Natural Wonder · Banff, Canada
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's first national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. Built 1885. It drew 4,558,171 visitors in 2026.
Photo: Gorgo via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Banff, Canada |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Built | 1885 |
| Area | Area: 6641 km² |
| Annual visitors (2026) | 4,558,171 |
| Coordinates | 51.5000° N, 116.0000° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Banff National Park is known for
Banff National Park is Canada's first national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park.
About Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's first national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. Located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, 110–180 kilometres (68–112 mi) west of Calgary, Banff encompasses 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 sq mi) of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. It is bordered by Jasper National Park to the north, Yoho National Park and Kootenay National Park to the west in British Columbia, and Kananaskis Country to the southeast.
History
Archaeological evidence found at Vermilion Lakes indicates that there was human activity in Banff as early as 10,300 BP. Prior to European contact, the area that is now Banff National Park was home to many Indigenous Peoples, including the Stoney Nakoda, Ktunaxa, Tsuut'ina, Kainaiwa, Piikani, Siksika, and Plains Cree. Indigenous peoples utilized the area to hunt, fish, trade, travel, survey and practice culture.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Banff National Park website — the official site has the current visiting information.
Best time to visit
June to August for hiking and the lakes; December to March for skiing.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Banff |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Calgary International Airport (YYC) |
| Distance from the airport | 89.6 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Calgary International Airport (YYC) · Calgary, Canada · 89.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Canada
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is Banff National Park?
Banff National Park is Canada's first national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park.
Where is Banff National Park located?
Banff National Park is in Banff, Canada. Its coordinates are 51.5000° N, 116.0000° W.
How do I get to Banff National Park?
The nearest town is Banff, and the nearest airport is Calgary International Airport (YYC), about 89.6 miles away (straight line).
When is the best time to visit Banff National Park?
June to August for hiking and the lakes; December to March for skiing.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banff_National_Park — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41858 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/banff — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
- https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/banff — Official tourism / managing-body page — best time to visit.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.