National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain outdoor sky water Nature mountainous landforms reflection Lake wilderness atmospheric phenomenon body of water cloud loch mountain range morning landscape reservoir canyon fjord Sea national park surrounded
Outdoors + Adventure

9 Best National Parks in Canada

There’s no better way to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday than with a visit to one of its national parks—especially given that Parks Canada is offering free access to all 47 in honor of the big anniversary. To guide your Great White North vacation-planning, we've compiled the 9 national parks in Canada you don't want to miss—from British Columbia's Pacific Rim National Park to Nunavut's lesser-known Auyuittuq National Park.

See recent posts by Siobhan Reid

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain sky Nature outdoor mountainous landforms landform Lake wilderness mountain range valley canyon fell fjord loch reflection crater lake reservoir alps hill overlooking Adventure landscape walking ridge glacial landform national park hillside
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain outdoor tree sky mountainous landforms habitat Nature geographical feature atmospheric phenomenon wilderness landform natural environment mountain range green cloud ecosystem Forest grassland mist background plant hill morning woody plant landscape meadow leaf Lake valley sunlight plateau ridge reflection alps Fog autumn surrounded hillside lush highland
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain sky water outdoor landform Nature Lake boating mountain range vehicle fjord Boat alps surrounded
1

Banff National Park, Alberta

The crown jewel of Canada’s national parks, Banff is an awe-inspiring landscape of towering snow-peaked mountains, deep forests, vast alpine meadows, and rushing waterfalls. Lace up your walking shoes and hike the Morraine Lake valley trail for the “Twenty Dollar view,” named for having been featured on the Canadian $20 bill, twice. After, reward yourself with Alberta beef fondue or British Columbia smoked trout at the Grizzly House, a Banff institution known for its fondue dinners and retro décor. The Fairmont Banff Springs, a historic Scottish Baronial castle at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, is the ideal jumping off place for exploring the rest of the park.

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor grass sky mountainous landforms mountain Nature atmospheric phenomenon wilderness horizon hill morning cloud Adventure landscape sunlight mountain range walking terrain ridge cliff highland
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor tree sky grass mountainous landforms wilderness mountain path trail walking mountain range backpacking sports Adventure ridge hiking trail riding meadow valley Forest dirt wooded hillside
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain outdoor sky water Nature mountainous landforms reflection Lake wilderness atmospheric phenomenon body of water cloud loch mountain range morning landscape reservoir canyon fjord Sea national park surrounded
Hotels National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas tree train outdoor sky mountain track grass mountainous landforms landform geographical feature transport wilderness mountain range River Nature Forest traveling reflection valley Lake mountain pass landscape waterway autumn reservoir alps surrounded hillside long wooded lush wood moving highland
2

Jasper National Park, Alberta

Banff’s northern counterpart, Jasper, is the largest of the Canadian Rockies national parks, covering more than 4,200 square miles of pristine alpine wilderness. See it all 918 feet above ground at The Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored, cliff-edge walkway, where you can look out over glacier-formed valleys and waterfalls. Or, rent a canoe and paddle out to the jewel-colored Maligne Lake, one of the most photographed spots in the Rockies. To see a side of Jasper that few locals have even experienced, consider a luxury train trip (complete with glass-domed train cars and fine dining) on Rocky Mountaineer, which runs from April through October along routes spanning Vancouver, Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, and Banff.

RELATED: 8 Adventure Trips to Take in Your Lifetime

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor sky rock water wilderness Nature Coast shore Sea terrain tree mountain loch Lake Ocean recreation cliff landscape hill overlooking
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor sky tree water body of water sunrise shore morning dawn atmosphere evening Winter River Sunset sunlight Lake horizon Sea freezing bank mist plant dusk reflection Sun Coast calm snow wave landscape Fog Ocean inlet sandy
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas water mountain Lake tree sky outdoor Nature mount scenery wilderness River Boat nature reserve national park crater lake highland water resources mountain range hill station daytime fjord reflection biome glacial lake cloud computer wallpaper landscape background fell cumulus Forest sound watercourse glacial landform bank surrounded beautiful overlooking pond clouds distance land hillside
3

Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia

For pure West Coast wilderness, hit British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park, located on Vancouver Island’s breathtaking west coast between Tofino and Ucluelet. The park is comprised of three distinct areas: Long Beach, a stretch of four consecutive beaches with surfer-friendly breaks; Broken Group Islands, a scattering of over 100 islands popular among kayakers; and the West Coast Trail, a challenging, pilgrimage-worthy backpacking trail that stretches 47 miles along wooden boardwalks, beach trails, ladders, and suspension bridges. As you traverse through centuries-old rainforests and dramatic fjords, you’ll encounter rare wildlife sightings including whales, bald eagles, and black bears.

