Banff National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park) | |
![]() Moraine Lake, and the Valley of the Ten Peaks | |
Location | Alberta's Rockies, Alberta, Canada |
Nearest town | Located within Banff National Park: Banff Castle Junction Lake Louise Nearest town outside of Banff National Park: Canmore |
Coordinates | 51°30′N 116°00′W / 51.5°N 116.0°W |
Area | 6,641 km2 (2,564 sq mi) |
Established | 1885 |
Visitors | 3,609,639[1] (in 2014/15) |
Governing body | Parks Canada |
World Heritage site | 304 |
Website | Official website |
Banff National Park (French: Parc national Banff) is the oldest national park in Canada. It was first started in 1885. It is in the Canadian Rockies, 110–180 kilometres (68–112 mi) west of Calgary, Alberta. The park has an area of around 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 sq mi).[2] The park has mountains, glaciers, and ice fields. There is also a large coniferous forest. The main town near to the park is Banff. Banff is one of the seven parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.[3]