Credit: Google Earth
There is much to discover in Canada’s National Parks and not being able to get to them physically shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the fabulous natural areas our country has to offer.
Traverse the parks online and plan your trip to these wondrous places when free travel is allowed across the country.
Explore Canada’s National Parks on YouTube/Google Earth/or Google Maps
Google Earth provides an incredible opportunity to view the gorgeous surroundings from the comfort of your own home. Throughout our ten provinces and three territories, we have a total of forty-nine national parks and reserves. Beautiful, clear imaging gives armchair travellers a taste of the unique and beautiful scenery that is available in thirty-eight of the parks.
Google Earth Explorer link is given at the end of the article. Click on “Explore” to check out the park in 3D Google Maps (Google Maps loads faster than Google Earth).
For YouTube, use your mouse and scroll for 360 deg views. 360 degrees YouTube videos are not available for all parks.
Aulavik National Park
The 12,000 square kilometers of arctic lowlands on the northern end of Banks Island in the Northwest Territories provides an excellent variety of landscapes to view, from fertile river valleys to polar deserts, buttes and badlands, rolling hills, and bold seacoast. Details
Explore
Auyuittuq National Park
In the territory of Nunavut, you will find the magnificent Auyuittuq National Park, with its diverse Arctic experiences and vistas. Its craggy granite peaks and glittering glaciers overlook the tundra valleys and steep-walled fiords, offering amazing views of this northern area. Details
Banff National Park
Photo Credit: Max Muench
Banff National Park is one of the best-known parks in Canada, as well as being the first in the country – with the highlights being the picture perfect mountain town, the gorgeous peaks, valleys, turquoise glacial lakes such as the famous Lake Louise, rivers, abundant wildlife and scenic drives that abound through the region. Banff is also part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bruce Peninsula National Park
Bruce Peninsula National Park straddles the Niagara Escarpment, which is a huge forested ridge that runs through southern part of Ontario. Dramatic cliffs rise from the turquoise waters of Georgian Bay with ancient cedar trees spiraling away from the cliff-edge, along with rocky areas and diverse wetlands where a multitude of orchids and ferns take root in a mosaic of habitats.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Elk Island National Park
Credit: Parks Canada
This small but notable park in Alberta is unique in several aspects. Home to both woodland and plains buffalo herds, this park stretches through two different areas, one on each side of the highway. Hiking trails abound and there are plenty of chances to see the bison as you walk along.
Fundy National Park
Located on the Bay of Fundy, near the village of Alma, Fundy National Park was established in 1948. This is New Brunswick’s first National Park and the Park protects Acadian Highlands, the site of the world’s highest tides. Walk on the ocean floor, experience high tides, hike along waterfalls, spend the night and join for festivals in the park.
Forillon National Park
One of the many parks located in the province of Quebec, Forillon National Park offers everything from a beautiful pebbled beach to a historic site and from forested walks to cliffside strolls. Details
Georgian Bay Islands National Park
The world’s largest freshwater archipelago is home to a boat-accessed nature preserve situated where the windswept white pines and granite shores of the Canadian Shield turn to dense deciduous woodland. Wooded trails, secluded campsites, waterfront cabins and incredible viewpoints atop the emerald shoreline provide inspiration for artists and outdoor people alike. The landscape of Georgian Bay Islands National Park inspired the Group of Seven. Let it inspire you. Details
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Glacier National Park
One of seven national parks in British Columbia, Glacier National Park offers exceptional alpine scenery and deep valleys filled with ancient forests. Enjoy a gentle path amid moss-draped old-growth cedars or hike through alpine meadows strewn with lichen-covered boulders. Here you can also steep yourself in the history of Rogers Pass, the final link in the railway that brought Canada together as a nation. Details
Grasslands National Park
Photo Credit: Tourism Saskatchewan_Eric Lindberg
In Saskatchewan, you can experience the solitude of the wide-open plain as the prairie wind ripples a sea of grasses beneath the clear blue sky. Travel back in time as you gaze at dinosaur bones, wander past tipi rings and catch a glimpse of a prairie homestead on the distant horizon.
