Holiday Destination: Banff

Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. The Town of Banff is the first municipality to incorporate within a Canadian national park. The town is a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership. Banff is a resort town and one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations, known for its mountainous surroundings and hot springs. It is a destination for outdoor sports and features extensive hiking, biking, scrambling and skiing areas within the area. Sunshine Village, Ski Norquay and Lake Louise Mountain Resort are the three nearby ski resorts located within the national park. The town is only four square kilometers, bordered on all sides by wilderness. It's not uncommon to see wildlife, such as deer and elk, in your backyard. The town is a service centre for park visitors and offers everything from five star accommodation to fine dining, lively nightlife to museums and galleries, shopping for essentials and nice to haves, plus a long line up of special cultural and sporting events.

Climate

Summer 21.9 °C (71.4 °F), Winter (−4.6)°C (23.7 °F)

Tourist Season

Mid October to November is best for tourism.

Accommodation

Hotels.

General Information Of Banff

• Land Area: 1.88 sq mi (4.88 km2)
• Population: Seven Thousand.
• Capital City: Alberta.
• Language: English.

Tourist Attraction in or Near by Banff

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 180 km west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses 6,641 km2 of mountainous terrain, with numerous 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. Provincial forests and Yoho National Park are neighbours to the west, while Kootenay National Park is located to the south and Kananaskis Country to the southeast. The main commercial centre of the park is the town of Banff, in the Bow River valley. The Canadian Pacific Railway was instrumental in Banff's early years, building the Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise, and attracting tourists through extensive advertising. In the early 20th century, roads were built in Banff, at times by war internees, 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. As Banff is one of the world's most visited national parks, the health of its ecosystem has been threatened. In the mid 1990s, Parks Canada responded by initiating a two year study, which resulted in management recommendations, and new policies that aim to preserve ecological integrity.

Mountain Biking

Sulphur Mountain is a mountain in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains overlooking the town of Banff, Alberta, Canada. The mountain was named in 1916 for the hot springs on its lower slopes. George Dawson had referred to this landform as Terrace Mountain on his 1886 map of the area. Sanson's Peak was named in 1948 for Norman Bethune Sanson who diligently attended the observatory recording equipment atop Sulphur Mountain for nearly 30 years. The true summit of Sulphur Mountain can be found on the southern side on a scrambler's route. For purists not wanting to claim a summit without the effort, a wide trail can be followed from the Banff Hot Springs parking lot to the upper gondola terminal.

Lake Minnewanka

Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake located in the eastern area of Banff National Park in Canada, about 5 km northeast of the Banff townsite. The lake is fed by the Cascade River, flowing east of Cascade Mountain, and runs south through Stewart Canyon as it empties into the western end of the lake. Numerous streams flowing down from Mount Inglismaldie, Mount Girouard and Mount Peechee on the south side of the lake also feed the lake. Aboriginal people long inhabited areas around Lake Minnewanka, as early as 10,000 years ago, according to stone tools and a Clovis point spearhead discovered by archaeologists. The area is rich in animal life and the easy availability of rock in the mountainous terrain was key to fashioning weapons for hunting.

Rafting River

Rafting river along the Bow River have long been popular and last up to two hours. Passing many outstanding landmarks, such as the Bow Falls and Tunnel Mountain, these tours are led by experienced guides and are generally fairly relaxed in pace. For more exciting white water rafting, regular trips are available throughout the summer along the Kicking Horse River and include fast rapids and strong currents. Canoes and kayaks are also available for hire in and around Banff. Discover the Kicking Horse River in Banff, or do some Kananaskis whitewater rafting on the Kananaskis River. Traveling to Jasper, Alberta. Jasper whitewater rafting isn’t far from you, either. Our rafting companies below will provide you with that adrenaline rush you will never forget.

Upper Hot Springs

Upper Hot Springs are commercially developed hot springs located in Banff National Park in Canada, near the Banff townsite. The hot pool is outdoors and while in the pool, visitors can look across the valley to Mount Rundle. The Upper Hot Springs are one of nine different naturally occurring hot springs in the Banff area. The hot spring water flows naturally through the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault, with the source area located at higher elevations on either Sulphur Mountain or Mount Rundle. The flow rates fluctuate seasonally with snow melt, with highest flows in the spring and lowest during winter. Since the early 2000s, flow to the Upper Hot Springs has stopped for several months of the winter. During these times, municipal water is substituted for the recreational pools. The Banff Springs snail is absent from the Upper Hot Springs region.

Banff Park Museum

The Banff Park Museum National Historic Site, located in downtown Banff, Alberta, is an exhibition space associated with Banff National Park. The museum was established in 1895 to house an exhibit of mounted specimens of animals, plants and minerals associated with the park. The museum building, constructed in 1903 to the design of territorial government engineer John Stocks, is an early example of the rustic style of architecture that was becoming popular in the parks of North America. In 1896 Norman Bethune Sanson was hired as the museum curator. Serving until 1932, Sanson was responsible for expanding the collection from eight mammals, 259 birds, a turtle and a variety of mineral and botanical specimens to the present collection of 5000 specimens. The building, described as a "railway pagoda", uses exposed log framing and rustic detailing. It is the oldest building maintained by Parks Canada. The museum was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1985 and was classified as historic structure the following year.

Banff Whyte Museum

The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is located in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes available for research and education materials related to the cultural heritage of the Rocky Mountains of Canada and other mountains around the world. The museum, which contains an archive and library, was the inspiration of Banff artists Peter and Catharine Whyte. The Alpine Club of Canada has dedicated the Peter and Catharine Whyte Hut on the Peyto Glacier after the duo. The Archives of the Canadian Rockies was the starting point of the museum and the Banff Library was incorporated in the Whyte Museum in 1970. The exhibition space saw several expansions during the 1980s and a new facility was opened in 1993. The museum acquires and exhibits art and artifacts from the Canadian Rockies, aiming to showcase the culture and history of the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Many of Byron Harmon's photographs, pioneer photographer of the Canadian Rockies, are housed at the museum.

Accessibility

Bus Terminal in or Near by

Wolf and Beaver

Wolf Street
Wolf, AB, Canada

Caribou Street East Side

Caribou Street
Wolf, AB, Canada

Banff Community High School

Banff Ave
Wolf, AB, Canada

Elk Street

Elk Street
Wolf, AB, Canada

Airports in or Near by

Calgary International Airport: For international flights.

Railway Stations

Banff railway station

Banff, AB, Canada