The Most Beautiful National Parks in Canada, From the Tourist Favorites to the Hidden Gems

Skip to main contentWhether you want to paddle across a glacier lake, hike a mountain trail, or spot moose and bison, Canada’s national parks offer stunning settings for numerous outdoor experiences.GettyFrom the peaks of the Canadian Rockies to the deep woods of northern Ontario to the prairies where bison still roam, Canada’s national parks span some seriously beautiful and ecologically important terrain. Since I moved to the Great White North more than 20 years ago, I’ve wanted to visit all of the country’s protected areas—and I’m now about halfway through the country's 37 national parks and 11 national park reserves.Some of Canada's most stunning parks are well-known, like Banff National Park, where turquoise lakes, natural hot springs, and miles of mountain hiking trails draw more than four million visitors each year. Others, like Auyuittuq National Park in Nunavut’s Arctic wilderness, or Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve in northeastern Quebec, are harder to reach and less trodden—but just as gobsmacking. Below, I’ve spotlighted 11 of the most beautiful national parks in Canada, from coast to coast, to inspire your own travel wish list. See what speaks to you, and I'll see you on the trails!GettyPacific Rim National Park Reserve, British ColumbiaDense temperate rainforest backs the wide sandy beaches of this west coast park that hugs the Pacific Ocean between the surfer-friendly town of Tofino and quieter Ucluelet. Ride the waves just offshore or wander along the nine-mile sand dune that’s the longest on Vancouver Island. A paved cycling path meanders in and out of the forest, and in the park’s Kwisitis Visitor Centre, you can learn more about the nine First Nations communities who have lived in this region for generations. Also in the park are the Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound, best explored by kayak, and the challenging West Coast Trail, where backpackers navigate more than 100 ladders and cross multiple rivers on an ambitious rainforest adventure.Where to stay near Pacific Rim National Park Reserve:Best for oceanfront luxury: The Wickaninnish InnBest for stylish beach lodgings: Long Beach Lodge ResortBest for contemporary suites in the rainforest: Black Rock Oceanfront ResortGettyThe Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, QuebecThe largest collection of stone monoliths in Canada gives this island park in the Gulf of St. Lawrence an almost prehistoric feel. Cruise beneath the limestone cliffs and curiously shaped rock formations, or hike through the boreal forest among the Arctic plants. Gray seals, harbor porpoises, and even minke whales feed in the surrounding waters, and you might spot eagles, osprey, or seabirds like Atlantic puffins and black guillemots. Most excursions to the archipelago depart from Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan or Havre-Saint-Pierre on Quebec’s Côte-Nord, northeast of Quebec City.Where to stay near Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve:Best for living like a lighthouse keeper: Auberge de l'Île aux PerroquetsBest for overnighting in a teardrop-shaped glamping pod: Mingan Archipeligo ÔasisBest for tiny homes: Chalets DidocheGettyBanff National Park, AlbertaEstablished in 1885, Canada’s first national park—now the country’s most visited—wows travelers with its aquamarine glacier lakes, rocky canyons, and craggy mountains. At brilliantly blue Lake Louise, hike above the shoreline to leave the selfie-taking tourists behind, or canoe the peaceful waters beneath ice-topped Mount Victoria. Come in the fall when the larch trees shimmer gold and the peaks are dusted with early-season snow, or enjoy the quieter winter months, when you can tackle the mountain trails on a fat-tire bike, ice-climb the frozen cliffs, or snowshoe through evergreen forests. Follow the Icefields Parkway north between mountains, cascading waterfalls, and ever-present glaciers toward Jasper National Park, another marquee Canadian Rockies destination, for one of Canada’s most stunning road trips.Where to stay near Banff National Park:Best for classic opulence: Fairmont Banff SpringsBest for a wellness getaway: Rimrock Banff, Emblems CollectionBest for exceptional views of the park’s famous lake: Fairmont Chateau Lake LouiseGettyYoho National Park, British ColumbiaOn the western slopes of the Canadian Rockies, with more than 30 peaks that rise to nearly 10,000 feet, this mountain park lures nature lovers to its waterfalls, unusual hoodoo formations, and emerald lakes. A moderate hike takes you to Wapta Falls, the largest cascade on the Kicking Horse River, while Takakkaw Falls (accessible only during the warmer months) is one of Canada’s highest waterfalls. Be sure to book a guided hike to the Burgess Shale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that contains some of the world’s oldest fossils, dating back more than 500 million years.Where to stay near Yoho National Park:Best for lakeside ambiance: Emerald Lake LodgeBest for a log cabin stay: Cathedral Mountain LodgeBest for historic Swiss chalets in nearby Golden: Edelweiss VillageGettyGros Morne National Park, NewfoundlandCliffs that drop down to glacier-carved fjords, the eerie red rocks of the Tablelands, and a diverse environment of boreal forest, wetlands, and freshwater lakes stretch across western Newfoundland, protected in this sprawling national park. Roughly 2,000 moose call it home, and it’s a place of stories, too. The Seven Corners project, held in seven different locations, highlights life in the communities surrounding the park, with exhibits and tales told by locals that illuminate the region’s cultural landscape.Where to stay near Gros Morne National Park:Best for an eco-friendly boutique: Gros Morne InnBest for a farm stay: Upper Humber SettlementBest for panoramic views: Modern saltboxBest for whale sightings: Two-bedroom by the waterGettyGrasslands National Park, SaskatchewanAmong the world’s largest Dark Sky Reserves, this 350-square-mile parkland encompasses badlands filled with dinosaur fossils and vast prairies where a herd of nearly 400 plains bison now roams. Prairie rattlesnakes and other reptiles reside here, as do burrowing owls, and numerous migrating birds pass through its wide-open skies. Another reason to visit this exceptionally beautiful