Canadian Rockies Tours & Adventures: Hiking, Train tours

Each season is quite spectacular in the Canadian Rockies however, summer is the most popular time to visit. If you enjoy fresh mountain air, numerous activities and daylight until late in the evening, then you must visit the Canadian Rockies!

	Airplane Tours Get a whole new perspective of the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains. You will have the opportunity to see the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson, and to view the Columbia Icefields in a way few others have.

	Athabasca Glacier Icewalks Discover the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield on interpretive walks led by experienced guides. You'll peer into millwells and crevasses, gaze at seracs and stunning alpine vistas. The Athabasca Glacier is a gentle, 6 km tongue of ice flowing from the Columbia Icefield itself. Anyone from 7 to 70 who's curious and willing to walk at a leisurely pace for a few hours will find these trips enjoyable.

	Back Country Wilderness Adventures Explore more remote areas of the Canadian Rockies on a guided trip in to the backcountry either on foot or by horseback.

	Boat Tours Lake Minnewanka in Banff invites you to board a glass-enclosed boat for narrated tour while you travel through the Minnewanka Valley to Devil's Gap. Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park offers scenic cruises to Spirit Island (one of the most photographed islands in the world). The crew provides the geology, history and wildlife of the largest glacier formed and fed lake in the Rockies.

	Boat Rentals Canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and rowboats are available for rent throughout Banff and Jasper National Parks.

	Bowling Looking for a fun activity that everyone will enjoy? The Banff Springs Hotel has four five-pin bowling lanes waiting for you.

	Fishing There are several stores in the Rockies that can outfit you with the necessary equipment and licenses for you to fish at your leisure. If you would like to learn the locals' secrets, join a guide and they will provide you with transportation, equipment, licenses and refreshments.

	Golfing Surrounded by majestic peaks and the local wildlife as your gallery, teeing off in the mountains will be one of your most memorable experiences of your vacation to the Canadian Rockies. Whether you just want to play a quick 9-holes or spend the day and enjoy 18-holes, you have your choice of a number of courses in Kananaskis, Canmore, Banff and Jasper.

	Gondolas Take a sightseeing gondola to the top of a mountain and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Banff is open year round with Lake Louise and Jasper operating during the summer months.

	Helicopter Sightseeing Fly over beautiful mountain landscapes and valleys on a helicopter tour. View the snow-capped peaks of Mount Rundle, Mount Assiniboine, Mount Robson and the Columbia Icefields.

	Heli-Hiking Want to hike the mountains and take a helicopter ride as well? Then heli-hiking is definitely the activity for you. The helicopter will take you to a remote location for a ½ day hike or for the more adventurous, enjoy a week long trip complete with back country lodging (luxurious) and fabulous food!

	Hiking Explore the mountains on foot by hiking the many trails in the parks. The Parks Information Centres in Banff and Jasper will provide you with a map outlining all the hiking trails in Banff and Jasper National Parks.

	Horseback Riding Let your horse be your guide from one-hour tours to full day excursions or venture into the backcountry on a weeklong pack trip. Relax and enjoy the views of rivers, mountains, canyons and meadows.

	Hot Springs Hot springs were once considered therapeutic, the waters are now appreciated for their relaxing effect; the temperature is about 104 degrees (40 degrees Celsius). The hottest springs in the Canadian Rockies are located at Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park.

	Mountain Biking Mountain bikes can be rented throughout Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper. Don't forget to pick up a mountain biking trail map from one of the rental shops or just ask one of the locals what their favourite trail is. Remember, no biking on sidewalks!

	Mountain Climbing The Canadian Rockies offers some of the best mountain climbing in North America. There are training programs available for beginners, intermediates and even experts.

	Movie Theatres The Lux Cinema in Banff and the Chaba Theatre in Jasper show the latest first-run features for your entertainment.

	Museums & Art Galleries Banff Park Museum This museum houses a taxidermy collection of animals indigenous to Banff National Park, from birds to grizzly bears. Built in 1903, this is the oldest natural history museum in Canada, and the building, an unusual type of architecture known as "railroad pagoda", is a National Historic Site.

	Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum All visitors enjoy the exhibits honouring the heritage of the natives of the Northern Plains and Canadian Rockies. Displays include costumes, hunting equipment, and dioramas of native and pioneer life. The building that houses the museum is an old fort-like structure overlooking the Bow River. The museum is operated by the Buffalo Nations Cultural Society representing Stoney, Blackfoot, Blood, Sarcee, and Peigan tribes.

	Canada Place Canada Place is a centre where visitors of all ages can discover interactive displays, which explore Canada's natural and built historical heritage, as well as the events and people who shaped them. Admission to the Canada Place exhibit is free.

	Cave & Basin National Historic Site The discovery of natural hot springs here in 1883 led to the creation of Canada's first National Park in 1885, created to preserve the hot springs and to encourage visitors to come to the area. You will pass through a tunnel to discover the cave where the hot springs were discovered.

	Jasper Yellowhead Museum & Archives Take a trip into Jasper's past with a visit to the museum. Two galleries display the human and natural history. Learn about the human history of the Jasper area from the Native Peoples, Fur Traders, Explorers, Guides and Outfitters of the Railway to modern day Jasper. The art exhibits include many local talents and showcase the Rocky Mountains.

	Natural History Museum If you are interested in the geological history of Banff, the Natural History Museum is for you. Featuring a rare collection of fossils, rocks and gemstones this museum is sure to delight young and old. For a real treat they also have a life-size model of the legendary "bigfoot".

	Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies The museum is home to three art galleries, a cultural history collection, and a renowned research archives. Contemporary and historic art exhibitions change monthly with works by local, regional and national artists. Also located on the pleasant wooded museum grounds are several historic homes and cabins, authentically furnished as fascinating examples of pioneer life in the mountains.

	Art Galleries Art Galleries offer art and handcrafts, from landscape paintings by local artists, to sculptures and beadwork by Canada's Native people.

	Off Road Touring Guided tours available with an ATV (all terrain vehicle) or a Hummer that take you off the main roads and let you discover the wilderness of the Canadian Rockies while enjoying the spectacular scenery.

	Performing Arts The Banff Centre for the Performing Arts is the cultural heart of Banff and the Canadian Rockies. Open year round the Banff Centre presents performances and exhibitions, concerts, and events in the visual and performing arts.

	Rail Tours Join a historical railroad tour from Jasper to Dunster, BC. Ride the rails over the Yellowhead Pass, the border between Alberta and British Columbia. Then follow the Fraser River past the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson, and continue to the quaint village of Dunster. An incredible ½ day journey!

	Rafting From ages 2 to 80, everyone can enjoy a rafting trip in the Canadian Rockies. From gentle Class II float trips to Class IV+ wild rapids, we have it all. Float trips are available in a large raft or a voyageur canoe (just like the fur traders!) and white water rafting trips are done in 8-passenger rafts.

	Watchable Wildlife Tours Numerous points of interest and possible wildlife - including bear, bull elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, coyotes, beaver, moose and birds - await you on guided van tours available in Banff and Jasper.