National Parks of Canada

Welcome to my page of information on the Canadian national parks. This information has been gathered in a several trips between 1995 and 2009

My biases -- While I am trying to be objective, I may not like to do the same things you do. So you can accurately evaluate this report, be aware of my personal biases in recreation and filter the report appropriately for your own tastes: I like and seek: Lack of crowds, wildlife, scenerey, strenuous day hiking, tent camping. I like but rarely do: back country trips, canoeing, swimming, biking on roads, sailing. I dislike and seek to avoid: Crowds, RV's, tours, biking on trails, motor boats, night-life, man-made attractions (helicopters, theaters, tourist traps, etc.)

Canada is another country!!

The first thing to note about Canada is that it is a different country, not another state. They have different currency ($1Canadian=$0.85 US in July 2009), but more importantly different customs and laws. Crossing the border is easy and painless for US and Canadian citizens not carrying alcohol, tobacco, or weapons, though you need a passport. Canada is firmly metric, with distances in KM, temparature in Celcius, and gas priced per litre. (Yes, they also spell many words differently, like the British.). Gas is much more expensive, even accounting for all the unit and currency conversions. Food in general is familiar, but the Canadian parks get a high proportion of euoropean and asian visitors, and you are likely to find more continental and Japanese food than simple steaks and burgers. Canada is bi-lingual, though in the western provinces, you will see French only on official signs and food labels (though you will hear a lot more French spoken than anywhere else I visited outside of France). Most road signs are in international icon language, which can sometimes be very confusing (gee what does a picture of a garbage truck running into a giant piece of movie film mean?) Speed limits in KM/hour sound high but they aren't and Canada has speed traps and expensive fines (but not nearly as bad for speeding as for littering!)

Comparison to US Parks:

The Canadian parks have been developed differently. Many include entire towns with substantial private development, in contrast with US parks which generally have limited facilities in the park. The Canadian parks as a result have many more options for in-park lodging, dining, and enterainment, but the park towns are circusses in season (like ski resort towns in march or like Jackson or West Yellowstone Wyoming in the summer). Roads in Canadian parks seem generally in much better shape, and the parks tend to have more and better camping facilities. They have also done considerable trail development. Stream crossings on most trails are bridged, and boardwalks or catwalks bypass wet areas on popular trails. Canadian parks do not in general provide maps and newsletters like the US parks, but instead you can buy guides in visitor centers and gift shops). Admission to the national parks require a pass, and there are many options -- day passes for individual parks, season passes for all parks. Unlike the US, admission is charged based on the number of people. Most people visiting for a week or more will want a season pass, good for a whole year. Provincial parks generally do not charge admission.

Getting there and Getting around:

You can drive to western Canada, but if you live east of the Mississippi, you are much better off flying to Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, or Spokane, and rent a car. Make sure you get unlimited mileage if you can, as distances are huge. (Calgary to Vancouver is about 800 miles.) Our experience has been that Air Canada offers significantly more room per seat and nicer amenities in coach (free movies, better food) than the major US carriers at about the same price. If you visit the coast, you will need to take ferries to reach Vancouver Island, or cross numerous bays. A single agency (BC Ferries) operates all of these ferries. The popular crossings are inexpensive and have frequent schedules (once every 1-2 hours), and do not take reservations. Instead you arrive at the ferry terminal, pay, get in the appropriate line, and can then abandon your vehicle until 10 minutes before scheduled departure. Many ferry terminal towns have restaurants and shops within walking distance of the ferry lines. Ferries from Vancouver are overloaded outgoing on Friday evening and incoming on Sunday afternoon and evening, but otherwise you should have little trouble getting on the first available boat.

Mountain roads are generally very good in Canada, though they have practically no freeways comparable to our interstates, even in cities. As a consequence driving through urban areas can be painfully slow.