spot, particularly amid the clamor of today’s world? Grasslands has been designated one of the quietest places on the planet.Where to stay near Grasslands National Park:Best for self-contained vacation suites: The Crossing at GrasslandsBest for homey rooms in a 1939 former school: The Convent Country InnBest for cozy lodgings, morning meals, and artist retreats: Sky Story Bed & BreakfastGettyNahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest TerritoriesNo roads cross these seven million acres of Arctic wilderness, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site with waterfalls twice the height of Niagara’s, plus spiky granite spires and elaborate limestone caves. The park’s main attraction is Nahʔą Dehé, the South Nahanni River, where rushing whitewater slices through deep canyons, offering matchless canoe adventures for experienced paddlers. Those who prefer a bird's-eye view can go flightseeing over the crests of the Ragged Range and observe the turquoise waters of Glacier Lake from above. Keep in mind, since most people visit this park on an organized trip (typically the canoe adventures or flightseeing tours mentioned above), there are limited accommodations in the area.Where to stay near Nahanni National Park:Best for fly-in cabins on Little Doctor Lake: Nahanni Mountain LodgeGettyCape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova ScotiaThis east coast park sits on a forested plateau above the Atlantic Ocean, with steep cliffs and deep river canyons enhancing its maritime scenery. You can often spy pilot, minke, and humpback whales offshore, particularly from the lookout at Mount Mackenzie, while snowshoe hare, black bear, and moose make their homes on land. About a third of the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton’s iconic 185-mile roadway, runs through the park, with numerous stops for hiking or for taking in the views over the Gulf of St. Lawrence.Where to stay near Cape Breton Highlands National Park:Best for oceanview suites and golf: The Keltic ResortBest for a stay at North America’s first single-malt distillery: Glenora Inn & Glen Breton DistilleryBest for solitude: Cottage with a viewBest for groups: Three-bedroom by the oceanGettyAuyuittuq National Park, NunavutIt takes planning to reach this remote parkland on Baffin Island, accessible only by air from Iqaluit, Nunavut’s capital. The park’s name is Inuktitut for “the land that never melts,” and its rugged terrain embodies that moniker, with nearly vertical ice-covered slopes rising above the fjords and glacial valleys. For a sampling of the park in a single day, join a guided summer hike across the tundra to Ulu Peak, or come in April for a snowmobile tour that crosses the ice on Pangnirtung Fiord and continues to the Arctic Circle. If you’re looking for a truly epic adventure, hike or cross-country ski the 60-mile Akshayuk Pass beneath the towering ice-topped peaks. The town of Pangnirtung (aka “Pang”) is at the park’s southern gateway, with a couple of simple lodgings and services for visitors, including an interesting community museum in the Angmarlik Visitor Centre. There are also local outfitters that organize Auyuittuq day and multi-day trips.Where to stay near Auyuittuq National Park:For simple rooms in community-owned lodging: Auyuittuq LodgeFor a B&B operated by a local: Pangnirtung Fjordview Bed & BreakfastGettyKluane National Park and Reserve, YukonSet in the St. Elias Mountains west of Yukon’s capital city of Whitehorse, Kluane encompasses 17 of Canada’s 20 tallest peaks, including Mount Logan, which, at 19,551 feet, is the country’s highest—second in North America to Denali. Grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and mountain goats roam its slopes, while peregrine falcons and golden eagles soar above. Cooperatively managed by Parks Canada, the Kluane First Nation, and the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the park draws day hikers to the trails through spruce and aspen forests or along azure Kathleen Lake, as well as multi-day backpackers who traverse its mountains. The surging whitewater of the 175-mile Alsek River also makes Kluane a bucket-list destination for rafters. The best way to see this northern region? Take a helicopter or prop plane tour for wide-open vistas across the majestic glacial landscape.Where to stay near Kluane National Park and Reserve:Best for a rustic mountain escape: Mount Logan EcolodgeBest for off-the-grid Indigenous-owned cabins: Kluane Outdoor InspirationsBest for a private home: Three-bedroom AirbnbGettyFathom Five National Marine Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park, OntarioThis two-park combo on Ontario’s Georgian Bay pairs Canada’s first underwater national park with the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, boasting woodland hiking trails and scenic rocky lakeshores. Lines from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, “Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made,” inspired the name of the offshore marine park, where 24 shipwrecks lie beneath the bay’s surface, making this region a world-class destination for scuba divers. Even snorkelers, clad in thick wetsuits against the chilly waters, can see several of the ships. Boat tours to Flowerpot Island let you view unusual flowerpot-shaped rock pillars, while back on the mainland, you can hike to the caves of the Grotto, walk the Singing Sands, or trek sections of the 550-mile Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest marked footpath, that extends from Georgian Bay south to the Niagara Peninsula.Where to stay near Fathom Five National Marine Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park:Best for golfers: The Inn at Cobble BeachBest for a hip hangout: The June Motel, Sauble BeachBest for a waterfront cottage: Four-bedroom with a viewMore hotels nearby$$ | Canada, Lake Louise, 200 Pipestone Rd.Rocky Mountain luxury meets understated Swiss elegance at this storied retreat in Banff National Park.$$$ | Canada, Elora, 43 Mill St WA historic jewel-box hotel just outside of Toronto where luxury is the name of the game.Powered By: Kat Florence Hotels$$ | Canada, Edmonton, 10065 100 St NWEdmonton's original grand hotel, a 1915 river-bluff château that still anchors the city.$ | Canada , Montreal, 55 Rue Saint-JacquesA reliable heritage property befitting those looking to get out and explore Montreal's beautiful Old Port.