Canada’s Banff National Park and Lake Louise are one of the world’s most breathtaking mountain destinations in the world. For centuries, Banff and Lake Louise have inspired people with their spectacular natural beauty. They are places steeped in legendary tales of adventure, exploration, and myth. 

Canadian Pacific Rail

The Town of Banff, formerly Siding 29, was created as a tourist town from its very inception and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was integral in shaping the development of the tourism infrastructure. Visitors from around the world used to arrive to the mountains via the CPR, who also established Banff’s most famous hotels, including the Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise.

The CPR attracted tourists through extensive advertising. In the early 20th century, roads were built in Banff, at times by war internees from World War I, and through Great Depression-era public works projects. Since the 1960s, park accommodations have been open all year, with annual tourism visits to Banff increasing to over 5 million in the 1990s. Millions more pass through the park on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Times have changed and CPR no longer dominates the tourism operations in Banff, but their influence on the visitor experience in the park is a lasting legacy.

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park and was established in 1885. Located in the Rocky Mountains 68 miles west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, Banff encompasses 2,564 square miles of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. The Icefields Parkway extends from Lake Louise, connecting to Jasper National Park in the north.

The town of Banff is the largest municipality located in a Canadian national park. This provides residents and visitors with superb access to the surrounding wilderness. Conversely, the national park status also requires the town to adhere to laws that regulate its growth, commercial development and population. What results is a very unique community that proudly acknowledges the privilege it is to exist in a protected park while serving the needs of the people who work, visit and play in the mountains.

Archaeology in Banff National Park

The first Europeans to discover the Canadian Rockies were far from being the first to discover the wonders of this place. Excavations by archaeologists have discovered flint stone tools, spearheads, hearths and pit houses from approximately 10,000 years ago, revealing that the human history of the Rockies is anything but recent. Pictographs found in the nearby Canmore region and Kootenay National Park reveal the artistic hands of an early native presence.

Bow Valley Parkway Adventure

This leisurely drive between Banff and Lake Louise features iconic attractions such as Johnston Canyon, Castle Mountain and Morant’s Curve. An abundance of wildlife calls the Bow Valley Parkway home and it is not uncommon to observe grizzlies, wolves, elk and deer along the road; osprey, eagles and harlequin ducks nest along the Bow River. Rich in natural and human history, this serene route offers year-round exploration of diverse wonders in a relaxed manner with numerous picnic areas, interpretive displays and scenic roadside stops.

Mountain adventures await year-round with numerous hiking trails, scalable peaks, paddling and angling opportunities and this is a premier route for cyclists. After a day of exploration, a charming collection of creek-side cabins and lodging offers mountain hospitality of a bygone era.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is world famous for its turquoise lakes, the Victoria Glacier, soaring mountain backdrop, palatial hotel, and incredible hiking and skiing. Surrounded by a lifetime’s worth of jaw-dropping sights and adventures, Lake Louise is a rare place that must be experienced to be believed. Lake Louise is one of the most visited lakes in the world and is framed to the southwest by the Mount Victoria Glacier.

The sight of the lake’s emerald green water and rugged peaks and glaciers hits you viscerally. You’ve never seen anything so dramatically beautiful. Late in the day, with the glowing sun dropping behind Mount Victoria, it is quiet and still. As you wander around the lakeside path it seems like the whole scene is for just you to enjoy.  

With endless adventures in every direction, making Lake Louise your basecamp is a great way to explore Banff National Park. Those looking to wake up with a lakeside view will love the luxury of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Seconds away from the lake is Deer Lodge, a historic lodge with many amenities, including a rooftop jacuzzi.

The Hamlet of Lake Louise

The hamlet of Lake Louise is located just off the Trans-Canada Highway, Canada’s Highway 1.

Lake Louise is located 34 miles northwest of the town of Banff. It is home to the landmark Chateau Lake Louise at the edge of Lake Louise. Located 9.3 miles from Lake Louise, Moraine Lake provides a scenic vista of the Valley of the Ten Peaks. This scene was pictured on the back of the $20 Canadian banknote, in the 1969–1979 (“Scenes of Canada”) series.

It has a small shopping center, with a grocery store, bakery, deli, bar, sporting goods store, and visitor information center. Lake Louise also offers a variety of restaurant and accommodation options. Smaller and quieter than the town of Banff, you are immersed in the mountains and nature when you spend time in Lake Louise. 

Banff’s Royal Legacy

William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, chose Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park for their private getaway during their first official visit overseas to Canada. But this visit was only one of many royal visits to Banff since the park’s inception. Banff and Lake Louise have enjoyed a strong connection to the British Royal Family since the Victorian era. In fact, Lake Louise was named after the daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, in 1884.

Banff Big Foot

The legend of Big Foot, also known as a Yeti or Sasquatch, is alive and well in Banff National Park. To date, the ape-like creature remains elusive and no one can prove its existence. Yet some claim to have encountered Big Foot and are determined to show the world. Does Big Foot really exist? Man in an ape suit or the real deal?

Bankhead, The Coal Mining Ghost Town

The ghost town of Bankhead lies just outside of the town of Banff. Just 100 years ago, the town of Bankhead outnumbered Banff in terms of both popularity and population. More than 1000 people lived in the coal mining town. Once the mines were closed down in the early 1920s, Bankhead’s buildings were moved to Banff, Canmore and Calgary, leaving behind only remnants and relics of its coal mining history.

Gateway to the Rockies Exhibition

The Whyte Museum’s exhibit in Banff, “Gateway to the Rockies,” communicates the history of the Canadian Rockies using artifacts, artworks, archival photographs, recordings and documents. For ten years, this fun, interactive exhibit will bring alive the men and women who shaped the culture of the Canadian Rockies, including the First Nations, first explorers, outfitters, entrepreneurs and artists.

Natural Beauty

Since Banff National Park’s inception in 1885, its spectacular beauty has inspired artists of every kind. Many of the first explorers and mountaineers were painters, writers, photographers and musicians, each one interpreting the mountain landscape in a way that would make the destination even more famous than before. Continuing with that tradition, each April the Spring Alive festival offers a rich collection of events that are as diverse as they are educational and inspiring. 

For information on visiting Banff National Park and Lake Louise:

https://www.banfflakelouise.co