Best national parks for camping in Canada ranked

Canadians are flocking to campgrounds as summer sets in, and we’ve got the top 10 best national parks in the country to camp in.

The ranking was compiled by Must Do Canada, using a Canada National Parks Camping Index.

The 10 best national park camping spots in Canada are:

1. Jasper National Park

 

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Jasper National Park in Alberta snagged the top spot nationally thanks to its 11 designated campgrounds, 39 designated hiking trails and a vast area extending over 11,000 square kilometres, making it the largest national park within Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.

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2. Banff National Park

 

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Banff National Park in Alberta follows suit, boasting 12 designated campgrounds, with 94 designated hiking trails and a park size of more than 6,600 square kilometres. It’s Canada’s oldest national park, established in 1885.

3. Waterton Lakes National Park

 

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Next up is Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, holding 12 designated campgrounds, 29 designated hiking trails and a modest park size of just over 500 square kilometres.

4. Prince Albert National Park

Prince Albert National Park (Joel Sparks/Shutterstock)

Prince Albert National Park breaks into the Alberta-dominated higher rankings at number four. Its landscape is filled with sweeping boreal plains and a hefty 20 designated campgrounds to choose from. With 25 designated hiking trails and a park size clocking in at nearly 3,900 square kilometres, it’s a must-see in Saskatchewan.

5. Yoho National Park

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Yoho National Park in British Columbia has nine designated campgrounds to choose from, 22 designated hiking trails and a park size of 1,300 square kilometres.

6. Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba stands out from its surroundings of prairie farmland, rising above the region. With six designated campgrounds and a hefty 56 designated hiking trails across nearly 3,000 square kilometres. It’s a national park you have to camp in at least once.

7. Kootenay National Park

Filled with breathtaking mountainous views, Kootenay National Park in British Columbia has just three designated campgrounds but plenty of designated hiking trails, 30 to be exact. The park itself is spread out across a little more than 1,400 square kilometres.

8. Glacier National Park

Calling British Columbia home, Glacier National Park provides a beautiful escape to the mountains, with high peaks and active glaciers. There are five designated campgrounds and 19 designated hiking trails to be explored. It is more than 1,300 square kilometres in size.

9. Bruce Peninsula National Park

The smallest park to make the top 10, Bruce Peninsula National Park in Ontario, is just 125 square kilometres. However, it makes up for its size with a wealth of beauty, with plenty of vistas to watch the sunrise or sunset. The park has three designated campgrounds and 28 designated hiking trails.

10. Wood Buffalo National Park

 

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Wood Buffalo National Park rounded out the list thanks to its one campgrounds, nine designated hiking trails and a massive park size of nearly 45 thousand square kilometres, making it the largest national park in Canada.