Banff National Park
photo from Parks Canada

The sights in Banff National Park, are among the many majestic scenes of the Canadian Rockies. Among the must-see places is Lake Louise, located 17 miles northwest of the Banff townsite. You could spend a week, or a month, exploring the natural glories of the national parks of the Rockies, and still only scratch the surface. Kootenay National Park is located south of Banff NP, in B.C. Yoho NP is also in B.C., to the west. Jasper NP lies a half-day's drive to the north, via the Icefields Parkway (Route 93).

Alberta

Banff National Park is at the extreme western edge of this large province. Driving west, you'll find many miles of prairie grasslands, before reaching Calgary. From this modern city, the rockies are clearly viewed, and lie just 30 miles to the west. Medicine Hat is the other city on the southern Trans-Canada route.

The northern Trans-Canada leg (Highway 16) leads from the Saskatchewan border to Edmonton, and then runs to the British Columbia border, passing through Jasper National Park and much fine Rocky Mountain scenery. You'll find motels in the town of Jasper, and Jasper Park Lodge is located in the park, a few miles out of town.

Either way you go, the Rockies are magnificent, the parks are superb, and you'll come away with long lasting memories.

Highlights:

The Rockies have to be the main attractions in Alberta, but there are other things to see and do. These include sampling the multicultural lifestyles of Calgary and Edmonton, stopping in the many small towns along the two highway routes, visiting provincial parks, and exploring scenic sideroads off the main highways. A few miles west of Calgary, Route 40 leads south at the feet of the Rockies, through Kananaskis Country and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Route 66 leads from the Trans-Canada, at Cochrane, to campgrounds in the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve.

If Banff National Park is your major vacation destination, plan for an extra day or two to drive the Icefields Parkway, through the northern section of Banff NP, and into Jasper National Park. This road takes you beside the Athabaska Glacier, where you can walk to the glacier's toe, and also take a Columbia Icefield trip in a bus equipped with huge icegoing tires.

Another great side trip from Banff is the drive south into British Columbia and Kootenay National Park. Take Route 93 to drive through the beautiful Kootenay River Valley. This road ends at Radium Hotsprings, in the Columbia Valley.

Provincial Parks, with campgrounds, are located at frequent intervals along both the northern and southern Tranms-Canada routes.