Guide to 9 Canadian National Parks
Pacific Rim National Park and Reserve – British Columbia
With stunning wildlife and scenery, Pacific Rim National Park is one of the most beautiful and serene parks in Canada. The Pacific Rim National Park and Reserve is located along the edge of Vancouver, separated into three areas. The Long Beach area boasts the longest stretch of beaches on Vancouver’s west coast. The Broken Group Islands are also on the west coast of Vancouver on the Barkley Sound. There are over 100 islets on the Barkley Sound providing hundreds of incredible beaches. Because most of the beaches can only be reached by boat they are very intimate and private, usually void of people.
If you are into hiking you may also want to visit the West Coast Trail section of the park. The West Coast Trail is difficult hiking over rocky terrain and steep ravines. The West Coast Trail is frequented by Natives and avid hikers and climbers. During the spring and summer seasons there is also camping at the Pacific Rim National Park. The fragmented park hosts several camping areas for those wishing to make their stay longer and more memorable.
Banff National Park – Alberta
Banff National Park is one of Canada’s oldest and most visited parks. Banff National Park covers over 4.5 square miles of dense forest, mountains, and lakes. Banff National Park is frequented by thousands of photographers, hikers, campers, and nature lover’s during the peak season. To avoid the crowds visit the park in the early, rainy months of spring when it is still cold, or nearer to the end of fall when visitation noticeably slows down. Sometimes the mass of visitors can disrupt the natural animal migrations across the park so private vehicles are limited as to where they can go in the park.
Banff National Park is a wonderful example of what the North American continent looked like to the first settlers and world travelers. Banff National Park is full of pristine glacial lakes, the most popular being Lake Louise, dense forests, hot springs, valleys, sprawling meadows, and high mountain peaks. Banff National Park is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise and is also extremely popular with photographers looking to capture the peaks, waterfalls, glacial lakes, wildlife and hoodoos of Banff National Park. At Banff National Park you can fish, canoe or kayak, ski, camp, or go hiking and climbing.
Point Pelee National Park – Ontario
Point Pelee National Park, isolated between Canadian farmland and Lake Erie, is one of the rawest, most wild Canadian National parks. Point Pelee National Park is also known as the bird park because it is regionally popular with many species of birds. Although Point Pelee National Park is one of the smaller, lesser known national parks it is fairly popular with photographers, as well as scientists and researchers. Point Pelee National Park also sees a lot of day trippers and bird watchers.
The grasslands just outside of the town Leamington is basically where Point Pelee National Park begins, jutting into Lake Erie. The Lakeside of the park is surrounded by vegetative marshes and lots of wildlife. Visiting Point Pelee National Park is like taking a trip to the jungle. Although the land base of Point Pelee is sand and gravel, only about 1,000 years old, there are over 700 species of flowering and non-flowering plants, including poison ivy, on the grounds of Point Pelee National Park. Since the land is relatively new, there are lots of demographic changes in the park during the season. Some parts may be closed to the public due to safety concerns.
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve – British Columbia
The Gwaii Haanas National Park is the original heritage site of the native Haanas of the Canadian region. Gwaii Haanas National Park sees less than 3,000 visitors each year mostly because it is located on the soggy and remote Queen Charlotte Islands. Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve reaches from the Tasu Sound to Cape Saint James. Gwaii Haanas National Park maintains its high cultural value within the Haanas society. Today they are called Haida, and the people are quite involved in the maintenance and care of the park.
As according to the Haida traditions, the archaeological and historical artifacts are left to their own natural processes, but many of them still remain beautiful and intact. Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve was declared a national park in 1958 by the Canadian government, but was not added to the National Parks Service until 1988. Among the places to visit in Gwaii Haanas National Park is Hot Springs Island where you can see the natural hot springs of the park, and Burnaby Narrows where you can view the rich marine life. The Village of Ninstints is also a must see with ancient totem poles and sculpture that is still guarded today by the Haida people. The mainland of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve includes over 130 islands, rich marine life, wildlife, and an extensive park trail system for hikers and Natives.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park – Nova Scotia
Cape Breton National Park is open year round to visitors but is full serve between the months of June and October for travelers wishing to hike and camp. The Cape Breton Highlands retain the rugged northern charm of Canada with authentic villages highlighting the French and Celtic heritage of the area. Of all the Canadian National Parks, the Cape Breton Highlands is one of the most popular with tourists and families.
