15 of Canada’s Top National Parks

While Europe preserves its ancient structures, Canada protects its national parks—sprawling, sparsely populated regions showcasing the elemental beauty that defines the country.

Established in 1885, Banff was Canada’s first national park, inspired by the hot springs of the Rocky Mountains and the early railway system. Just over 25 years later, with a park network of about six, the government created Parks Canada (initially called the “Dominion Parks Branch”), becoming the world’s first umbrella organization for national parks. Today, there are 47 national parks and 171 National Historic Sites, part of a growing and diverse environmental network. Five new parks have been added since 2015, with three more planned for the future. Here’s our guide to the best of them.

1. Banff, Alberta

Premier Mountain Park

Renowned today for skiing, hiking, and water activities, Banff owes its existence to hot springs and the arrival of trains. This is where Canadian tourism began in the 1880s, driven by the exploitation of natural spring water from Sulphur Mountain and the construction of the country’s first transcontinental railway.

As a result of its early establishment, Banff is the most developed and visited national park in Canada, featuring an 8000-strong townsite, three ski areas, scenic lake cruises, and a wide array of hotels and restaurants. While some criticize it for being overly commercialized, it's still easy to escape into the Rocky Mountain backcountry for a hike or venture off to one of its secluded lodges on skis.

Planning a hiking trip? Check out our guide to Canada’s top trails

2. Pacific Rim, BC

Top park for surfing

A slender yet stunning stretch of wave-battered beaches, moody forests, and weathered sea stacks on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Pacific Rim is divided into three distinct areas, each focusing on different activities:

• The largely roadless West Coast Trail Unit features one of Canada’s most renowned long-distance hikes, encompassing 75km (47 miles) of beach exploration, ladder climbing, and rock scrambling. Access is regulated, and reservations are required for hiking.

• The Broken Group Islands Unit in Barkley Sound is a remote archipelago accessible only by boat or multi-day kayaking trips.

• Located on the road and drawing 95% of the park’s visitors, the northern Long Beach Unit lies between the charming towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, celebrated for its surfing beaches and stunning tangerine sunsets.

3. Auyuittuq, Nunavut

Premier park in the Arctic Circle

Nunavut’s parks resemble frontiers on the edge of the world, featuring only basic visitor facilities and few access points. For the adventurous and determined, Baffin Island beckons with Auyuittuq National Park, home to one of Canada’s greatest wilderness hikes. The Akshayuk Pass route is a roughly marked 100km (62-mile) “trail” that meanders through a vast valley, ascending to 500m (1640ft) and crossing the Arctic Circle along the way. Notable sights include the flat-topped Mt Asgard, where James Bond, portrayed by American stuntman Rick Sylvester, famously base-jumped off a cliff on skis in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me.

4. Fundy, New Brunswick

Top park for beachcombing

Established in 1948, New Brunswick’s first national park is renowned for having the highest tides in the world, with water levels fluctuating between 12 and 16m (39 to 52ft) in the Bay of Fundy. When the tide goes out, expansive beaches unveil a stunning array of glistening mudflats, vibrant rock pools, and hidden marine life waiting to be discovered.

Behind the jagged coastline, featuring uniquely eroded sandstone cliffs, the lush park is sprinkled with charming waterfalls and crisscrossed by trails perfect for hiking and biking. You can also enjoy a round of golf at a nearby course, stay in a nostalgic 1950s motel, or take a dip in a heated outdoor saltwater pool as a warm alternative to the brisk ocean.

5. Glacier, BC

Best park for backcountry skiing

Often mistaken for its more renowned counterpart across the US border, Glacier became part of Canada’s national park system shortly after Banff, designated in 1886.

Home to over 120 glaciers and famed for its backcountry ski-touring and mountaineering, the park experiences exceptionally high annual snowfall, reaching up to 23m (75ft). This transforms the steep slopes of the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains into one of the most active avalanche zones in the world.

Due to this, many backcountry activities, including skiing, caving, and climbing, are regulated, and you must check in with park wardens before heading out. Recognized as the birthplace of North American mountaineering, it remains a paradise for contemporary snow-sport enthusiasts.

The region is accessible via the Trans-Canada Hwy, which runs east-west through the park, crossing the 1130m (3707ft) summit of Rogers Pass, a national historic site and one of Canada’s most scenic mountain passes.

6. Bruce Peninsula, Ontario

Best park for aquatic adventures

Located about three hours northwest of Toronto, the Bruce Peninsula is a limestone formation at the northern end of the Niagara Escarpment, resembling a bent finger that separates the cool Georgian Bay from the warmer waters of Lake Huron.

Although the national park is relatively small at 154 sq km (59 sq miles), it offers a wealth of attractions, particularly those centered around water. Visitors can explore a mystical 'grotto' (a water-filled cave), enjoy kayaking, and swim in either the warm Lake Huron or the clear, chilly waters of Georgian Bay. The peninsula's lush woodlands are threaded by a short segment of the 800km (497-mile) Bruce Trail that hugs the shoreline.

7. Prince Edward Island, PEI

Best park for literary heritage

The most visited national park in Eastern Canada, attracting around 750,000 guests annually, is a small gem that packs a rich array of crescent-shaped sand dunes and significant literary sites into just 27 sq km (10 sq miles).