Gros Morne National Park
The wilds of Newfoundland and Labrador are home to Gros Morne National Park. The soaring fjords and moody mountains tower above a diverse panorama of beaches and bogs, forests and barren cliffs. Shaped by colliding continents and grinding glaciers over millennium, Gros Morne’s ancient landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The coastal pathways and the dramatic, sheer-walled gorge of Western Brook Pond provide incredible vistas for everyone to enjoy.
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
British Columbia is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country and this park is no exception. The forested Gulf Islands are laced with trails leading to mountaintop viewpoints, lighthouses, and reminders of First Nations and pioneer pasts. This is a lush paradise with rare eco-systems, extraordinary sea and bird life.
Gwaii Hannas National Park Reserve
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Ivvavik National Park
Ivvavik, meaning ‘a place for giving birth, a nursery’, in Inuvialuktun, the language of the Inuvialuit, is the first national park in Canada to be created as a result of an aboriginal land claim agreement. The park protects a portion of the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd and represents the Northern Yukon and Mackenzie Delta natural regions.
Jasper National Park
Credit: Parks Canada
Jasper is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and part of UNESCO’s Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, covering 11,000 square kilometers. Discover the five spectacular regions, explore the extensive trail network, visit the famous red chair locations or head to the top of the Jasper Gondola.
Explore
Kluane
Kluane – high in the mountains of southwest Yukon – is a land of extremes. The park is home to 17 of 20 of Canada’s highest peaks, along with its largest ice field and North America’s most genetically diverse grizzly population. With glacier fed rivers, beautiful lakes and plenty of hiking trails, Kluane awes from every angle.
Explore
Kootenay National Park
Established in 1920 as part of an agreement to build a new road across the Rockies, Kootenay National Park is a place of unique contrasts, from icy mountain rivers to steamy hot springs. Smaller in size, this park still offers plenty to explore, such as deep canyons and tumbling waterfalls which are just a short stroll from the road.
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Kouchibouguac National Park
It’s time to discover the gorgeous Kouchibouguac National Park, located on New Brunswick’s Acadian Coast, where lush mixed-wood forests lead to colorful salt marshes and warm ocean beaches. Offshore, golden sand dunes foster calm seas. The natural wonders intertwine with fascinating Mi’gmaq and Acadian cultures and leave you wanting more.
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La Mauricie National Park
With more than 150 lakes of varied sizes, this park will treat you to forests of conifers and hardwoods, along with touches of azure. The waterfall pools will seem so inviting that you will be inclined to put this park on your must visit list.
Explore
Mingan Archipelago National Park
Located in the eastern area of Quebec, on the north shore of Gulf of St. Lawrence, this area is instantly captivating. The Mingan Archipelago features colossal limestone outcroppings that evoke landscapes from primeval times. Over 1,000 islands and islets will enchant you with their unique flora and seabird colonies.
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Mt. Revelstoke National Park
Take a cool stroll through a lush rainforest on a hot summer day. Stand at the point of no return, where champions once launched themselves down a world-famous ski jump, and imagine the thrill of flight. Climb the only mountain in the national park system that you can summit just a short walk from your car – all at Mount Revelstoke National Park.
Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve
Parks Canada
Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve is named after Nááts’įhch’oh mountain – a powerful place for the native people of the Sahtu. Located near the Yukon and Northwest Territories border, the park is in the traditional lands of the Shúhtaot’ine (Mountain Dene), and home to grizzly bear, Dall’s sheep, mountain goats, and woodland caribou.
Nahanni National Park
Credit: Parks Canada NWT
The Cirque of the Unclimbables’ granite spires rise out of the lush alpine meadow and at Virginia Falls the South Nahanni River surges over a drop twice the height of Niagara Falls. These 30,000 square kilometers is a designated UNESCO world heritage site. The Dehcho First Nations welcome adventurers to Nahą Dehé, land of peaks, plateaus and wild rivers.
Pacific Rim National Park
Credit: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve/Parks Canada
Comprised of three different regions – Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail -the Pacific Rim area is characterized by rugged coasts and temperate rainforests. It is easy to spend time exploring here as you discover the beauty of the British Columbia coastline and its unique ecology.
Point Pelee National Park
In Ontario, on the shores of Lake Eerie and at the southernmost point of the Canadian mainland you will find Point Pelee National Park, where you can experience nature like never before. Canada’s second smallest and most ecologically diverse national park will immerse you in an unforgettable eco-adventure.
