which to see it, as well as flowers in season. En route drivers will come across Johnston Canyon and a magnificent hike through gorges and past waterfalls.
Soon after Lake Louise Highway 1 passes Spiral Tunnels before reaching Emerald Lake with its fantastic array of peaks and a flat three mile stroll around the shore.
A Columbia Icefield Snocoach.
Take a drive on the gorgeous Icefields Parkway that runs from Lake Louise to Jasper, stopping off at another great lake, Peyto, en route to the Columbia Icefields.
At the Icefield less active or time-short tourists generally take a Snocoach ride onto the Athabasca Glacier while fitter travelers can do a terrific 3 or 5 hour hike on the glacier - but make a reservation, guided glacier walking tours are popular.
Dog sled rides in Banff National Park
by Paul Zizka
In a Banff winter - apart from the obvious skiing and snowboarding - tourists can go lake skating, waterfall ice climbing, ice diving, snowshoeing and finish off with a dip in outdoor hot springs, Banff's original raison d'etre. Ski Banff resort guide.
Icy winter walks in Banff's Lake Louise area. Next, Toronto Pictures.
by Paul Zizka
Banff accommodation: Note that in summer time - June thru September - it's vital to book accommodation ahead for Banff town as it's often full to overflowing with tourists. The 'new Banff' town of Canmore is a reasonable fall-back but not near as convenient or pretty as Banff.
Hotels and guest houses on the main street can be a bit noisy so try for the back streets, including a great selection of B 'n' Bs. Those who seek lower prices, the well-located 'Y' mountain lodge has family rooms.
The best hotel in town is Banff Springs, a fine, historic, first-class establishment, though rather too big for some tourists as it's the size of a small village.
Jasper National Park, Alberta, is bigger, less developed, less easy to reach and consequently the less popular of the two parks but is as rugged and beautiful as Banff NP and a World Heritage Site with hundreds of miles of outstanding hiking trails and terrifc white-water rafting.
Highlights are the huge Sunwapta Falls, an Athabasca Glacier hike, spectacular Athabasca Falls, a Mount Edith Cavell hike (steep but with breathtaking views within 1 hour of parking), a Maligne Canyon Ice Walk (winter; short or long; tricky and sometimes steep trail so walking poles are useful) and Miette Hot Springs for a good soaking after a long walk or drive.
Jasper is 192 miles (370 kms) from Edmonton, 256 miles (404 kms) from Calgary and 500 miles (800 kms) from Vancouver. More on Jasper National Park.
Getting to Banff:
- Calgary International Airport operates the nearest flights for Banff; frequent coaches and mini-buses do an airport-Banff town shuttle. The drive airport-Banff is 90 miles (145 kms) and will take about 2 hours.
- Cars may be rented at the airport of in Banff town. Tourists must buy a national park pass at the Banff Park gate.
- Driving from Edmonton to Banff will take about 4 hours as it's 250 miles (400 kms).
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