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas sky water outdoor River Nature shore body of water wilderness Coast reflection Lake Sea loch mountain rock reservoir morning landscape hill cliff bay terrain plant overlooking hillside day
Islands Luxury Travel National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas sky outdoor water Sea Coast shore Ocean tower horizon Nature cloud rock cliff morning Beach wave cape landscape terrain lighthouse bay cove Sunset sand day
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain outdoor Nature water mountainous landforms landform geographical feature atmospheric phenomenon fjord mountain range River loch glacial landform Lake valley cliff terrain alps mountain pass surrounded distance highland
4

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland and Labrador

Grose Morne National Park is one of the few places in the world where you can see the earth’s mantle (the rocky layer under the crust)—the result of a plate collision that occurred several hundred million years ago. See the large, relocated portion of oceanic crust and ocean floor sediments by embarking on a full-day guided hike of the rugged Tablelands, where a lack of plant life and rust-colored soil give one the impression of being in a barren desert. Prefer sea views? Take a kayak tour of the park’s fjord in Bonne Bay or relax on the sandy beach at Shallow Bay. There are camping areas scattered throughout the park, but for more upscale lodgings, you’ll want to hit the road in the direction of the design-forward, 29-room Fogo Island Inn, on the largest offshore island of the province.

RELATED: The Most Beautiful Places in the World to Add to Your Bucket List

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas grass outdoor sky grassland field cloud ecosystem prairie meadow grass family crop Farm rural area energy daytime pasture ecoregion agriculture horizon plant landscape phragmites steppe flower plain tree meteorological phenomenon wind hill lush
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas sky grass house mountain outdoor Coast highland Sea cloud promontory terrain fjord loch mount scenery landscape tree water Nature hill bay glacial landform Ocean tourism hillside stone
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor water sky Coast Sea cliff headland promontory coastal and oceanic landforms Nature horizon terrain Ocean shore morning stack evening cape Sunset dawn rock bay cove sunrise klippe calm dusk formation Island
5

Forillon National Park, Quebec

Quiet coves, jagged seaside cliffs, and traditional Gaspé fishing villages make up the breathtaking Forillon National Park on the eastern tip of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. The best way to see all is to rent a set of wheels and motor along the coast, stopping to explore the region’s picturesque round-pebble beaches, wildflower-filled meadows, and hiker-friendly trails. Along the way, you may spot whales, seals, black bears, and seabirds (there’s about a quarter-million of them in the area), as well as more than two dozen inland raptor species including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and northern harriers. Don’t miss climbing to the top of Cap Gaspé, a striking red and white lighthouse perched on the edge of a dramatic 312-foot cliff.

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas sky outdoor grass field horizon ecosystem grassland cloud steppe prairie ecoregion plain tundra highland atmosphere morning phenomenon savanna calm landscape pasture Sea meteorological phenomenon sunlight hill cloudy meadow evening Coast Wildlife grassy open clouds day distance lush
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor grass sky field grassland ecosystem prairie plain steppe ecoregion savanna cloud horizon meadow Nature grass family tundra landscape hill shrubland clouds plateau crop sunlight national park pasture meteorological phenomenon computer wallpaper cumulus plant community cloudy
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor sky Nature atmosphere horizon night atmosphere of earth daytime phenomenon Sunset astronomical object cloud astronomy evening landscape space star wind outer space darkness meteorological phenomenon midnight computer wallpaper clouds dark distance
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor sky grass mountain grassland ecosystem Nature cloud wilderness rock nature reserve shrubland prairie hill steppe ecoregion badlands grass family highland tundra field landscape fell outcrop plant community bedrock national park escarpment meteorological phenomenon formation geology meadow hillside plain horizon tree
6

Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

Canadians joke that in Saskatchewan, a prairie and boreal province in western Canada, the land is so flat and featureless that you can watch your dog run away for days. Well, it’s exactly the province’s characteristic barrenness (picture: a big, wide-open sky and knee-high wild grass for as long as you can see) that makes Grasslands National Park such a sight to behold. If you go, don’t forget to look up: the park is a designated Dark Sky Preserve, so the night sky gets really, really dark and is sometimes lit with Aurora Borealis. Other highlights include the Killdeer Badlands, a fossil-rich area of the park where the first dinosaur bones in western Canada were discovered, and the region’s thriving bison population.

