Canadian Rockies Books

Much has been written about the Canadian Rockies, so to help make your book-buying decisions easier, here are our favourite Canadian Rockies books in a wide variety of genres.

Best Canadian Rockies Guidebook

For the best Canadian Rockies guidebook:
MOON CANADIAN ROCKIES
Author: Andrew Hempstead
ISBN: 978-1640496729
Publisher: Avalon Travel
Available: through online retailers worldwide, including Amazon.com

Travel content used on this website was written by the author of this book, Andrew Hempstead, who is a Banff resident and travel writer who has authored and updated over 100 guidebooks. Like this website, this guidebook, which is updated regularly, offers firsthand advice on experiencing the Canadian Rockies—from rafting on the Bow River and hiking Lake O’Hara to staying in a remote log cabin. Hempstead includes unique trip ideas, such as A Week Under the Stars and Exploring the Canadian Rockies with Children. Complete with details on escaping the crowds at Lake Louise, viewing wildlife at Moraine, and dining in Banff, Moon Canadian Rockies gives travellers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Best Canadian Rockies Hiking Guide

For the best Canadian Rockies hiking guide:

CANADIAN ROCKIES TRAIL GUIDE
Author: Brian Patton and Bart Robinson
ISBN: 9781926983530
Publisher: Summerthought Publishing
Available: Summerthought, Amazon.com, and local retailers

 Known affectionately as the Bible by outdoor enthusiasts, the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide was the first guidebook with accurate distances and detailed descriptions of the trails of the Canadian Rockies. Now in its 9th edition, the popular tome has evolved into the most comprehensive and well-known guidebook to hiking in the region. It includes 227 hikes for all levels of fitness are detailed with distance outlines and detailed trail descriptions. Authors Brian Patton and Bart Robinson are regarded as the ultimate authority on hiking in the Canadian Rockies.  With over 280,000 copies in print, the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide is one of the best-selling non-fiction books in Canadian publishing history.

Best Canadian Rockies Nature Guide

For the best Canadian Rockies nature guide:

HANDBOOK OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
Author: Ben Gadd
ISBN: 0969263112
Publisher: self-published
Available: local bookstores only

 The definitive nature guide to the Canadian Rockies, winner of national and international awards. Everything from bears to butterflies, rocks to ravens. Sections on hiking and biking, backpacking, mountaineering, back-country skiing, boating, human history and safety considerations. Over 800 pages and includes colour illustrations.

Best Canadian Rockies History Book

For the best Canadian Rockies history book:

BANFF A HISTORY OF THE PARK AND TOWN
Author: Ted (EJ) Hart
ISBN: 9781926983127
Publisher: Summerthought Publishing
Available: Summerthought and local retailers

From the region’s first Aboriginal visitors through the coming of the railway and the discovery of hot springs to modern times, the limited-edition Banff: A History of the Park and Town represents a synthesis of E.J. (Ted) Hart’s 40-year career as a Canadian Rockies historian. Numbered from 1 to 1,000 and signed by the author, each copy of this very special edition has a cloth and printed cover enclosing 292 well-researched pages covering the entire history of Banff National Park and the town of Banff.

Best Canadian Rockies Photo Book

For the best Canadian Rockies photo book:

BANFF & LAKE LOUISE
Photographer: John Marriott
ISBN: 9781894768016
Publisher: self-published
Available: local bookstores and Amazon.com

This Canadian bestseller, released in June 2007, features breathtaking full-colour photographs from acclaimed wildlife and nature photographer John E. Marriott. Banff and Lake Louise: Images of Banff National Park highlights the extraordinary natural beauty found in Canada’s oldest and most celebrated national park.From wild animals and backcountry gems to classics such as Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, Marriott presents 78 awe-inspiring images of the park in all seasons and varying moods, vividly portraying one of the world’s most beautiful areas.

Best Canadian Rockies Fiction Book

For the best Canadian Rockies fiction book:

RAVEN’S END
Author: Ben Gadd
ISBN: 0969263112
Publisher: self-published
Available: local bookstores only

First published in 2001 and reprinted by the author in June 2013, Raven’s End is a spiritual, philosophical, political, and beautifully written fictional account about the lives of ravens. Over the course of four seasons in the spectacular Canadian Rockies, Raven’s End follows the adventures of Colin, a young raven who arrives unexpectedly to join the Raven’s End flock. His newfound friends include Greta, the wise elder; lifelong nestmates Molly and Zack; spunky teenagers, Sarah and Brendan; and the two scoundrels, Dolus and Garth.

Best Canadian Rockies Children’s Book

For the best Canadian Rockies children’s book:

CANADIAN ROCKIES ABC

Illustrator: Max Elliott
ISBN: 9700981149141
Publisher: Summerthought Publishing
Available: Summerthought, Amazon.com, and local retailers

Shortlisted for multiple book awards, Canadian Rockies ABC is a sturdy hardcover alphabet book that is the best-selling children’s book in the Canadian Rockies. Local artist Max Elliott illustrates mountain landscapes, wildlife, and activities using colourful painting and collage. Her original artwork combined with simple phrases creates a unique opportunity for endless fun while learning the alphabet. In between being captivated by the illustrations, children will learn that B stands for Bear and H is for Hiking.