Banff National Park

From Freepedia

Banff National Park
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Designation	National Park
Location	Alberta
Nearest city	Banff, Alberta
Coordinates	51°10′ N 115°33′ W
Area	6641 km²
Date of establishment	1887
UNESCO World Heritage Site	1984
Governing body	Parks Canada
IUCN category	?

Banff National Park is located in the Canadian Rockies west of the City of Calgary, and includes the town of Banff, Alberta. Banff was Canada's first national park. Attractions include mineral hot springs, mountain scenery, camping, climbing, hiking, golfing, horse-back riding, alpine and nordic skiing, the Banff Springs Hotel, and Lake Louise. The park was created when the Rocky Mountains Park Act became law in Canada on 23 June 1887. Banff National Park covers 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) and contains over 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) of trails.

Banff took its name from the Canadian Pacific Railway station, which is believed to be named after the town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Prior to local government reorganisation, the Scottish Banff was in the former county of Banffshire.

A park pass is required for stopping in the park and permit checks are common during the summer months, especially at Lake Louise and the start of the Icefields Parkway. A permit is not required if travelling straight through the park without stopping. The Trans-Canada Highway goes through the park. The death of wildlife on the highway from vehicles is a problem, which has resulted in the highway being fenced off and the construction of wildlife under- and over-passes.

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Some of the park's many photogenic vistas are Lake Minnewanka, Mount Rundle, the Vermilion Lakes, Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks (renowned for its turquoise blue waters), Bow Lake, and Peyto Lake.

Banff, along with Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, launched a bid to host the 1972 Olympic Winter Games, ultimately losing that bid to Sapporo, Japan.