Banff is Canada’s most well-known national park (as well as its oldest), and a popular tourist destination. While it is indisputably beautiful, it can be very crowded, especially during the summer months. In fact, Banff sees around 4 million tourists every year, most of which visit the town of Banff, pop. 9,600. If you are traveling to Alberta, Canada or are living in the area and looking for something new to explore, I have plenty of recommendations of other adventurous locations to check out.
1. Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
Writing-On-Stone is not only a provincial park, it is also a recognized UNESCO heritage site. Traditionally called Áísínai’pi by the Blackfoot, Writing-On-Stone is nestled along the Milk River Valley in the south of Alberta. The park is just under 40 kms from the town of Coutts which sits on the border between Canada and the United States. It is an hour and a half from Lethbridge, Alberta. The park contains campgrounds where visitors can stay and enjoy the river or surrounding coulees.
Writing-On-Stone gets its name from the more than 200 rock art images carved into the cliff walls. This rock art depicts the heritage of the Blackfoot people who camped in the Milk River Valley for millennia. This art and the cultural significance of the land to the Blackfoot people are the criteria for designating the area as a UNESCO site. Alberta Parks offers guided tours of the area that are available for registration through their website, although you can take a self-guided tour as well.
Beyond the rock art, there are incredible geological formations in the park. The coulees and hoodoos were formed from tens of thousands of years of erosion by wind and water. You can hike and explore these hoodoos around the campground valley.
I visited Writing-On-Stone in the early summer of 2020. The weather was very warm in June and can reach the high 30s or even 40 degrees celsius during July and August. I would recommend staying two nights here to explore all the trails and have time for floating down the river.
2. Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
Located in the southeastern corner of Alberta, Cypress Hills extends into Saskatchewan, making it an interprovincial park. Fun fact: the highest point in Saskatchewan is in the Cypress Hills area (although the highest point in the Cypress Hills park is actually in Alberta).
A beautiful region of hills and forests rising above the prairies, Cypress Hills is a common destination for campers, hikers, mountain bikers and star gazers. The park boasts numerous activities for visitors such as horseback riding, fishing, golfing, boating, and swimming. Cypress Hills is a dark sky preserve, making it a prime spot to watch the night sky. There are also facilities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, skating and ice fishing as the park stays open through the winter months.
We visited the Alberta side of the park and stayed at a campsite near Elkwater in late June of 2021. We hiked a number of the trails in the area, took a driving tour around the Alberta side of the park, and took a dip in the lake in the afternoon. At night we went stargazing and even saw some fireflies. We only stayed for two nights, but there is definitely enough to do to stay longer if you wish!
3. Dinosaur Provincial Park
Another UNESCO Heritage Site, Dinosaur Provincial Park is found east of Calgary, near Brooks, Alberta. The area is named for the high number of dinosaur fossils uncovered here. UNESCO’s official website states that dinosaur provincial park “contains some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made from the ‘Age of Reptiles’, in particular about 35 species of dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years” (WHC UNESCO).
Beyond fossils, the park is also known for its unique landscape referred to as Alberta’s Badlands. The badlands are also found near Drumheller, Alberta, about 2 hours north of Dinosaur Provincial Park, but are generally considered more impressive in the park. Having visited both areas myself, I would agree that Dinosaur Provincial Park is more visually stunning.
Similarly to Writing-On-Stone, Dinosaur Provincial Park offers guided tours as well as self-guided tours through the area. There are two campgrounds in the park as well, located near the visitor’s center. While I have not stayed overnight in the park, camping here along the Red Deer River is definitely a future plan of mine.
From Calgary, Dinosaur Provincial Park is a two hour drive. It can easily be done as a day trip or you can camp overnight if you wish to make your visit more of a vacation. I have visited the park twice in recent years, once in May of 2020 and again in May 2022. The badlands can get very hot in the summer, so I find spring to be a great time to visit these parks.
4. Elk Island National Park
Elk Island National Park is located 35 minutes east of Edmonton in the grassland/prairie region of Alberta. Most commonly known for the herds of bison that call this park home, Elk Island is also a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve. I visited the park in March of 2022, but the area is open all year round.
As Elk Island is a National Park, your annual Canada Parks pass will get you in. If you are not visiting other parks during the year or on your trip, you can also purchase a day pass. Elk Island is a popular camping, hiking, and wildlife watching site in Central Alberta. During your trip you can book tours or visit Astotin Lake Theatre on the weekends where an interpretive program runs in the afternoons.
During my day trip from Edmonton, we hiked around Oster Lake via Shirley Lake Trail. We didn’t see any bison while on the trail, but passed a herd while driving home. If you decide to camp in the park, make sure you take advantage of the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve that covers the Elk Island area. With three different campgrounds as well as comfort camping (cabin) options, Elk Island has something for all levels of experience and outdoorsy-ness.
5. Castle Provincial Park
Head back down to Southern Alberta to find Castle Provincial Park. About two and a half hours from Calgary, just southwest of Pincher Creek, lies Castle Provincial Park. Known best for Castle Mountain Resort, a popular ski destination for Albertans, Castle is also home to many wonderful campgrounds and hiking trails. Castle is situated in the Rocky Mountains, and provides the beautiful views and hiking trails that rival Banff National Park, without the volume of tourists.
