
Banff is the largest town in the Banff National Park and has the highest elevation in Canada at 4800 feet (1463 m). It is surrounded by Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay and Cascade Mountain. Banff is 78 miles (126 km) west of Calgary and 36 miles (58 km) east of Lake Louise. Banff is synonymous with skiing at Sunshine Village, Mount Norquay, and also Lake Louise, with 125 miles (200 km) of trails spread over 7748 acres (3136 ha).
Banff was first settled in the 1880s after Canadian Pacific Railway workers stumbled upon natural hot springs. The area was named Banff in 1884 by Lord Steven after Banff in Scotland. The United Nations declared Banff National Park a World Heritage Site in 1985.