Top 50 Silliest Questions Asked By Tourists at Banff National Park

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Top 50 Silliest Questions Asked By Tourists at Banff National Park

Every once in a while the local newspaper in Banff publish a list of the dumbest questions that get asked at the gates of the Banff National Park.

Need a chuckle? Every once in a while the local newspaper in Banff publishes a list of the dumbest questions that get asked at the gates of Banff National Park.  Here's a short, comical, but sad list of those questions.

​1. "How do the Elk know they're supposed to cross at the "Elk Crossing" signs?"

2. "At what elevation does an Elk become a Moose?"

3. "Tourist: "How do you pronounce 'Elk’?" Park Information Staff: " 'Elk' "Tourist: "Oh"."

4. "Are the Bears with collars tame?" 

5. "Is there anywhere I can see the bears pose?" 


PHOTO: Grizzly Bear Feeding

6. "Is it okay to keep an open bag of bacon on the picnic table, or should I store it in my tent?" 

7. "Where can I find Alpine Flamingos?" 

8. "I saw an animal on the way to Banff today - could you tell me what it was?" 

9. "Are there birds in Canada?" 

10. "Did I miss the turnoff for Canada?" 


PHOTO: Two Birds

11. "Where does Alberta end and Canada begin?" 

12. "Do you have a map of the State of Banff?" 

13. "Is this the part of Canada that speaks French, or is that Saskatchewan?" 

14. "If I go to B.C., do I have to go through Ontario?" 

15. "Which is the way to the Columbia Rice fields?" 


PHOTO: Ground Squirrel 

16. "How far is Banff from Canada?" 

17. "What's the best way to see Canada in a day?" 

18. "Do they search you at the B.C. border?" 

19. "When we enter B.C. do we have to convert our money to British pounds?" 

20. "Where can I buy a raccoon hat? ALL Canadians own one, don’t they?"


PHOTO: Moraine Lake

21. "Are there phones in Banff?" 

22. "So it's eight kilometres away... is that in miles?" 

23. "We're on the decibel system you know." 

24. "Where can I get my husband really, REALLY, lost??" 

25. "Is that two kilometres by foot or by car? "


PHOTO: Elk

26. "Don't you Canadians know anything?" 

27. "Where do you put the animals at night?" 

28. Tourist: "How do you get your lakes so blue?" Park staff: "We take the water out in the winter and paint the bottom". Tourist: "Oh!"

29. "I have a friend in Toronto, do you know Dave Smith?"

30. "Can I buy a toonie from you for $10 American? Yes. Yes you can."


PHOTO: Pika

31. "Why, when I insert my American bank card in an ATM machine, does it give me Canadian money?"

32.  "Do you have the 4th of July up here?"

33. "What time do they turn on the Northern Lights?"

34. "Where can I buy some totem pole seeds?"

35. "Where are the igloos?"


PHOTO: Ram

36. "You're Canadian? How come you aren't speaking French?"

37. "Where can I go to see the Queen?"

38. "Do I need a metric compass when I go hiking?"

39. "If the sign says it's 100 km, how far is it really?"

40. "So, how do you guys keep your teeth? I've heard the cold snaps them off."


PHOTO: Juvenile Osprey

41. "Texas is bigger than Canada, right?"

42. "How come you don't you say 'eh after every sentence?"

43. "So where are the faces of the presidents?"

44. "Do you have big foot here?"

45.  "Where's the best foot path to see cougars on?"


PHOTO: Rocky Mountain Goat

46. "Do the bears really like honey?"

47. "If I hike along the train tracks can I get to Toronto in a day?"

48. "Do they turn the hot springs off at night?"

49. "On which side of the continental divide does the water flow uphill?"

50. "What is the white stuff on top of the mountains?" 


PHOTO: Bull Moose

Yes, they're ALL TRUE as heard at the information kiosks manned By Parks Canada staff! 


PHOTO: Jasper Athabasca Falls

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