Located between the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Breton National Park hosts immaculate beaches on its impressive coastal line. The Cabot Trail and Ingonish Beach are the two most popular destinations within the park. The Cape Breton Highlands has also incorporated recreation into the park by adding a golf course and extensive hiking trails. Vehicles are permitted with a pass, but only in specified areas of the park near the visitor’s center and camping grounds. There is no collecting of any kind at this park so don’t bother trying to pocket rocks and leaves. Camping sites are generally open from May to October but can and have closed early due to foul weather and storms.
Gros Morne National Park – Newfoundland
Gros Morne National Park is a geologists dream with exposed sections of deep ocean crust and the earth’s mantle. Due to continental drift, Gros Morne National Park was born. The collaboration of the local community and park management has led to the upkeep and protection of this Canadian Park. The locals are very welcoming and the park is pristine. There are some grazing problems with non-native moose but they don’t generally affect visitation.
Gros Morne National Park is popping with amazing wild scenery, glacial valleys and rivers, waterfalls, steep ravines, and rocky terrain. Gros Morne National Park was inducted to the National Parks System in 1987 and has been remarkable well preserved ever since.
Fundy National Park – New Brunswick
This is another one of Canada’s smaller, less visited parks. In 1948 Fundy was proclaimed a national park in order to save the ecosystem that was being destroyed by disturbing logging around the border of the park. Fundy National Park is located on the Fundy Bay, famous for its striking tides and currents. The shore of Fundy National Park is currently being protected in order to revive the American Marten and Peregrine Falcons that have become endangered.
Fundy National Park hosts one of the strongest ecological restoration programs of all the national parks in Canada. With the famous tides and rich marine life Fundy National Park is one of the best kept secrets in Canadian National Parks. There is also lots of dense forest and back country hiking trails for enthusiasts.
Kootenay and Yoho National Parks – British Columbia
The Kootenay and Yoho National Parks are located on the British Columbia side of the Rockies, neighboring Banff National Park. The mountains cover most of Yoho National Park and the forest covers most of Kootenay National Park. Yoho National Park covers more than 500 acres of mountainous terrain while Kootenay National Park envelopes just about 540 square miles. Together the two parks cover more than 1,000 acres of wild Canadian land. Established in 1920 as part of the National Parks System, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks remain a popular destination for travelers heading to British Columbia, Canada.
Both parks contain hanging glaciers as well as pristine glacial lakes and valleys, hot springs, natural mineral pools, hoodoos, and canyons. The Limestone Marble Canyon, the Kicking Horse River, and Natural Rock Bridge are some of the more popular destinations in the park. Kootenay and Yoho National Parks offer campers and hikers many pleasant areas for camping and hiking. The trails system isn’t as extensive as some of the other national parks, mainly because of its size, but still has much to offer the avid hiker who doesn’t mind wandering from the beaten path. The area that the parks are located in used to be a central meeting point for many traders of fur and other goods hundreds of years ago.
Jasper National Park – Alberta
Jasper National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in Canada. With sprawling mountainous landscapes and authentic villages and towns, Jasper National Park is considered a national treasure. Jasper National Park is the biggest of all the Canadian Rockies parks and has been a popular tourist destination since 1907. No other Canadian national park compares to the untamed beauty of Jasper National Park.
The Athabasca Glacier and the Miette Hot Springs are two of the most popular sites to visit in Jasper National Park. You can also visit the Athabasca Falls, Suwapta Falls, or the Maligne Canyon during your visit to Jasper National Park. There are over 1,000 campsites throughout the park and an extensive hiking system of trails. There are lots of different wildlife and birds that call Jasper National Park home. Jasper National Park is a nature lover’s paradise and that love is also shared by tourists, world travelers, campers, hikers, and photographers. The natural beauty of the park includes dense Alpine forests and rocky mountainous terrain unlike any other part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