Canadian highways go by both numbers and names in the west. They have special signs for each indicative of the name. The major ones you are likely to encounter are:

1 -- Transcanada highway -- busiest and best route with most traffic and hightest speed limits.
7 -- Yellowhead highway -- Actually several different segments running mostly north and south in British Columbia.
3 -- Crowsnest highway -- route from Vancouver to south of Calgary along the US border. Very mountainous and scenic, but rarely straight.
99 -- Sea to Sky highway -- runs from Vancouver to Whistler (and past Whistler over the mountains to join 1 at Cache creek. A spectacular coast road and mountain highway. All but 5 miles of flat area past Whistler are paved, but the mountain section is very twisty and slow. Don't try it with a camper or trailer.

Weather:

Unpredictable is the only word. Generally colder and wetter than in the US parks. We encountered bright sun, heat, cold, rain, and snow all on the same day. Always be prepared to get wet on your hikes.

Wildlife:

Elk, Rocky Mountain Sheep, mountain goats, and Bears are common. Bison and Moose are also supposed to be there but we never saw any. "tame" elk are common enough in Banff and Jasper that flower beds need to be encased in chicken wire to protect them. Sheep will stick their heads in your car if you encourage them at all in several locations. Bears are less friendly, but bear sightings are not uncommon. Bear encounters on trails are also fairly common, so be alert and aware of what to do.

Getting to attractions

The most popular attractions are VERY busy in peak season, and parking is always a problem. Canada doesn't seem to enforce parking rules in these spots so expect to find people parked all over the roads around these places. Best advice with any popular attractions (and the maps they give you on entry will point out which ones they are) is get there early.

Schedules

Days are very long in northern lattitudes in mid summer, so you can cram a lot into a day. Sunrise will happen before 5AM and Sunset not until 9PM or later quite often. It seems though that fewer people get up and going early here than in the US, and people tend to eat and stay out later. You can go with that or take advantage of the opportunity to go early in the morning, see more wildlife, and have lower crowds, but don't expect the folks around you in the hotel to go to bed early.

Comments on specific Parks

Banff park (Alberta) (1995,2007)

-- This is the most visited park and one of the largest. It is also traversed by a major highway and thus very accessible. Most lodging is in the town of Banff, which as noted above is a circus. It does have the most options and most things are in walking distance. There are many smaller lodges at other areas, but note that the lodges in popular tourist areas (like Lake Louise) will get thousands of tourbus visitors. Here are some areas we visited:

Banff -- aside from the town they have a tramway (scenic only, doesn't really access any good hiking territory), 2 ski areas, 2 hot springs, and several short nature trails.)
Cascade falls -- this is the prominent waterfall on the moutainside as you approach the first Banff exit on the way from Calgary. There's a "social trail" to the base of the falls from a parkinglot next to a disused airstrip. It's ruggeder and steeper than it looks from the road, but rewarding.
Lake Minnewanka area. This is a lake controlled by a damn. There are boat rentals, a beach, and other aquatic amenities. There is also a trail to a canyon that has been flooded, a deep rocklined crevice with blue water.
Johnston Canyon -- a great nature walk/trail, with many segments on catwalks over the water in a narrow canyon, visiting two waterfalls. The trail beyond the upper falls to the inkpot springs is unremarkable, but does access alpine meadows near the springs. This trail is VERY busy, so hike first thing in the AM.
Silverton Falls. This lovely fall is just up the road from Johnston Canyon but far less visited and very nice. The trail starts on the trail to Rockbound lake but branches off quickly, then climbs a couple of switchbacks to a viewpoint across from the fall. It's not a tough hike but the trail crosses a steep muddy slope and there's no guardrail at the edges of the small viewpoint so it may be uncomfortable for anyone with a fear of heights.
Boom Lake -- A wide trail with a modest grade that reaches a nice alpine lake with high cliffs on the opposite shore. The trail is almost entirely in the woods with little to see on the way.
Bow Glacier Falls -- A very spectacular spot with few crowds. The trail skirts a beautiful lake, crosses gravel stream bed, and ends in a large gravel basin below the falls. A good place to get a sense of the scale of the country.
Lake Louise -- one of the most visited and photographed places on earth. Don't expect to be alone here. It's pretty but wasn't what we were looking for. There are many trails that leave the Lake Louise area. We enjoyed the Lake Agnes trail to a small lake above Louise. This lake and a couple of other spots have "tea houses", which serve light meals for hikers. If you go here, go early, and be prepared to encounter parking lot vultures -- cars circling looking for anyone who might be leaving -- when you return.
Morraine lake -- Also pretty and less visited than Louise. There are many trails that leave from here to alpine lakes and glaciers. While it's less visited than Louise, get there early if you want a parking space.

