Canadian Rocky Mountains Park 🇨🇦 Canada

Banff is part of the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Park's World Heritage Site, which extends over some 23,000 square kilometers of spectacular mountains, lakes, glaciers and alpine forests. Banff National Park is located in the province of Alberta, 128 kilometers west of Calgary and 850 kilometers northeast of Vancouver. In the fall of 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway construction workers stumbled across a cave containing hot springs on the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains. From that humble beginning was born Banff National Park, Canada's first national park and the world's third. Banff National Park is divided into units based on vegetation, landforms and soil. There are three ecoregions in the park, montane, subalpine and alpine. The montane zone is the smallest ecoregion in Banff National Park, making up only 3% of its total area. It occurs at lower elevations between 1,350 meters and 1,500 meters on north-facing slopes, rising to 1,650 meters on steep south-facing slopes. The vegetation of the montane ecoregion is characterized by forests of Douglas Fir, Trumbling Aspen and Lodgepole Pine with patches of grasslands on dry sites. The subalpine ecoregion lies between the montane and the treeless alpine ecoregions. It is commonly subdivided into upper and lower subalpine regions. The lower subalpine region covers about 27% of the park and is mainly vegetated with dense forests of Lodgepole Pine, Engelmann Spruce and subalpine fir. The upper subalpine region makes up about 26% of the park area. It is primarily forested by Engelmann Spruce and subalpine fir, interspersed with dwarf shrub meadows and avalanche path communities. The alpine ecoregion occurs above the treeline and covers 44% of the park. Of this area, about 6% is covered by alpine meadows and shrubs. The remaining 38% of the park is covered by rock, talus, moraines, snow, ice and water. Johnston Canyon is an area that clearly shows the power of nature and time. Rushing water carves a path through the limestone canyon and potholes have formed over the years from plunging waterfalls. This has become one of the most popular hikes in Banff National Park. The Bow is a small river that is frozen much of the winter and runs brown from glacial silt caused by spring thaw until mid-July. It flows and meanders through subalpine and montane willow meadows and Lodgepole Pine and Spruce forests. The Bow River is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River and is considered the headwater of the Nelson River. As water flows over the rocks, small waterfalls drop to the next tier of rocks and the water continues onward until the end of its journey. A narrow, dark canyon has been cut by rushing waters. In some places, the canyon walls are more than 30 meters high and less than 6 meters across. The name of the river Bow refers to the reeds that grew along its banks and which were used by the local First Nations peoples to make bows. The pagan name for the river is Maccabin, meaning river where bow reeds grow. The Bow River parallels both the Trans-Canada and Highway 1A from the city of Banff to Lake Louise. Known to the Stony Indians as Lake of the Little Fishes, Lake Louise was named in 1884 in honor of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria. Located at the base of the Plain of Six Glaciers, Lake Louise is one of the most photographed sites in the country, if not the world. Along the banks of the scenic Bow and Pipestone Rivers, the hamlet of Lake Louise is the gateway for visitors to the region. The area offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities. One possibility is to canoe from the boat dock and paddle down to the end of the lake. Banff is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. Banff, like all national parks, is dedicated to preserving a special part of Canada's natural and cultural heritage for the benefit, education, and enjoyment of present and future generations. One of the biggest questions for national parks is how to clearly state the direction national parks are taking in managing development, growth, and use. Featuring a crystal clear blue-green lake, a valley hemmed in by 10 lofty mountain peaks, and a hanging valley of larches beneath the third highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, it's little wonder that Moraine Lake rivals Lake Louise in scenic grandeur and fame. Moraine Lake is well known for the multitude of grizzlies that inhabit the surrounding valley. It is situated in the valley of the Ten Peaks at an elevation of approximately 1,885 meters. The lake, being glacially fed, does not reach its crust until mid to late June. When full, it reflects a distinct shade of blue. The color is created by the refraction of light off the rock flower deposited in the lake on a continual basis. Such lakes and rivers are called oligotrophic, meaning simply that they are naturally low in nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. The water is clear, cold, and rich in oxygen. The community of plants, insects, and fish that live in the rivers and lakes here are uniquely adapted to this kind of aquatic environment. The mountain national parks contain the headwaters of several major rivers, such as the Bow and North Saskatchewan, which also supply municipal water for communities further downstream. Pato Lake is located in the northern part of Banff National Park. It was named for Ebenezer William Pato, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area. The lake