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Prince Albert National Park
Saskatchewan is home to an amazing number of lakes and rivers, along with incredible forested areas that surprise those who think of it as only a prairie province. Prince Albert National Park, found in the northern part of the province, offers a beautiful beach accessed from the town of Waskesiu, as well as plenty of hiking opportunities, canoeing and water sports.
Prince Edward Island National Park
Parks Canada – Prince Edward Island National Park
The name alone conjures images of windswept dunes, beautiful sandy beaches and the amazing red cliffs. Discover the seaside paths to solitary lighthouses and gorgeous bays, or take a wander through the woodlands to experience the wilds of the area.
Pukaskwa National Park
Waves roll across immense Lake Superior and crash against a remote granite shore. Tracts of windswept spruce and pine reach beyond the horizon from towering cliffs and along secluded sandy beaches. This is Pukaskwa National Park, where you can find the White River Suspension Bridge over Chigamiwinigum Falls, along with the Bimose Kinoomagewnan Trail and the Anishinaabe Camp, which showcases the culture and heritage of the Anishinaabe First Nation.
Quttinirpaaq National Park
Located on the northeastern corner of Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, the most northerly extent of Canada, this is the second most northerly park on Earth. This is where you will find shimmering ice caps punctured by jagged black peaks, massive glaciers and wild rivers. The top of the world is an extreme and exhilarating experience for those who adventure there.
Riding Mountain National Park
Riding Mountain is a sharp contrast to the rest of the prairie land of Manitoba. The windswept grasslands and deep, silent forests, orchids and lilies, lakes and wetlands sing with a wide variety of life. Known for its stunning lakes and gorgeous hikes, this is a fantastic place to explore.
Sable Island National Park Reserve
A wild and windswept island of sand sits far out in the North Atlantic, its iconic crescent shape emerging from the expanse of the sea. Sable Island is one of Canada’s furthest offshore islands and its shifting sand dunes, among Eastern Canada’s largest, dominate the landscape. The famous Sable Island wild horses roam freely, and the world’s biggest breeding colony of grey seals lives on its extensive beaches. Plants, birds, and insects have adapted to life on Sable, some of which are found nowhere else on earth.
Terra Nova National Park
Using the original Portuguese name for the area, this park is a magical place where the land and sea compete for your attention, where the island boreal forest reveals its natural and cultural secrets. This is Canada’s most Easterly National Park and just waiting to be explored.
Thousand Islands National Park
Formerly known as the St. Lawrence Islands National Park, this park is located on the Saint Lawrence River. Journey to the picturesque granite islands and windswept pine trees of the area. Explore secluded bays. Discover undulating hiking trails. Experience the magic of this captivating and historic wilderness.
Torngat Mountains National Park
Canadian Tourism Commission
On the Labrador Peninsula, you will discover the incredible wilderness of the Torngat Mountains. The park encompasses 9,700 km² of mountainous terrain between Northern Quebec and the Labrador Sea. This is an Inuit run wilderness reserve that is an epic destination that deserves to be on your must-see list.
Tuktut Nogait National Park
The Northwest Territories is home to stunning scenery and wilderness, and this park, located 170 kilometers north of the Arctic circle is no exception. The landscape features rolling hills, three major rivers, steep canyons, waterfalls, rare Bluenose west caribou and the continent’s fiercest predators.
Wapusk National Park
Let this expansive wilderness fill you with awe as you visit the remote subarctic that is this 11,475 square kilometre park, at the transition between boreal forest and arctic tundra. This protected area has limited access and is home to a large number of polar bears.
Waterton Lakes National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park
Credit: Parks Canada
Wood Buffalo National Park is the country’s largest national park and one of the largest in the world. It was established in 1922 to protect the last remaining herds of bison in northern Canada. It protects an outstanding and representative example of Canada’s Northern Boreal Plains and is an outstanding example of ongoing ecological processes encompassing some of the largest undisturbed grass and sedge meadows left in North America.
Yoho National Park
Aptly named for a Cree expression of awe and wonder, Yoho lies on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Vertical rock walls, waterfalls and dizzying peaks are the draw here. With exceptional trails and vistas, the park offers a unique glimpse of Canada’s natural wonders, from the secrets of ancient ocean life to the power of ice and water.