The Banff National Park is located in the mountains Canadian Rockies, 120 km west of the city of Calgary in the province of the Alberta. Its date of creation, in 1885, making it the oldest National Park of Canada. It is also recorded since 1985 (the centenary of its creation) World Heritage of the UNESCO with other parks of the Canadian Rockies.
Its 6 641 km of mountainous terrain includes many glaciers and ice fields (Icefields), areas of dense forests of conifers, and alpine landscapes. The park was extended northwards by Jasper National Park. To the west lie the Yoho National Park, the Kootenay National Park. The only major town park is Banff, where is the information center.
The construction in the late nineteenth century, the railway Canadian Pacific plays a decisive role in economic development in Banff. It's a little later in the early twentieth century, which began construction of road approaching Banff rest of the region. These roads, often built by prisoners in internment camps, part of public works projects encouraged at the time of the Great Depression to resolve socioeconomic problems. Since the 1960s, various equipment and facilities available at the park are open to the public during the entire year, and the number of visitors continues to increase, reaching over 5 million alone in 1990. In addition, millions of travelers each year through the National Park via the Trans-Canada Highway
But these exceptional figures, which put the Banff National Park the most visited of the world, are no less problematic environmentally. The intensity of tourist activity threatens the health effects of ecosystem of the park. Parks Canada, the managing body of Canadian national parks, has responded to this concern by introducing the mid-1990s, a study two years has license term, to set goals for sustainable management of the park, and establish new policies for preserving ecosystems.
- Country Canada
- Province Alberta
- Nearest Cities Banff
- Contact 51 ° 10 '00 "North
- Area 6 641 km 2
- Created 25 November 1885
- Visitors / year 3 114 535 in 2008-09
- Terminal Parks Canada
Tourism:
The Banff National Park is the destination most visited tourist from Alberta and one national park the most visited in North America, with 3 114 535 visitors in 2008-2009 In summer, 42% of park visitors come from Canada (23% of Alberta), while 35% are from the United States and 20% in Europe Tourism accounts for 6 billion dollars to the economy of Canada A pass is required to stop in the park and checks are frequent during the summer months, especially in Lake Louise and the start of the Icefields Parkway. This permit is not required to cross the park without stopping, as 5 million people each year who use the Trans-Canada Highway
Hotel Lake Louise.
Many activities are available in the park, the hot springs of Upper Hot Springs, a golf course with 27 holes at the Hotel Fairmont Banff Springs, and three ski Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, and that of Mount Norquay. A network of trails allows for many hikes that can last several days. Other activities are possible in summer and winter (camping, climbing, horseback riding, skiing, nordic skiing) The use of campgrounds, shelters the Alpine Club of Canada, or other facilities required to obtain a permit for access to the hinterland. A reservation for a campsite is also recommended.
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