Vast, wild and classically scenic, Banff National Park lies at the heart of the Canadian Rockies system, bordered by three other national parks and several designated wildlands. Glaciers, grizzly bears, emerald green lakes, alpine tundra, wolves, old-growth conifer forests, subalpine meadows flashing with flowers, waterfalls, soaring peaks – Banff has it all.

The dramatic parapets of the eastern main range, which constitutes much of Banff’s terrain, began forming about 140 million years ago. On the east side of the park, you will see the front range. The park’s geology then remained relatively static until 2 million years ago, when mighty Ice Age glaciers began moulding the land.

Just northwest of Sanson Peak sits the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, which houses the springs that led to the establishment of the park in 1885. The site has displays about the history of Canada’s national parks and a couple of short trails that wind through wetlands harbouring orchids and numerous bird species.