Experience Banff & the Canadian Rockies

Comparing mountains is a subjective and imprecise business. Yet few would deny that the 640-km (397-mi) stretch of the Canadian Rockies that runs along the Alberta-British Columbia border easily ranks as one of the most extravagantly beautiful ranges on earth. Approaching the mountains from the east, you are struck by the wall of rock on the western horizon, made more dramatic by the bright snow that clings to the upper slopes well into summer. Near the south end of the range, in Waterton Lakes National Park, the view is particularly striking as the gently rolling prairies abruptly butt up against the rugged mountains. Farther north, in Banff and Jasper national parks, tree-covered foothills roll out of the mountains.

It's obvious how the Rockies got their name. Awesome forces of nature combined to thrust wildly folded sedimentary and metamorphic rock up into ragged peaks and high cliffs. Add glaciers and snowfields to the lofty peaks, carpet the valleys with forests, mix in a generous helping of small and large mammals, wildflowers, rivers, and crystal-clear lakes, and you've got the recipe for the Canadian Rockies.

There are vast stretches of wilderness that are virtually untouched by man in this part of Canada, the birthplace of Canada's national park system. About 25,000 square km (roughly 10,000 square mi) -- an area larger than the state of New Hampshire -- are protected in seven national parks in the Rockies and the Columbias. The only significant clusters of human settlement are in the town centers of Banff and Jasper, Waterton Park, and the area around Lake Louise.

Wildlife is abundant, and from the highway you can see glaciers, lakes, valleys, and snow-capped mountain peaks. Although all roads in the Rockies offer stunning scenery, the Icefields Parkway, with more than 100 glaciers along the way, is without doubt the most impressive. Even if you're on a tight schedule, make a point of driving at least part of it.