3 of Canada's Most Breathtaking National Parks

Canada’s national parks are glorious gateways to many of the country’s natural wonders and offer an extraordinary diversity of landscapes, from expansive glaciers and thundering waterfalls to verdant forests and glistening mountain lakes. There are over 40 national parks in Canada, all boasting a wealth of flora, fauna, and exciting opportunities for outdoor recreation.

You can visit 3 of Canada’s most spectacular national parks when you travel through Canada on the award-winning Rocky Mountaineer. Read on for a rundown of the highlights you can expect to encounter when you visit the breathtaking sanctuaries that are Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Parks.

Banff

Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff is Canada’s oldest national park. It was founded in 1883 after railway miners stumbled upon a cave containing natural hot springs on what is today known as Sulphur Mountain.

Stretching across 6,641 square kilometres, this scenic haven boasts an abundance of majestic mountains including one of the most photographed peaks in Banff, Mount Rundle.  

The resort town of Banff is definitely worth a visit. It's the ideal place for a trip where you'll find an array of restaurants, bars, shops, art galleries and museums. The town is surrounded by beautiful and rugged mountains and the locals are friendly.

 

 

Highlights include:

• Banff Sightseeing Gondola, located on the shoulder of Sulphur Mountain
• Glacier-fed lakes such as Moraine, Bow, Peyto Lakes and  Lake Louise - Canada’s "Diamond in the Wilderness"
• Banff Legacy Trail – over 20km of paved pathway and parkway from the Bow Valley Parkway to the Banff Park East Gate (cycling and hiking trail)
• Banff Upper Hot Springs - historic spa and bath house
• The Cave and Basin National Historic Site
• 3 of the world’s finest ski resorts: Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village

 

Jasper

Bordering Banff National Park to the north, Jasper is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 square kilometres.

Jasper is famous for its abundance of fascinating wildlife, its rugged terrain and unspoiled beauty.

Home to over 50 mammal species and over 200 bird species, Jasper national park is one of the best places in the Rocky Mountains to go wildlife spotting, especially for grizzly and black bears, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves, deer, caribou and elk.

Wildlife can be seen all year round in Jasper National Park, but spring is a particularly good time to spot a wide variety of animals.

 

 

Highlights include:

• Columbia Icefield Area and the Athabasca Glacier

• Athabasca Falls

• Medicine and Maligne Lakes

• The incredibly scenic Icefields Parkway stretching between Banff and Jasper

• Mt Edith Cavell

• Jasper has nearly 1000 km of hiking trails and 300 km of multi-use trails which are ideal for cycling

• Jasper’s Big Five: deer, elk, moose, wolves and bears

• Marmot Basin ski resort

 

 

Yoho

Yoho is the smallest of the national parks that make up the UNESCO site: Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, which also includes Banff, Jasper, and Kootenay national parks, along with Hamber, Mount Assiniboine, and Mount Robson provincial parks.

While it may be small in comparison to the others, it is no less captivating. The name Yoho, derived from the Cree language,  actually translates to “awe”. Yoho is full of magnificent mountains, rushing waterfalls, raging rivers, and glacier-fed lakes.

Highlights include:

• Laughing Falls, Twin Falls, Wapta Falls and Takakkaw Falls (one of Canada's highest at 254 m)
• Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge over Kicking Horse River
• Kicking Horse Pass (National Historic site) and the Spiral Tunnels
• Yoho Valley Road
• Lake O'Hara
• Burgess Shale Fossil Beds
• there are more than 400 kilometres of hiking trails including paths like the Centennial Trail, Walk-in-the-Past, and Angel's Staircase

 

For more Canadian travel inspiration head to our Canada by Rail Page where you will find lots of helpful information about Canada train tickets, travel packages (including the Rocky Mountaineer) and sightseeing tours.