formed in a valley of the Waputik Range between Cauldron Peak, Pato Peak, and Mount Jimmy Simpson at an elevation of 1,860 meters. During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flower flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake its bright turquoise color. Because of its bright color, the area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for visitors to the park. Banff National Park is home to 53 species of mammals. This incredible diversity of wildlife is a reflection of the wide range of habitats found in the park due to variations in elevation, climate, and plant communities. Over 260 species of birds have been recorded in Banff National Park. Birds are generally more abundant in the montane and wetland habitats of the Lower Bow Valley. Jasper National Park of Canada is a symbol of the Canadian wilderness, worthy of its designation as a World Heritage Site. It is a place of great beauty where nature is able to flourish and evolve in harmony with surrounding provincial lands. The 23-meter Athabasca Falls is not very high by Canadian rocky standards, but the size of the river makes it one of the most powerful falls to be found in the mountain national parks. Pouring over a layer of hard quartzite, the falls have cut into the softer limestone beneath, carving intricate features, including potholes and a short canyon. Athabasca Falls is a segmented falls, its water changing direction and folding over itself. Depending on water levels, there may be several different paths of falling water that shake the ground like thunder. Among the most powerful and breathtaking falls in the Rocky Mountains, the Athabasca Falls thunders through a narrow gorge where the walls have been smoothed and potholed by the sheer force of the rushing water carrying sand and rock. Flowing from the glaciers of the Columbia Ice Field, the Athabasca River is the largest river system in Jasper. In 1810, David Thompson, Canada's premier mapmaker and explorer, plied the Athabasca in search of a fur trade route to the Pacific Ocean. Discovering Athabasca Pass in early January 1811, David Thompson's route helped establish Canada as a country that spans the North American continent. Jasper National Park is an area of dramatic mountain peaks and expansive valleys. Many of the mountains rise to elevations above 3,000 meters. Mount Columbia, the highest peak in Alberta, is 3,782 meters tall. The lowest point in the park, 985 meters above sea level, lies near the park's east gate. The Athabasca River and its tributaries drain more than four-fifths of the park. From the toe of the Columbia Glacier, the Athabasca flows north and east through the park for nearly 150 kilometers. Ten other moderately-sized rivers and countless smaller creeks increase its volume over this distance. The Athabasca is one of the most significant rivers which flow from the mountain barrier toward the Arctic Ocean. The Columbia Ice Field is a surviving remnant of the thick ice mass that once mantled most of western Canada's mountains. Lying on a wide, elevated plateau, it is the largest ice field in the Canadian Rockies. Nearly three-quarters of the park's highest peaks are located in close proximity to the ice field. Since more snow falls in a year than can melt during the short summer season, it accumulates. As time passes, the snow transforms into ice and begins to flow outward through gaps in the mountains surrounding the ice field, creating great tongs of ice called glaciers. The Athabasca is the most visited glacier on the North American continent. Situated across from the ice field center, its ice is in continuous motion, creeping forward at the rate of several centimeters per day. Spilling from the Columbia Ice Field over three giant bedrock steps, the glacier flows down the valley like a frozen, slow-moving river. Because of a warming climate, the Athabasca glacier has been receding or melting for the last 125 years. Having lost half its volume and retreated more than 1.5 kilometers, the shrinking glacier has left a moonscape of rocky moraines in its wake. The mountains in Jasper National Park form ranges running parallel to one another, in a northwest-to-southeast alignment. The westernmost range in this series is also the highest. It also forms a continental divide, separating streams that flow east and north through the Arctic Ocean or Hudson Bay from those which drain westward to the Pacific Ocean. In places, gaps or passes form breaks in the steeped, walled ranges and allow travel from one watershed to another. Rivers have also eroded passages through this otherwise rugged and precipitous land. In Jasper National Park, the main ranges are largely coarse sandstone, limestone, shale, and a somewhat metamorphic rock called quartzite, in particular gaw quartzite. East of the main ranges are the front ranges of the Rockies. The sea allowed for the profusion of a great many plants and animals here, probably because of its shallowness. The organic material that resulted eventually became limestone. Jasper National Park is bear country, with sizable populations of both black and grizzly bears. There are approximately 40 black bears that call all or part of Banff National Park home. Grizzly bears are more plentiful than black bears in Banff National Park. Moose are on the decline in Jasper National Park, due in part to a deadly liver fluke, the return of wolves after a absence, and an unnaturally high number of deaths on the railways and highways. The Colombian ground squirrel is the most commonly seen animal in the park during the summer months. Jasper