Yoho Park

In British Columbia, adjoining Banff and Jasper. Similar scenery to Banff, but less developed and less crowded. Few lodging options in the park. The eastern edge adjoining the continental divide is glaciers and high mountains. Some highlights include:

Lake Ohara There is supposed to be a spectacular lodge and limited access area at Lake Ohara. Visitors must either walk in or take an infrequently operating shuttle, and can only take the shuttle with reservations (rumored to sell out months early). We did not get a chance to visit.
The spiral tunnels of the railway (cut to allow the railway to descend at a reasonable grade) are a much promoted sight but not all that visible from the roads. If you are really lucky you can see a train go through and see the engine emerge while the back end is still going into the tunnel, but that takes luck and good eyesight
Takakkaw Falls. This is a spectacular waterfall well worth the 15km drive to see it (it's paved, but has some nasty switchbacks and won't take long campers or trailers). The water plunges off a cliff and then hits rocks that send it out again almost like a hose. You can hike to the foot of the falls (paved walkway most of the way). There are lots of other trails that leave from here. Parking is limited but wasn't a problem either time we visited.
Emerald Lake. A pretty but very busy spot. The water is a spectacular green and you can hike around the lake on a level and partially paved trail. You can also hike to Hamilton Falls, rumored to be nice and only 0.8km with minimal elevation. Don't believe that. The trail gets rough and climbs and is at least 1KM. There's no real view of the falls from the base without scampering over a lot of wet tilting rock, and if there's a viewpoint up the trail it's up several steep muddy switchbacks that we couldn't face in our street footwear (chosen because this wasn't supposed to be rugged.)
Peyto Lake. Another popular tour spot. From the car parking lot it's a half km hike with some moderate uphill to the viewpoint, where you see a spectacular blue lake with glaciers above. The two viewpoints are crowded, but there's a short nature trail above the bus lot with a spur to another viewpoint that is even better and no crowds.
Mistaya Canyon. This is another slot canyon cut through the rock. It's a short hike mostly downhill to the canyon from a smallish parking area (can overflow). Unlike most of the other spots like this there are no guardrails here and people get right up to the rim and the creek entering the canyon. Be careful.

Kootenay Park

In British Columbia, adjoining Yoho and Banff. This is probably the least visited and crowded and has few facilities in the park. The town of Radium adjoins the west end of the park and has extensive facilities and access to the park's hot springs.

Marble Canyon. This is a deep slot canyon with nice blue water running through it. The paved trails go on both sides and there are several bridges over the canyon. (There are a fair number of steps to get up to the canyon rim). Because the area was burned in 2002 or 2003 visibility is good and there are wildflowers. Make sure you go all the way to the top of the canyon where the creek first plunges into the gorge.

Glacier Park

In British Columbia, west of Yoho. Canada's Glacier park is not connected with or near the US Glacier park. It is a smallish park enclosing a high mountain group with glaciers and waterfalls. Again it is mostly hiking territory with not that much to see from the roads. There is a museum there on Rogers Pass and the history of putting the railroad through it.

Mount Revelstoke

In British Columbia, West of Glacier park along route 1 you come to Revelstoke. This is mostly a wildnerness preserve but has some interesting accessible features.

