Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks

Mount Robson, picture by Linda van Leuken

The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks are a striking mountain landscape, that includes a full range of glaciation features and harbours the renowned Burgess Shale fossil site.

The World Heritage Site consists of four national parks:
- Banff
- Jasper
- Kootenay
- Yoho

And three provincial parks:
- Mount Robson
- Mount Assiniboine
- Hamber

Year	Decision	Comments
1990	Extended	New boundaries, to include Mount Robson, Hamber and Assiniboine Provincial Parks
1984	Inscribed	Reasons for inscription

Reviews

Laura Barber (USA):
Banff, Jasper,Kootenay and Yoho are all amazing parks. We began our trip at Lake Louise and traveled north on the icefields parkway to Banff and later Jasper. Stopping all along the way. On the way back, we hit Kootenay and yoho before heading to Waterton Glacier and Glacier. It was an incredible trip. the icefields in these parks were still evident. Elk and deer were everywhere. Hiking was incredible and offered opportunities for even those looking for an easy path. The water, due to the mountain sediments is an amazing color! Each area has something special to offer and there are a lot of wonderful waterfalls. I think Mt Edith Cavell was one of my favorites!

Date posted: November 2011

Van B (USA):
In 1974 I visited all 4 of the national parks listed here (plus Waterton Lakes National Park, which has its' own Heritage listing, and both Glacier National Parks, in Montana and in BC). I'd spent summers in Colorado and thought I knew about mountains, but that '74 trip thru Alberta and BC opened my eyes as to what real mountains are like. From Banff all the way to Vancouver, one incredible view after another, non-stop natural beauty. That trip ranks as my favorite out of many. If I had the time, I'd strongly recommend visiting these parks!

I'm really glad that UNESCO has seen fit to declare this collection of parks as a World heritage Site.

Date posted: July 2009

Xeres Nelro (Canada):
these parks contain some of the most beutifull mountains in the world. there many hiking trails to walk on, each one is different to the others. i have visited these parks twice, and both times they have been great. lake Louise is crowded around the viewpoint, but if you go on the trails, there are very few people; and lake Louise is stunningly beautiful. my favorite park is Yoho, it is less crowded then a lot of the others, and has the incredible Takakkaw Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in Canada. these are some of the oldest national parks on earth (created in the late 1800s). enjoy your trip!

Date posted: July 2008

():
In 1965 our family camped all thru out the Canadian National Parks. Ever since I have wanted to return but never had the opportunity. I have been fortunate to have seen most of this Earth and I will say that without a doubt, this is by far the most beautiful gift we have.

Emilia Bautista King (U.S.A.):
Banff: We camped for two nights (first campground was at Johnston Canyon, the second at Lake Louise). Both had excellent facilities, especially hot showers, which we appreciated. The hikes to both Lower and Upper Falls at Johnston Canyon was 2.7 km long and worth it. Each turn of our hike had a really lovely view of the canyon and gushing water. Lake Louise did not disappoint and it's as turquoise as it has been in my dreams. I have been waiting 15 years to visit this gorgeous setting. A World Heritage plaque is located in front of the lake, as well as in Banff town, only two buildings from the visitor's centre. Also worthy visits are to Moraine Lake and Peyto Lake.

Kootenay: We took pictures at the continental divide sign and walked through the short Fireweed Trail that was devoted to the burnt forests of Kootenay. The park still has forests and forests of burnt trees for you to see as you drive through. Some fun destinations within Kootenay are Radium Hot Springs (worth the fee to have a relaxing soak - don't forget to show your park permit for a discounted fee) and the Painted Pots, which are small clay pools of different colours that were used by indigenous people for face painting and decoration of tipis.

Yoho: Less than a half-hour drive from Lake Louise, it would be silly not to visit if you're already in the vicinity. We drove to Emerald Lake, which was a short drive from the visitor's centre in Field. If you are pressed for time as we were, it does not require hiking a trail for you to enjoy the beauty. The town of Field itself is also a fun and quick drive. We located the elementary school, 2 restaurants, and the post office within seconds. Very quaint!

Jasper: From Peyto Lake in Banff National Park, it is about 80 km to drive to the Icefield Centre, the visitors' entrance to Jasper National Park. You can see one of the park's highlights, the Athabasca Glacier, across the street from Icefield Centre. We camped 1 km south of here, and the campgrounds were rustic but adequate and scenic. A waterfall was heard gushing closely to where we set up our tent! Other sights to visit within the park are Mt. Edith Cavell, the Angel Glacier, and Maligne Canyon. I wish we'd had more time to go to Maligne Lake but it was over 40 km out of our way so we settled for the canyon. The town of Jasper was much more charming to me than Banff town, which is swarming with many tourists.

Overall, the Canadian Rockies are glorious. I know I will always remember this trip!

Date posted: June 2006

Jo Osborn (UK):
I agree with Jessica and Kerri, I found the Rockies a thrilling place to visit. What more do you need than all that beautiful mountain air! You really can get away from it all. Although also enjoy the nightlife in Banff when you fancy some partying!.

Date posted: December 2005

Joyce (Netherlands):

Having lived in the town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies, I have been hiking through the Rocky Mountains a lot. It is a great place and there’s so much to see. Of course, Jasper and Banff are touristy towns with crowded hiking trails, but if you look a bit further or visit the place off season, you can wander around all alone. And even when you do visit the most touristy sites, you are still impressed with the magestic mountains, the thundering waterfalls, the cold glaciers and the wandering wildlife.

Date posted: December 2005

Kerri (USA):
Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho - These are all absolutely amazing national parks. Together these parks are probably my favorite place in the world. Get away from the crowds by hiking and backpacking - the views of mountains, rivers, and glaciers are extremely rewarding.

Date posted: November 2005

Jessica Spratt (Canada):
The Rockies are great to visit in both the summer and the winter. Amazing hiking, breathtaking views and loads of activities are available to try all year round. The snowboarding is fabulous at all of the mountain resorts and the nightlife in Banff is great. Tourists swarm the Rockies in the summer, but they do little to take away from its charming atmosphere.

Have you been to Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks? Share your experiences!

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In the News

» Burgess Shale fossil site near Alberta border turns out to be older than previously thought (27-05-2010).
» Alberta to look for extension of Rocky Mountain Parks WHS by adding nearby provincial parks and other protected lands (24-11-2009).

Links

» Burgess Shale Fossil Gallery.