National Park is home to both whitetail and mule deer, both of which are frequently sighted along Vermilion Lakes Drive and the Bow Valley Parkway, particularly in the spring. Mountain goats have shaggy white coats and sharp black horns like this one on the right, while bighorn sheep have brown coats and brown horns. Jasper National Park is Canada's largest rocky mountain park in one of North America's largest natural areas. Shimmering glaciers, abundant wildlife, crystal clear lakes, thundering waterfalls, deep canyons, and evergreen forests surrounded by towering rugged mountain peaks, together they create the park's amazing biodiversity. The Malign Canyon, 11 kilometers east of Jasper, is one of the most beautiful canyons in the Rockies. It has several waterfalls and a 4 kilometer long nature trail, which starts at the lodge and leads along the Malign Canyon. The canyon's chalky sandstone walls soar as high as 50 meters, with interpretive panels explaining the canyon's geomorphological features. The canyon is very narrow in places and spanned by several bridges. Its lower section carries far more water than the upper part, since water from Madison Lake enters the canyon at various places, flowing through subterranean clefts and gushing out of karst hollows. The canyon is carved into a layer of limestone deposited in a shallow tropical sea about 365 million years ago. The layers of stone can be clearly seen in the canyon walls. Parts of the canyon may have once been deep caves, long since uncovered by glacial scraping and water erosion. Malign Lake, 11 kilometers further on, is the largest glacial lake in North America. At a height of 1,673 meters in the beautifully scenic Malign Valley, the lake, which is surrounded by majestic ice and snow-covered peaks, is about 22 kilometers long and just under 2 kilometers across at its widest part. Nestled between Lay Peak, Sampson Peak, and Mount Paul on the left, and Mounts Charlton, Unwin, Mary Vo, and Lisfranc Peak to the right, it offers unlimited photographic potential. The lake was created when a landslide of the surrounding Opal Hills released almost 500 million square meters of material into the lower valley. This natural dam caused the water to back up, forming the present lake. The Malign River is a medium-sized river in a major tributary of the Athabasca River. The river drains the lake from its northern end. Malign Lake, as well as Malign River, Malign Mountain, and Malign Pass, takes its name from the French word malignant or wicked. It has been suggested that an early French voyager created this name in reference to the current of the Malign River near its confluence with the Athabasca River. During the summer, glacial meltwaters flood the lake, sometimes overflowing it. In fall and winter, the lake disappears, becoming a mudflat with scattered pools of water connected by a stream. Summer meltwater coming into the lake exceeds the capacity of the sinkholes to drain it. Decreased meltwater in the late summer and fall means that the lake's sinkholes can drain the lake faster than the Malign River can fill it. This creates the disappearing lake phenomenon. Aboriginal peoples called the lake Medicine because of its seemingly magical powers, and the United Nations designated the Rocky Mountain Parks a World Heritage Site partly because of this unique drainage system. Medicine Lake is six kilometers long and appears to have no outflow to speak of at its northern end, yet the water level varies greatly during the course of the year. In late autumn, the lake is almost empty, with only a trickle of water meandering between the mud banks and the lake bed to seep away at the northeast side of the basin. This phenomenon was a mystery to the local Indians, and their medicine men took advantage of it, hence the name Medicine Lake. Mount Edith Cavell is one of the most historically interesting areas in Jasper National Park. The Mount Edith Cavell Walk covers the base of the mountain along the path of the glacier. Meander through glacial formations to Emerald Lake to see ice sloughing off the Angel Glacier. Edith Louise Cavell was a British nurse during the First World War. In 1907 she went to Brussels as a nurse, but by 1914 was put in charge of a unit whose main purpose was to help soldiers trapped behind enemy lines rejoin their units. To the German army this was treason, and she was executed by firing squad. Today she is remembered as a heroine, and to some, a martyr. In 1916, the snow-capped face of this 3,363 meter high peak was renamed in her honor. A torrent of plunging water not far from the Ice Fields Parkway, San Wapto Falls is just one of the many waterfalls in Jasper created by hanging valleys. Hanging valleys were formed when glacier ice receded 8,000 years ago, leaving behind broad u-shaped valleys. Larger valleys were carved deeper than smaller ones, and in places where the two meet, the smaller valleys hang at higher elevation. At San Wapto Falls, the smaller hanging Chaba Valley and larger Athabasca Valley join in a spectacular stepping waterfall that has carved a deep limestone gorge out of the rock some meters below the footbridge. There are actually two falls, a lower and an upper one. San Wapto is a native word meaning turbulent water. It is most spectacular in the late spring, when the spring melt is at its peak. Braided river features, San Wapto River is in the southern part of Jasper National Park, along the Ice Fields Parkway. A shallow water drainage pattern and alluvial sediments creates the braided feature of the San Wapto River channels. Seen from