Banff came to be because of the popularity of the hot springs in the area. The Banff Hot Springs Reservation was created in 1885 and by 1887 had become Rocky Mountains Park. Today we know this vast recreation area as Banff National Park, offering a variety of activities all year, plus the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Banff National Park, established in 1885, is Canada’s first national park, the second in North America, and the third in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the park covers 2,564 square miles (6,641 square kilometers). Both the town and the park are named for Banffshire, Scotland, which was the birthplace of two of the original Canadian Pacific Railway directors.

Banff comes alive each summer with its music and drama festival at Banff Centre. In winter, the Rockies provide some of the best skiing on the North American continent, including helicopter, downhill, and cross-country. The town of Banff itself has exciting nightlife, sleigh rides, Western barbecues, and indoor recreational activities. The area offers sightseeing gondola rides, boat and raft tours, concerts, art galleries, museums, hot springs, ice field tours, hiking, and trail rides.

With all the area has to offer, the prime attraction is still the natural beauty of the landscape. The peaks of towering mountains loom over tranquil lakes as rivers snake their way past alpine meadows. Explore canyons carved into the land long ago, or the prehistoric glaciers that number more than 1,000 in the park. Animals are plentiful in this natural paradise–including bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, elk, deer, and grizzly and black bear. There are 972 miles of trails and 180 miles of paved road that will lead you to spectacular places throughout the park.