Visit Canada's top 10 national parks

14.04.2024 - 07:05 / lonelyplanet.com / Lake Louise / Rocky Mountains

In the battle to safeguard the planet’s endangered ecosystems, Canada is a global leader. Some of the world’s oldest, best managed, and biodiverse national parks reside north of the 49th parallel, collected under the umbrella of Parks Canada, a growing network of nearly 50 parks inaugurated since 1911.

The interconnecting Rocky Mountain parks – with their big fauna and brawny mountains – are emblematic of the nation and recognized by UNESCO. Other enclaves have strong cultural affiliations or focus on protecting specific birds and animals. Several parks in the territories are so vast and remote that they only receive a handful of annual visitors.

Whatever your preference, you haven’t really understood Canada until you’ve visited at least one of them.

Best national park to access stunning views with ease

The world’s third oldest national park is an integral piece of Canadian history and an essential introduction to the glories of the Rocky Mountains. Banff is where tourism in Canada first took root in the 1880s inspired by the exploitation of a natural hot springs and the construction of the cross-continental railway.

The springs still do brisk business but have since been joined by a litany of other attractions, from a mountainside gondola to a chateau-esque hotel overlooking the robin-egg blue waters of Lake Louise.

Due to its early foundation, Banff is more heavily developed than newer Canadian parks and remains the country’s most-visited protected area. There’s a townsite, three ski areas and an abundance of hotels and restaurants. However, its perceived "commercialization" is partly illusionary. One of Banff’s best assets is the thin line it draws between the civilized and the wild. One minute you could be enjoying afternoon tea in the grandiose Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, the next you might be sharing a mountain trail with bears and wondering where you fit into the food chain.

Best for water activities from kayaking to freshwater scuba diving

Almost 300 miles northwest of Toronto, the Bruce peninsula consists of a limestone outcrop at the northern end of the Niagara Escarpment that juts out into the Great Lakes separating the cooler waters of Georgian Bay from warmer Lake Huron. The finger-like peninsula’s craggy shorelines and green woodlands shelter ancient cedars and rare orchids and are intersected by a short shore-hugging section of the 497-mile (800km) Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest and longest-marked hiking route.

While the national park itself is not large, it squeezes in a lot of attractions into its 59 sq miles (154 sq km). Many are water-based. There’s an ethereal "grotto" (water-filled cave) to explore, plentiful kayaking opportunities and ample chances to swim in either warm Lake Huron,