Trail of the Cedars. This is a boardwalk (really a long staircase) into an old growth Cedar forest. Once in there you will definitely feel like you are going to see Ewoks. A very eerie forest with waterfalls and lots of interesting plants as well as the trees. There's another trail like this in a swamp area we didn't do.
Meadows in the Sky. This is a paved road from the town of Revelstoke to the summit. Most of the drive is in forest, though the cleared sides of the road erupt in a spectacular array of wildflowers in the summer, with different kinds as you get higher up. At the top (2KM below the end of the road) you can hike to several destinations, including hiking the last 2KM of road to several short and reasonable level trails that explore the summit area. A very worthwhile experience, and different flowers and scenery than we experienced elsewhere.

Jasper Park -- In Alberta, north of Banff.

The second most visited park, and destination of many tours. Other than spectacular hiking, the unique features here are easy access to Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefield, and boat tours of Maligne Lake, a very long and narrow alpine lake. The town of Jasper is where most lodging and food are, and like Banff is busy. Jasper is more residential and less resorty than Banff. There are also more lodges near Jasper but not in it, either on the river or on the small lakes in the area. We found these delightful. Here are some places we visited:

Pyramid lake (near Jasper) -- a nice small lake with one lodge and rental boats and canoes as well as public picnic areas and beaches.
Athabasca Glacier -- A zoo. A tour company will take you onto the ice in special busses, and has a huge base operation. If you prefer walking, you can park near the glacier (difficult, it's a small lot), and walk up to it, though you can no longer go on the glacier. (In 1995 they did and It was amazing to us that they allow people to wander over the glacier which has some deep crevasses and snow bridges. It is quite an experience.) If you want to walk on the glacier another route is to take a guided walk, where they give you crampons and safety equipment and take people on varying length tours. (Not sure what this costs, but few people were doing it then).
Sunwapta and Athabasca falls. Both interesting stops on the road. Neither is spectacular, but both are nice. At Sunwapta there is a small lodge that was very nice. Also at Sunwapta you can hike to a lower set of falls (about 1KM, take the trail on the same side of the bridge as the parking lot -- don't cross the bridge as the trail on the other side doesn't go to the falls). The lower falls are better and much less crowded.
Angel glacier -- This requires a significant drive from the main highway and while lots of people come here it is less busy than the areas above. Trails go up to the base of the glacier (the main glacier hangs on a rock wall above a small lake, and a smaller glacier sits at the bottom. Another trail climbs the moraines opposite the glacier to fantastic views and wildflowers. (The opening scene from the sound of music could have been shot here). Again this gets busier the later in the day you wait.
Maligne Canyon -- This is a slot canyon, very narrow and deep. The main tourist area is at the top, but you can hike from two other parking lots below the main area for more solitude on most of your hike. (Note -- we saw bear cubs here).
Medicine Lake -- an interesting lake that dissappears late in the season due to underground drainage.
Maligne lake -- this is a long narrow lake with a lodge and boat tours at the head. Many trails branch off from the end of the road here. The Opal Hills trail we took is VERY steep, but the top has good views and meadows of flowers. The long road to Maligne lake is a hotspot for wildlife especially bears, so not a bad thing just to go looking on a rainy day.

Waterton Park

(Alberta, adjacent to the US border and Glacier park). Waterton and the US Glacier Park are together an international peace park, though they are separately developed and administered. Wateron is developed like other Canadian parks, with a town at the head of Waterton lake with lots of facilities. Many backcountry trails cross the border between the parks, and the boat trips on Waterton lake access some of the more remote country in Glacier park. Scenery and wildlife are similar to Glacier park in the US. In addition to the town of Waterton, roads access a high glacial lake beyond (with limited boat rentals for the hearty paddler), and a deep canyon cut through the mountains. The road between Glacier and Watertown is good but long, and the border crossing has more limited hours than some, so be sure you allow enough time if visiting one of the parks as a day trip from the other.