Top Canadian National Parks

Canada has some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the world, most of which is visible in the country’s national parks. A wealth of magnificent national parks exists that are well maintained and offer hiking, camping, skiing, walking and much more. Campgrounds are available in most parks but are usually offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Though there are so many beautiful parks, Bakpak has narrowed it down to our favorite national parks, in no particular order:

Banff National Park

Wildlife you may find here include bighorn sheep, deer, coyote and black bears. Walking down the street you are most likely to see elk. The Visitor Centre is located at 224 Banff Ave in the town of Banff and is open 365 days per year. The rangers offer guided hikes and interpretive programs from the visitor centre and the Tunnel Mountain Campground theatre.

Pacific Rim National Park

Located on Vancouver Island, the Pacific Rim National Park mixes beaches with forests. The temperate climate allows coastal temperate rainforests to flourish. There are also plenty of tidal areas on the park’s beaches that are great for exploration. This natural scenery sets the stage for an exploration of the indigenous peoples that once populated the area.

Kootenay National Park

Kootenay NP is located in the Rocky Mountain region of British Columbia. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in part due to the amazing Radium Host Springs. Besides the hot springs, Kootenay contains glacier-covered mountains, streams, grasslands, and the famous Rocky Mountain Trench.

Kluane National Park and Reserve

Though it’s out of the way in Canada’s Yukon Territory, Kluane NP is one of the most stunning places you’ll ever visit. The park is one of Canada’s most treasured and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is covered with mountains, glaciers, ice fields, and more. It is also home to Canada’s tallest mountain, Mt. Logan.

Wood Buffalo National Park

Wood Buffalo NP is Canada’s largest national park; it’s actually larger than the entire country of Switzerland! The park is well-known for the many endangered and rare species that call the area home, including wood bison and the whooping crane. Besides protecting wildlife, the park is home to some of the most interesting ecosystems, as well as a rich Aboriginal culture.

Mingan Archipelago National Park

Mingan NP is made up of about 30 natural limestone islands, forming a beautiful archipelago filled with hundreds of reefs and islets. There are some fascinating rock and limestone formations in the park, which is home to such species as dolphins, seals, whales, seabirds, and more.

Prince Edward Island National Park

Prince Edward Island offers a nice change of scenery from other Canadian national parks. The island is covered with sand dunes, beaches, sandstone cliffs, wetlands, sandpits and forests, as opposed to glaciers and ice fields. This different ecosystem is home to many unique species of plant and animal life.

Wapusk National Park

Located in Manitoba, Wapusk NP is world-famous for its polar bears. The park is part forest, part Arctic tundra. As a result, park is one of the largest polar bear denning areas in the world.

Pukaskwa National Park

On the shore of Lake Superior, Pukaskwa NP is the only wilderness park in Ontario. Its stunning views of forests, the Canadian Shield, and the Lake are made all the more beautiful by the rugged nature of the park.

Mount Revelstoke National Park

Mt. Revelstoke NP is a park full of contrasts. While winding through the mountains, visitors can view a rainforests of giant cedar and pine, subalpine forests, alpine meadows, and tundra. Great hiking trails meander through wetlands and forests of ancient cedars while offering views of icy peaks.