National parks in Alberta
Alberta has 5 national parks: Banff National Park, Elk Island National Park, Jasper National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Wood Buffalo National Park.
Banff National Park
Elk Island National Park
Jasper National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park
Best time to visit Elk Island National Park. Getting to Elk Island National Park.
National parks in Alberta
- Banff National Park
Canada’s first national park in the Rockies — Lake Louise, Banff townsite, icefields, and busy alpine valleys.
- Elk Island National Park
A fenced plains park near Edmonton focused on elk and bison conservation, with lakes and aspen parkland.
- Jasper National Park
Large Rockies park with icefields, lakes, and the town of Jasper. Quieter than Banff but still a major mountain hub.
- Waterton Lakes National Park
Where Rockies meet prairie on the Alberta–Montana border. Twin of Glacier (US) in the peace park.
- Wood Buffalo National Park
Canada’s largest park — wood bison, whooping crane nesting, and the Peace–Athabasca Delta.
Other parks within reach of Alberta
| Park | Straight-line distance | Estimated drive | Realistic trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Island National Park | 160 km (99.6 mi) | 2 hr 48 min | Doable as a day trip |
| Banff National Park | 177 km (110 mi) | 3 hr 3 min | Best as a weekend |
| Yoho National Park | 211 km (131 mi) | 3 hr 33 min | Best as a weekend |
| Kootenay National Park | 222 km (138 mi) | 3 hr 43 min | Best as a weekend |
| Glacier National Park | 281 km (174 mi) | 4 hr 35 min | Best as a weekend |
| Jasper National Park | 286 km (178 mi) | 4 hr 39 min | Best as a weekend |
| Mount Revelstoke National Park | 326 km (202 mi) | 5 hr 14 min | Best as a weekend |
| Waterton Lakes National Park | 360 km (223 mi) | 5 hr 44 min | Best as a weekend |
| Glacier National Park | 392 km (243 mi) | 6 hr 13 min | Worth a longer road trip |
| Prince Albert National Park | 527 km (328 mi) | 8 hr 12 min | Worth a longer road trip |
Biggest towns and cities in Alberta
- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Lethbridge
- Red Deer
- Airdrie
- Grande Prairie
- Fort McMurray
- Medicine Hat
- Spruce Grove
- Cochrane
- Lloydminster
- Okotoks
- Camrose
- Stony Plain
- Leduc
- Brooks
- High River
- Canmore
- Strathmore
- Wetaskiwin
- Cold Lake
- Hinton
- Olds
- Whitecourt
- Drumheller
- Banff
- Taber
- Edson
- Innisfail
- Grand Centre
- Peace River
- Slave Lake
- Ponoka
- Rocky Mountain House
- Wainwright
- Drayton Valley
- Bonnyville
- St. Paul
- Vegreville
- Stettler
- Westlock
- Barrhead
- Didsbury
- Vermilion
- Carstairs
- Jasper
- Jasper Park Lodge
- Pincher Creek
- Claresholm
- Raymond
- Cardston
- Grande Cache
- High Level
- Hanna
- Fort Macleod
- Three Hills
- Fairview
- Athabasca
- La Crête
- High Prairie
- Sundre
- Rimbey
- Grimshaw
- Fox Creek
- Lac La Biche
- Beaverlodge
- Nanton
- Magrath
- Provost
- Bow Island
- Vulcan
- Tofield
- Swan Hills
- Valleyview
- Lamont
- Wabasca-Desmarais
- Blairmore
- Coleman
- Elk Point
- Manning
- Two Hills
- Mayerthorpe
- Vauxhall
- Irricana
- Bassano
- Spirit River
- Viking
- Smoky Lake
- Killam
- Falher
All census divisions in Alberta
Common questions
How many national parks are in Alberta?
5: Banff National Park, Elk Island National Park, Jasper National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Wood Buffalo National Park.
What is the closest national park to Alberta?
Elk Island National Park, roughly 160 km (99.6 mi) out and about 2 hr 48 min of driving from the centre of Alberta.