a distance, the numerous shallow river channels look like ribbons of smoke or a spider web. This pattern is often found in meltwater rivers, discharging from glaciers, where the sediment load is very high. The San Wapto River originates in the Athabasca Glacier. The white color of the water indicates the presence of fine particles in the river, which flows from left to right. Thermal features such as hot springs can be found when hiking in Jasper National Park. Kootenay National Park is one of 41 national parks in Canada. It represents the southwestern region of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For thousands of years, the area which is now Kootenay National Park was part of the traditional lands identified by the Kootenay and Kinbasket First Nations people. Archaeological evidence suggests the mountains were used primarily as seasonal hunting grounds. The character of Kootenay National Park is defined by its ecosystem, the dynamic interaction of its native species and natural processes. Preserving the natural state of the park requires maintaining the integrity of its ecosystem. The ecological integrity of Kootenay National Park is threatened by a variety of human causes such as development, fire suppression, introduction of non-native plants, habitat fragmentation and human wildlife conflicts. The paint pots and associated ochre beds form an area of unusual physical and chemical activity and have a history of use by both aboriginal groups and Europeans. The Kootenay Stony and Blackfoot tribes collected ochre here for important ceremonies and trade. The yellow ochre was cleaned, kneaded with water into walnut sized balls, then flattened into cakes and baked. The red powder was mixed with fish oil or animal grease to paint their bodies, teepees, clothing or pictures on the rocks. These paintings depicted many objects from daily life as well as more abstract drawings that may have originated in dreams or represented supranational beings. The paint pot site is considered a sacred site by First Nation peoples to this day. The paint pots themselves are formed by the accumulation of iron oxide around the outlets of three cold mineral springs. Marble Canyon, a narrow and precipitous gorge 66 meters long and 36 meters deep. It takes its name from its dolomite and marble walls polished smooth over the course of 8,000 years by the rushing waters of Tocum Creek. The outlines of the canyon are angular because limestone cracks in a characteristic block fashion. Flowing water has carved in the canyon walls, scoops and swirls far above the present water level. The southernmost of the four national parks, Kootenay is the only reserve protecting the plant life and wildlife of the western ranges of the Rockies. In addition to its impressively high glacier draped peaks, the 1,406 square kilometer park safeguards a landscape that includes wild rivers, glaciers, canyons and hot springs. From prehistoric habitation to the park's establishment in 1920, a rich cultural heritage has evolved amid its distinctively unspoiled beauty. Kootenay's cultural resources include 97 known archaeological sites, one historic sites and monuments board commemorative plaque, many historic objects and records and cultural landscapes and features. These cultural resources form part of an irreplaceable heritage. Kootenay's vegetation has evolved over thousands of years under the influence of lightning and climatic, geological and human factors. Vegetation, while important on its own, also provides food, shelter and cover for wildlife. As with all components of the ecosystem, vegetation is dynamic, responding to a variety of short-term natural disturbances. Due to the geographic location of Kootenay National Park, climate and weather vary considerably from one part of the park to another and from valley bottom to mountaintop. This variety is reflected in the park's interpretive theme, From Cactus to Glacier. At the south end of the park, in the Radium Hot Springs area, the climate is relatively warm and dry, while at the north end of the park, at Vermillion Pass, it is rather cool and moist. Located on the western edge of the Rockies, the park's climate is dominated by prevailing moist westerly winds from the Pacific Ocean. Occasionally, drier continental weather patterns extend over the region. Nestled on the Rockies' western flanks and bordered on the east by Kootenay Park and Banff National Parks, Yoho is home to some of North America's most sublime scenery. The park is high mountain country, with a landscape of deep forests, icy glaciers, wild rivers, unspoiled lakes and abundance of wildlife. The name Yoho comes from a Cree word expressing amazement. The weather in Yoho is localized and changeable. Summer weather extends from mid-June to mid-September. The mean temperature during this period is 12.5 degrees Celsius. With average highs of 20 degrees Celsius and lows of 5 degrees Celsius. Above 1500 meters, freezing temperatures and snow are not uncommon, even in the summer. For many years, few people of European origin had explored this corner of North America. The most important of them is undoubtedly David Thompson. Through its national parks, national historic sites and heritage rivers, Parks Canada celebrates the spirit of Canada's greatest explorer. David Thompson opened up the continent and charted the course of the Canadian imagination. By horseback canoe, dog sled and on foot, this multi-talented man explored this rugged region and the great map he made offered the first clear vision of Canada. Thompson spent 28 years exploring more