The park's beaches and dunes serve as a crucial nesting area for the endangered piping plover, a small shorebird known for its soft, whistling call. A short walk inland leads to the farm and home that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery's 1908 classic, Anne of Green Gables, making it a must-visit for literary enthusiasts.

8. Gros Morne, Newfoundland

Best park for geological discovery

Geology enthusiasts can deepen their understanding of plate tectonics and continental drift amidst the distinctive landscape of Gros Morne’s barren 'tablelands,' a hauntingly flat-topped massif showcasing rock from deep within the earth's crust.

For those without a scientific background, no expertise is needed to marvel at the park's stunning fjords, rugged headlands, towering cliffs, and magnificent waterfalls. Whales can be spotted in the surrounding waters, and the coastline features shipwrecks and charming beaches.

9. Jasper, Alberta

Best park for spotting wildlife

As a northern extension of Banff, Jasper is another Rocky Mountains park featuring a townsite and ski resort. It's larger, more rugged, and includes shops, restaurants, and a gondola ride to the summit of Whistlers Mountain, along with rejuvenating hot springs. With fewer than half the visitors of Banff each year, Jasper offers a prime opportunity to observe wildlife in their natural environment. Elk can be seen grazing on railway tracks, bears forage for berries in subalpine forests, and in winter, wolves and cougars may roam the park's central valleys.

10. Grasslands, Saskatchewan

Best park for prairie landscapes

Spread across a vast expanse of grass and prairie where treeless hills meet expansive blue skies, Grasslands is one of Saskatchewan's two national parks. Centered around a visitor center in the small town of Val Marie, 350km southwest of Regina, the park's rugged, semi-arid terrain serves as a habitat for two significant species: black-tailed prairie dogs and plains bison, which were successfully reintroduced in 2005.

The best way to experience both species is via the self-guided Grassland Ecotur Scenic Drive, featuring seven points of interest along its 80km (50 mile) route, including historic homesteader cabins, flat-topped buttes, and a few short interpretive trails.

11. Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia

Best park for a road trip

Unlike many Canadian national parks that lack roads, Cape Breton Highlands in the Maritimes is road-trip friendly, thanks to the Cabot Trail Scenic Travelway. This 298km-long (185-mile) 'ring road' encircles the northern part of the island, passing through quaint Acadian fishing villages along the way. About a third of the route hugs the national park’s edge, offering stunning views where land meets ocean, featuring dramatic highlands, steep cliffs, and a vast tundra-like plateau. The highlight hike is the 8.2km (5-mile) round-trip Skyline Trail, which provides breathtaking overlooks of the ocean, headlands, and the winding Cabot Trail below.

12. Forillon, Québec

Best park for coastal hikes

Jutting into the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the eastern tip of Québec’s Gaspé Peninsula, Forillon features dramatic mountains that plunge steeply into the Atlantic, offering rugged cliffs with views of spouting whales. The peninsula’s north coast is marked by windy cliff-top trails, while the south coast provides a more sheltered experience with tranquil beaches and salt marshes where rare ringlet butterflies flourish. While the coast is alive with seabirds and marine mammals, the forested interior is home to porcupines, deer, moose, foxes, and bears.

13. Nahanni, Northwest Territories

Best park for wilderness kayaking

To experience the untouched beauty of Nahanni in the Northwest Territories, you'll need to take a floatplane to this expansive, roadless national park. Known for its wild rivers that wind through the MacKenzie Mountains, the park features deep canyons and a karst landscape filled with interconnecting caves. With no population and limited services, visiting can be expensive, but the rewards are immense. Guided multi-day paddling trips on the South Nahanni River offer breathtaking adventures best organized from Fort Simpson or Whitehorse.

14. Kluane, Yukon

Best wilderness park

Alongside Alaska's Wrangell-St Elias National Park, Kluane in the Yukon forms the largest protected wilderness area on the planet, a true 'empire of mountain and ice' featuring Canada’s tallest peak, Mt Logan (5959m/19,550ft). This wild expanse includes vast icefields, remote unclimbed summits, and grizzly bears that have never encountered humans.

For a taste of Kluane's immense wonders, follow the Alaska and Haines Highways north from the BC-Yukon border, where numerous trailheads provide access to a diverse range of daunting landscapes, from quick one-hour walks to challenging multi-day treks.

15. Gwaii Haanas, BC

Best park for Indigenous culture

This vast national park, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, includes Moresby Island and 137 smaller isles scattered around its southern end. It offers a glimpse into the abandoned villages of the Haida First Nation, alongside natural hot springs, stunning scenery, and some of Canada's finest sea-kayaking opportunities. Over 500 ancient Haida sites, including villages and burial caves, have been uncovered throughout the islands, with SGang Gwaay (Ninstints) on Anthony Island being the most renowned for its weathered totem poles that gaze out to the ocean.

Planning tip: Due to a daily limit on visitor numbers, it’s essential to plan ahead. The most convenient way to access the park is through a guided trip with a licensed operator, as entry is only possible by boat or floatplane.

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