What makes a great World Heritage Site? Is it a sense of wonder, of awe, of joy? Is it basking in the presence of history, or reveling in the grandeur of nature (and I do love nature!)? Is it the quiet spaces inviting reflection? The revelation of a new culture? The memories that linger through the years?

I ask these questions since this week I'm writing about my favorite World Heritage Site, the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, which has expanded from a single site inscribed for fossils to a total of seven national and provincial parks protecting some of the best nature the Americas have to offer. I visited the Canadian Rockies on a two week camping and backpacking trip in the summer of 2007, and it remains one of my favorite vacations. Here are some of the highlights I found from the three components of this World Heritage Site that I had time to see:

Banff National Park: The accessibility of this park means that it can get crowded, but the stunning blue waters of Peyto Lake and Moraine Lake contrasted with the abundant evergreens on the lower slopes of the Rockies make it easy to see why this park is popular. My favorite adventure was a strenuous but rewarding day hike off the beaten path from Paradise Valley, over the rocks and scree of Sentinel Pass, to the Valley of the Ten Peaks and down to Moraine Lake -- a hike free of crowds, if not entirely free of grizzlies (which we had to wait for as they crossed the trail below us). An easier hike that is just as beautiful is the trail along Moraine Lake. Lake Louise is worth a visit, though it was shrouded in mist and cloud when I visited; the adjacent Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise features some of the grand architecture that can be found in Canada's great railway hotels.

Jasper National Park: The highlight for me in Jasper was the Columbia Icefield, on the roof of North America, dividing the continent into three watersheds -- one flowing west to the Pacific, one flowing north to the Arctic, and one flowing east to the Hudson Bay and out to the North Atlantic. On the first afternoon we strapped on crampons to take part in a guided tour of the glaciers, hiking up the ice-covered hills and crossing melting rivers of clear frigid waters spilling into turquoise crevasses. We also climbed snow-covered Mount Andromeda, which offered beautiful morning views of the Rockies as the clouds lifted; the experience was incredible, even if I am not a fan of waking up to hike at 2am. North of the Columbia Icefield is Athabasca Falls, where the Athabasca River powerfully crashes into a canyon on its route north to the Arctic. As a whole, Jasper was less crowded than Banff, which was appealing.

Mount Robson Provincial Park: This was easily my favorite park on the trip. Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and its summit is often hidden in clouds. We were fortunate to have great weather when we visited, and the peak was clear during most of our four day backpacking adventure (two days up, one day for exploring, and one day back down). Although we ran into several hikers and groups on the lower slopes, including both a bachelor and a bachelorette party, the trails grew quieter as we ascended. The roars of the Robson River could be heard on the second day as it fell over three spectacular waterfalls visible from the trail: White Falls, Falls of the Pool, and Emperor Falls. Shortly afterwards we reached our campsite on Berg Lake (complete with miniature icebergs), at the foot of a glacier below the peak of Mount Robson. The woods and meadows around the lake were quiet enough to see elk, bears, and porcupines as we explored the trails from the campsite. The water of Berg Lake was briskly refreshing, and it was awesome to watch the late evening sunset on the mountains reflected on the lake. I can't recommend Mount Robson highly enough.

So what makes a World Heritage Site truly special? I'd say the memories of experiencing something truly awe-inspiring, and for me, that is the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks.

Logistics: The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks are accessible by car, bus, and rail, but to truly experience the parks, one has to get out into nature and hike -- there are plenty of trails, from easy to rigorous, and an abundance of unforgettable scenery.