Glacier National Park is one of seven national parks in British Columbia, and is part of a system of 43 parks and park reserves across Canada. It protects a portion of the Columbia Mountains. It also contains the Rogers Pass National Historic Site, designated for its importance in the construction and development of Canada's first major national transportation route. The Trans Canada Highway also traverses the park. It is 1,349 km (521 sq mi) in area and was established in 1886.