Banff

By moofd

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First view of Banff coming from Calgary

Banff town

Banff is both a park and a town, located along the Rockies in Western Canada.

First let's talk about the park. It's a UNESCO world heritage site, absolutely massive, fantastic national park. It's also near Yoho, Kootenay, and Jaspar National Parks, so some of the terrain is similar. In Banff, there's something for everybody:
* glacial lakes (see Lake Louise)
* fancy hotels (see Fairmount Lake Louise)
* backcountry hikes
* wildlife: brown and grizzly bears in August-September, moose, deer, mountain goats, marmots
* ski resorts/winter activities (come on it's CANADA)
* glaciers and icefields
* waterfalls
* the canadian railroad runs through it + history
* a simple accessible highway that runs through it all, the Trans Canadian Hwy.

It's also got this super created super touristy mountain town, called Banff. You can get all your yuppie needs with an alpine twist. Not that that's a bad thing, it's hard to get lodging in Banff in the summer,and hey if you need to visit a McDonald's you'll know where to go!


Banff National Park is best accessed by car (or tour bus) from Calgary, Alberta. It's about a 1hr drive west from Calgary. By reference, Banff town is about 1.5-2hrs drive in from Calgary.

Banff the park is best traversed by car. The Transcanadian Hwy runs through the Park, and you can access the neighboring parks as well. Public transportation exists in the towns, but you'll likely need a car/feet to get to the trailheads.

Banff is exceedingly popular in summer and winter. Make your hotel reservations early, and if camping, you need to get a permit.




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