The most beautiful national parks in Canada

Choosing Canada’s most beautiful national parks feels a bit like deciding between the best chocolate or cashmere—the world’s second-biggest country in terms of land mass has almost too much spectacular scenery to single out favorites. But someone has to do the hard work, and so, we’ve narrowed down the roster of 44 national parks to spotlight eleven whose flora, fauna, terrain, and topography astonish, from Alberta’s serene Banff to Yukon’s extreme Kluane.

Banff National Park, Alberta

Canada’s first national park, Banff, which opened in 1885, still overwhelms with movie-set views of the Canadian Rockies, jewel-colored lakes, and a regular cast of creatures whose whoops, purrs, and screeches provide an unparalleled soundtrack. The mellow Lake Louise usually gets the glory as the park’s trophy, but it's Lake Minnewanka that offers the most gasp-inducing vistas of Banff’s bounty.

Yoho National Park, British Columbia In Yoho, it’s all about high and low here: think soaring peaks, thunderous waterfalls, and green patches so serene they almost shock. Yoho takes its name from a Cree expression of awe and wonder, and after glimpsing the turquoise Kicking Horse River, you’ll understand. Centuries of erosion have formed a natural rock bridge over the river; climb on for magnificent views.

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