than 90,000 kilometers of northwestern North America, equivalent to traveling twice around the planet. Many of the natural wonders Thompson saw in the travel routes and historic places that link us to his time have become national parks and historic sites. These places define Canada and follow Thompson's example in connecting the land, waters, the past and its peoples. He was perhaps the world's foremost geographer, mapping 3.9 million square kilometers of North America. His meticulously detailed maps have been used well into the 20th century. Natural Bridge is an impressive natural rock formation that spans the flow of the Kicking Horse River west of Field, where the slower moving waters from the Field Valley Flats began their descent through a canyon to be joined by the Amasque River. Water is responsible for creating a natural rock bridge over the Kicking Horse River. Torrents have worn through a solid rock bed leaving a flat rock bridge. Water erosion has also formed another Yoho marvel, balanced boulders on tall pillars of glacial till, called hoodoos, found in the western end of the park. Sculpted by the erosive forces of rushing water over what had once been a waterfall, the natural bridge is a powerful reminder of how much influence water has in shaping the landscape. The Kicking Horse River, a Canadian heritage river, originates in the Wapton-Wapuptik ice fields in the park. The river was named in 1858 when James Hector, a member of the Palliser expedition, was kicked by his pack horse while exploring the river. Hector survived and named the river and the associated pass to record the incident. This mighty river has created a natural bridge through solid rock. Emerald Lake is one of the most admired destinations in Yoho National Park with an unmatched diversity of both activities and landscapes suited to the enthusiastic traveler. It was discovered in 1882 when famed mountain guide Tom Wilson was led lakeside while rounding up a group of horses that had gone astray and was immediately taken by the lake's vivid emerald colored waters. The vegetation here is stunning with several different microclimates suiting a new collection of sensitive plant species making for some impressively delicate floral displays. The moist shady enclaves common to the Emerald Lake region make it one of the best places to spot a variety of tiny fragile wild orchids that survive only in finely balanced conditions. In 1985, Yoho, Banff, Kootenai and Jasper National Parks together with Mount Robson, Mount Asiniboine and Hamburg Provincial Parks were designated UNESCO's Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks World Heritage Site, one of the largest protected areas in the world. Kootenai runs along the western edge of the Rockies on the slopes of the Big Rift that separates them from British Columbia's Interior Columbia Mountains. Yoho National Park has been a favorite destination for mountaineers since the early days of the railroad as European settlers ventured westward. The village of Field is nestled between three popular Rocky Mountain scrambles, Mount Stephen, Mount Burgess and Mount Field. The imposing figure of Mount Stephen, 3,199 meters high, towers over the village of Field with one of the more prominent rock faces in the Rocky Mountains. Mount Stephen was the first 3,000 meter peak ascended in Canada when James J. MacArthur and his assistant T. Riley first reached the summit in September 1887. The mountain has attracted scores of mountaineers since. Mount Burgess, at 2,588 meters high, is a highly popular, moderately difficult scramble with a convenient route via the Burgess Pass Trail that places hikers at the foot of a scree hill that leads to the peak. Mount Field, 2,643 meters high, is a relatively easy ascent with some tricky scree slopes in the final 400 meter stretch, but the gradation is generally low. The Yoho River originates at the north end of Yoho National Park and flows generally south to join the Kicking Horse River some distance northeast of Field. It begins at the toe of the Yoho Glacier and after only 5.8 kilometers from its source, it has already received the waters of Waves Creek, Twin Falls Creek, Fairy Creek and the Little Yoho River. It continues south for another 4.4 kilometers to its confluence with the stream of Takaka Falls. The river also picks up the waters of Whiskey Jack Creek near Takaka Falls. From there, it flows another 7.8 kilometers to its confluence with the Kicking Horse River. At the confluence, the Yoho is actually the bigger of the two rivers. Another lake in Yoho National Park is Wapta Lake. At 1,586 meters altitude, it is a picturesque little mountain lake formed from cataract brook and blue creek. It is the source of the Kicking Horse River. Nothing captures the awe and wonder of Yoho National Park like the tremendous thunder of Takaka Falls. Plunging from above at a height of 380 meters with a 254 meters free fall, it is Canada's second highest waterfall. Fed by the glacier above, Takaka Falls' flow is at its peak in July when glacial meltwater runs freely. Takaka Falls is not the only waterfall in the Yoho Valley. Nearby, the chutes of Laughing Falls tumble 30 meters from the Little Yoho Valley above. The Rocky Mountains, or Rockies, are the major mountain range of western North America. The Rockies were formed about 70 million years ago in the Cretaceous Period by the Laramide Orogeny. Since then, erosion by water and glaciers have sculpted the mountain range into dramatic valleys and peaks. Humans began to inhabit the mountain range at the end of the last ice age.