Town of Banff

Wildlife and Nature

Elk are a common site around Banff townsite as well as throughout Banff National Park

Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing is one of the most popular activities for visitors to Banff National Park.

Animals are abundant: elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bears, coyotes, wolves, marmots, ground squirrels, ravens, owls and so many more species. And they are surprisingly accessible, both within the townsite of Banff, and throughout the surrounding park.

Balancing wildlife conservation and the protection of habitat against the natural curiosity of visitors who want to get close to the wildlife is a real challenge. Some of the best places to observe wildlife and birds within their native habitat, safely and unobtrusively, include:

• Vermilion Lakes Drive
• Minnewanka Loop
• Norquay Road
• Marsh Boardwalk Trail at the Cave and Basin Historic Site
• Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A)
• Icefields Parkway
• Hiking anywhere in Banff National Park
  

Important tips for wildlife viewing can be found at the Parks Canada Website.

Other Natural Features

Exquisite natural phenomena unique to this area can be enjoyed year-round:

• Glaciers: Ancient fields of sub-polar ice, glaciers remain landmarks of the Canadian Rockies. Local glaciers include:
• The Victoria Glacier, a hanging glacier at the back of Lake Louise
• Crowfoot and Bow Glaciers, both visible from the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North)
• Columbia Icefield, accessible from the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) via Ice Explorer tours
• Lakes:
• Lake Minnewanka
• Johnson Lake
• Two Jack Lake
• Lake Louise
• Moraine Lake
• Peyto Lake
• Bow Lake
  
  
• Hoodoos: Hoodoos are unearthly sandstone spires created over thousands of years by erosion and believed to be spiritually significant among First Nations forefathers. Local Hoodoos can be seen from the Hoodoos Viewpoint, along Tunnel Mountain Road.
  
  
• Natural Hot springs: While the best known hot springs are the Banff Upper Hot Springs, there are some local natural hot springs of note. A small natural hot spring keeps ice off the third Vermilion Lake year-round.
  
  At the Cave and Basin Historic Site one can visit the Cave, with its interior pool and vent hole; the Basin, home to the unique Banff Springs snail; and along the Marsh Loop Boardwalk, two smaller springs bubbling from the mountainside and the pools filled with pink bacteria, white and green algae, small fish, and insects.
  
  
• Waterfalls: Bow Falls in Banff and Johnston Canyon along the Bow Valley Parkway are among the most spectacular falls in the area. Even in the winter months, the ice formations are spectacular to view.