Best trails in Banff National Park
In the fall of 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway construction workers stumbled across a cave containing hot springs on the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains. From that humble beginning was born Banff National Park, Canada's first national park and the world's third. Spanning 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) of valleys, mountains, glaciers, forests, meadows and rivers, Banff National Park is one of the world's premier destination spots. Here you'll find jagged, ice-capped peaks piercing brilliant blue skies, vast ancient glaciers feeding turquoise glacial lakes, and dense coniferous forests blanketing pristine valleys. From the iconic shores of Lake Louise to the wildflower-strewn alpine meadows of Sunshine Meadows, every vista is a masterpiece.
Top trails
Visitor info
Banff National Park charges a fee to enter.
Parks Canada offers free admission and access to programs for support persons traveling with a visitor who has a disability and depends on the support person to travel and experience a Parks Canada destination.
The Banff and Lake Louise Visitor Centres are wheelchair accessible, with accessible restrooms and water fountains. They are also equipped with information and resources for individuals with hearing, vision, mobility, or cognitive disabilities.
Many museums are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, with accessible restrooms and water fountains. Assisted listening devices and closed captioning are provided for video presentations. The Cave & Basin National Historic Site is a visitor favorite for its accessible features.
Additional information about accessibility at Banff National Park can be found on their website: https://www.banfflakelouise.com/accessibility.
Roam, Banff's public transport service, operates buses that are wheelchair friendly, with a fold-out ramp and low floor to assist in getting on and off. Visit the Roam Transit website for details: https://roamtransit.com/about-us/transportation-policies/.
The Banff Scooter Company at the Banff Train Station offers mobility scooter rentals.
The Banff and Lake Louise Visitor Centres are wheelchair accessible, with accessible restrooms and water fountains. They are also equipped to provide information and resources for individuals with hearing, vision, mobility, or cognitive disabilities.
Many of the museums are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers. Assisted listening devices are available, and closed captioning is provided on video presentations. The Cave & Basin National Historic Site is a visitor favorite, with facilities for those with hearing and sight challenges, an all-terrain wheelchair surface, a wheelchair-friendly bathroom, and guides upon request.
The Banff Upper Hotsprings has a water-accessible wheelchair. The Banff Gondola is fully wheelchair accessible.
Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available throughout the town of Banff, in the picnic areas near Lake Louise, and along the Bow Valley and Icefields Parkways.
All frontcountry campgrounds in the Banff area have accessible facilities except for Two Jack Main, Two Jack Lakeside, Mosquito Creek, and Silverhorn Creek Campgrounds.
All service dogs must have an Alberta Service Dog Identification Card to ensure access to public places.
