Getting Oriented in Banff National Park

Areas of majestic beauty fill the 6,641 square km (2,564 square miles) of Banff National Park. Bordered by Jasper National Park to the north, Kootenay and Yoho national parks to the west, the Bighorn Wildland Recreation Area to the east, and Kananaskis Country and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to the south, Banff is at the center of a huge block of protected wilderness.

• Icefields Parkway. There are many sites to be seen along this spectacular 230-km (143-mile) stretch of road. The Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Pass, Mistaya Canyon, Saskatchewan Crossing, and the Columbia Icefield are the primary highlights in the Banff section.
• Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the Bow Valley Parkway. Backed by snowcapped mountains and fantastically ice-blue, Lake Louise is one of the most photographed lakes in the world. Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks, and stunning Johnston Canyon are highlights of this region.
• Banff Townsite. The hub of the park, Banff Townsite is the place to go to find shops, restaurants, hotels, and other facilities. Highlights of the townsite: the Banff Visitor Centre, Whyte Museum, Banff Centre, Upper Hot Springs Pool, Sulphur Mountain Gondola, and the Hoodoos.