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor sky water grass Coast Sea rock rocky headland Nature shore promontory cloud Ocean horizon cape terrain coastal and oceanic landforms highland cliff morning dawn hill cove evening landscape dusk meteorological phenomenon bay inlet hillside tree Sunset loch overlooking wave mountain grassy
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain outdoor sky tree highland Nature mountainous landforms grazing mountain range geographical feature landform wilderness atmospheric phenomenon natural environment background cloud valley hill Forest green morning landscape alps leaf lush meadow loch plateau ridge hillside Lake pasture grassy autumn surrounded area beautiful clouds
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor sky mountain water Coast Nature body of water Sea shore headland cloud promontory Ocean highland coastal and oceanic landforms loch terrain hill bay tree cliff horizon sunlight wave cape landscape evening meteorological phenomenon cove hillside overlooking clouds rock
7

Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia

Cape Breton Highlands Park—Atlantic Canada’s first national park—is often referred to simply as “where the mountains meet the sea.” But to give you a bit of a bigger picture, the park is home to ancient plateaus sliced by river canyons, lush old-growth forests inhabited by rare plant and animal species, and rusty red cliffs which border the rugged Atlantic coast. You can traverse the area on two or four wheels following the seaside Cabot Trail or on foot as you traverse one of 26 trails which afford sweeping views of your choosing.

RELATED: 7 Awesome Summer Vacation Ideas

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas outdoor Nature aurora snow atmosphere sky phenomenon arctic landscape computer wallpaper freezing Night Sky
National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Travel Tips Trip Ideas mountain sky outdoor outdoor object tent Nature wilderness mountainous landforms ecosystem fell mountain range highland national park tundra morning terrain landscape hill ecoregion cloud Adventure rock mount scenery valley ridge glacial landform elevation grassland plateau summit Lake accessory

Photo courtesy of Michael Davies and Nunavut Tourism

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas mountain outdoor sky Nature highland wilderness mountainous landforms valley ridge tundra fell rock plateau loch hill mountain range terrain hill station fjord wadi ecoregion national park escarpment geology elevation glacial landform mount scenery arctic landscape tourism

Photo courtesy of Christian Kimber and Nunavut Tourism

8

Auyuittuq National Park, Nunavut

Glacier-carved fjords, vast uninhabited tundra, stark icebergs—Nunavut’s Auyuittuq National Park is truly one of the most startlingly beautiful places in Canada. In the Inukitut language, Auyuittuq means “the land that never melts,” but in fact, the park is accessible to tourists from late March to September, when the ice breaks up and the midnight sun shines brightly. The park’s biggest attraction is Mount Thor, the steepest, tallest cliff on Earth, with a 4,000-foot rock face and a 105-degree overhang. (Novice climbers, don’t even think about it.)

Fathom Five National Marine Park National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas person water outdoor Sea Ocean people water sport underwater group vehicle swimming diving
Fathom Five National Marine Park National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas tree outdoor water Nature landform geographical feature River Sea rock water feature Forest bay park terrain cliff rapid Lagoon national park surrounded wooded

Photos courtesy of Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

National Parks Outdoors + Adventure Trip Ideas tree water sky outdoor Nature coastal and oceanic landforms nature reserve ecosystem Boat Coast promontory Sea islet mount scenery water resources bay inlet shore watercourse Lake cove Island terrain biome Ocean Lagoon cliff national park archipelago blue bank cape rock tropical and subtropical coniferous forests landscape plant community formation computer wallpaper River reef plant Forest surrounded
9

Fathom Five National Marine Park, Ontario

Fathom Five National Marine Park—which consists of the former Fathom Five Provincial Park and the western sector of the Georgian Bay Islands National Park—is one of Ontario’s most popular family summer destinations. This is largely because of the park’s 22 historic shipwrecks, which lie at the bottom of the clean, crystal-clear Georgian Bay, and consistently rank as being one of the best diving sites in North America. Another must-see is Flowerpot Island, which is accessible only by boat, and is famous for the two rock pillars ('flowerpots') on its eastern shoreline. There, go on a hike through the island's trails, picnic at Beachy Cove, check out the Flowerpot Island Lighthouse, or go for a refreshing swim.

Want more?

Comments

comments

All products are independently selected by our writers and editors. If you buy something through our links, Jetsetter may earn an affiliate commission.