Banff National Park

Canada’s inaugural and flagship national park is impressive with more than 6,000 square kilometres of mountain wilderness and is part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. Banff National Park is home to magnificent 3000-metre peaks, meadows in the clouds rich with colourful wildflowers, brilliant turquoise glacier-fed lakes and the picture perfect town of Banff and village of Lake Louise.

Banff, Alberta, Canada

By Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States - Banff, Alberta, Canada, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39882973

The park offers exceptional hiking, camping, skiing and scenic driving. Navigate the world-renowned Icefields Parkway, a drive that parallels the Continental Divide, where wildlife like bighorn sheep, mountain goats and bears roam.

Banff National Park
By Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States - Banff, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39883728

Throughout the park, visitors can choose from thousands of campsites at 13 campgrounds surrounded by some of the worlds most breath taking mountain scenery, ski at three ski resorts and stay at a range of accommodations, from hotels to lodges.

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Lake Louise

POST BY MIKE CIUFFINI

Through the mist of an inclined roadway in Banff National Park is the magical glacial-fed Lake Louise and the impressive Fairmont Chateau that overlooks it.

Incredibly scenic walking paths and hiking trails surround the emerald-coloured lake. I recommend the Plain of Six Glaciers trail. It is a 10.5 km return trail that offers views of Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier. At the cusp of the incline I was lucky enough to witness a mini-avalanche off the mountain peaks in the distance.

Rooms in Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise were warm and super-comfy.  After a full day of hiking the surrounding trails, a nice warm bath and a rest on a bed made for a king was just what I needed.

In the spring and summer months, visitors can rent a Canadian-red canoe to explore the lake. In the winter, part of the lake becomes a skating pad. The lake is a jewel in the expanse of the rugged Canadian Rockies, a real beauty.

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