If you ’ re traveling to experience some of the world ’ s most historic monuments , your first instinct might be to visit the museums of Europe , the temples of Asia or the treasures of the Middle East — to marvel at the age-worn art and architecture of humanity ’ s most influential civilizations . But there ’ s another type of historical landmark — bigger , older and more breath-taking than anything manmade .
As Nathaniel Hawthorne once said , “ Mountains are earth ’ s undecaying monuments .” A single cliff face of sedimentary rock can reveal millions of years of history within a matter of inches — a saga surpassing the entire history of all mankind , thrust into the sky by the sheer power of the earth . Exemplifying this sense of wonder is one of the world ’ s most magnificent mountain destinations : the Canadian Rockies .
From brilliant blue lakes to serene hanging valleys , craggy peaks , alpine meadows and ancient glaciers , the Canadian Rockies are packed with awe-inspiring places to experience the immense scale of natural history by foot , boat , bike and rail . Keep reading to discover three of our favourite destinations and the best ways to explore them . >
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