During the past summer, in July 2023, I stayed at Beaver Mines Lake campground in Castle Provincial Park. It was a wonderful campground, a little more remote than some, but with Beaver Mines town not far down the road there was a place to buy firewood, extra snacks and other necessities.
There are many trails around the campsite, as well as bigger hiking trails in the surrounding mountains. There is so much to explore in Castle and our single weekend here was not long enough to see everything!
6. Waterton National Park
Waterton National Park is a stunning location in the southwest corner of the province. The park is included in the Canada Parks pass and includes the town of Waterton with hotels and restaurants, as well as campgrounds, hikes, and other activities.
I visited Waterton Lakes in 2017, right before the wildfire that swept through the park. Now the park is seeing regenerative growth from the fires and has recovered. The town has also recently opened a new visitor center focused on the nature and culture of the Waterton lakes area.
When I visited in 2017, our main activities included hiking Bear’s Hump to watch the sunset over the lakes, Crypt Lake, and Cameron Falls. We stayed at the Waterton townsite campground. Bear’s Hump is a short, but steep hike that overlooks the townsite. Crypt Lake trailhead is across the lake, so a ferry is required to shuttle you to the start of the hike. It is a 17.5 km hike which is rated as difficult. Cameron Falls is accessible by road, so little to no walking is required.
Waterton is full of hikes for all skill levels, so be sure to check the Parks Canada website for more information.
7. Kananaskis Country
Also known as Kananaskis Provincial Park, Kananaskis is a group of provincial parks that covers the area between Cochrane, Bragg Creek, and Canmore, Alberta.
Kananaskis is a popular destination for Albertans because it is accessible for day trips and provides access to all the mountainous activities we love in Banff. In the summer you can swim, paddle, fish, hike, mountain bike, or even visit the Nordic Spa (or a natural hot spring such as Mist Mountain). In the winter, activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, winter hiking, ice fishing, and skating draw people to the area.
Kananaskis is the place I grew up camping, hiking and skiing in. It holds a special place in my heart and I think has some of the most beautiful hikes in the Rockies. A personal favorite is Pocaterra Ridge. While the park used to be free to visit, there is now a parking pass that is required to stop in the park boundaries. This is purchased online. A day pass is $15 and an annual pass is $95 for two registered license plates.
8. Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the less-famous cousin of Banff National Park. Just under 300 km north of Banff, Jasper has its own town, lakes, mountains and resorts. There is something for every age and level of adventurer. Jasper is home to Maligne Canyon, Athabasca Falls and the Athabasca River, Miette Hot Springs, and the Marmot Basin Ski Resort.
I stayed in Jasper during the summer of 2020 at a cabin on Pyramid Lake. We hiked Bald Hills near Maligne Lake, took the Skytram up Whistlers mountain and hiked to the summit. We also hiked Wilcox Pass, a trail across the Icefields Parkway (the road connecting Banff to Jasper) which stands adjacent to the Columbia Icefields.
Jasper is very similar to Banff in terms of amenities, but it is further from major city centers. While it is still a popular destination for Canadians and international tourists alike, it is less known than Banff and therefore tends to be not as busy as one of Canada’s top destinations. If you are looking for Banff without the crowds, Jasper is as close as you can get. Keep in mind, the summers are still busy – with about 2.4 million tourists visiting Jasper a year.
9. Bow Valley Provincial Park
Before arriving in Banff driving west on Highway 1, you will pass through Bow Valley Provincial Park. Bow Valley is part of the Kananaskis Country provincial parks, but is worth mentioning separately due to its proximity to the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). While much of Kananaskis branches south of Highway 1, the Trans-Canada goes right through Bow Valley. While Canmore is not included in the park’s boundaries, the surrounding peaks such as Lady MacDonald and Ha Ling are part of Bow Valley. Other popular, family-friendly hikes such as Grotto Canyon, Grassi Lakes and Heart Creek are also in Bow Valley Provincial Park.
Bow Valley is a great park if you are looking for something mountainous, accessible and appropriate for all ages and skill levels.
10. Crowsnest Pass
The final location on my list is Crowsnest Pass. An amalgamation of five municipalities along Highway 3, Crowsnest Pass is situated in the Rocky Mountains only about an hour from the US Border. It is close to both Castle Provincial Park and Waterton Lakes National Park, but it has wonderful hiking, trail running and biking trails in the municipality itself.
Crowsnest Pass is also the location of Frank Slide, where in 1903 a devastating rock slide buried the town of Frank under about 110 million metric tonnes of limestone from Turtle Mountain. The death toll was estimated around 90 out of a population of 600, but the majority of the bodies were never recovered, so the exact number remains unknown. Frank Slide was deemed a provincial heritage site and the Interpretive center receives around 100,000 visitors every year. Highway 3 cuts right through the slide, the majority of the rocks having been left where they fell over a century ago. You can take the interpretive trail near the center that goes on and around the rock slide. There are even hiking trails on Turtle Mountain, if you feel brave enough to hike Canada’s deadliest mountain.
Helpful Links
If you are ready to plan your next adventure, see my helpful links below to find more information: