Banff National Park: Top Highlights & Our Best Tips

The Best Time to Visit Banff National Park

Banff National Park is open year-round. Every season has its pros and cons, and it really depends on what you want to do.

The best weather runs from June through September, though the summer months are also the busiest. In September, Banff National Park puts on a spectacular show of fall colors — what Canadians call Indian Summer.

We visited Banff ourselves in early October. The Indian Summer was unfortunately almost over by then, and it was already pretty cold at times. Our drive along the Icefields Parkway took us straight through a snowstorm, so we could barely see any of the sights along the way.

One advantage of October is that it’s not quite as crowded, though the Thanksgiving weekend still brought a fair number of tourists.

From mid-October through the end of May, many roads are closed, making several attractions inaccessible.

How Much Time Should You Plan for Banff National Park?

We recommend setting aside at least three full days for Banff National Park to see all the highlights we cover in this article.

If you also want to go on longer hikes or explore more of the park, plan accordingly. In the next section, we’ll give you itinerary tips for three days in Banff.

Getting to Banff National Park & Onward Travel

Banff National Park is really best explored with your own rental car or on a guided bus tour. We traveled by rental car and couldn’t recommend it more.

The most practical approach is to rent a car in one of the major cities like Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver and drive from there to the national park.

Our tip: To find the best price on a rental car, we recommend comparing rental car deals on Discovercars.

Driving in Canada is very pleasant, but stick to the speed limits — they’re quite low and enforcement can be strict, with expensive fines.

From Banff, there are three directions to travel. To the east lies the city of Calgary, reachable in just under two hours. Instead of taking the highway, we recommend driving the Bow Valley Trail. It takes about half an hour longer, but the scenery is far more rewarding. The small town of Canmore, halfway between Banff and Calgary, is also well worth a stop.

Heading west, you continue into the national parks in the province of British Columbia. Direct roads lead either to Yoho National Park or Kootenay National Park.

Heading north, the Icefields Parkway leads into Jasper National Park. On our road trip, we came from Edmonton via Calgary and continued on to Jasper.

Entrance Fees for Banff National Park

There is an entrance fee for Banff National Park. When entering by car, you can purchase a pass on-site or book it in advance online through the website of Canada’s national parks.

A day pass costs CAD 11 per person. For most visitors, though, the annual pass for all Canadian national parks at CAD 75 is the better deal. If you’re spending more than six days across the various national parks, this option is absolutely the way to go.

Accommodations in Banff National Park

As more and more people discover Banff, hotel rooms fill up fast during peak season — booking early is really worth it.

Where to Stay in Banff National Park?

Most visitors stay in the town of Banff. There’s a wide selection of hotels here, along with plenty of restaurants and shops. As a base for day trips, the town is definitely a solid choice.

That said, it’s a good hour’s drive from here to Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Since both lakes are best visited early in the morning, it’s not a bad idea to stay closer to them overnight.

On our trip, we spent four nights right in Banff, but next time we’d probably split it — two nights in Banff and two nights farther north near Lake Louise.

Hotels in Banff

Hotels near Lake Louise

Orientation

Before we dive into the individual things to do in Banff National Park, here’s a quick overview of the lay of the land.

Banff National Park stretches more than 200 kilometers from north to south. In the southeastern part of the park lies the town of Banff, where most of the accommodations are located.

Nearly all of the park’s major attractions are either north of Banff or in its immediate vicinity.

About 60 kilometers north of Banff lies the famous Lake Louise, surrounded by several other highlights. Banff and Lake Louise are connected by the Trans-Canada Highway.

North of Lake Louise begins the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic highways in the world, connecting Banff National Park with Jasper National Park.

Attractions in Banff National Park

Lake Minnewanka Loop

The Minnewanka Loop is a 24-kilometer circular route that starts right at the northeastern edge of the town of Banff. If you’re driving it in a rental car, plan for about three hours — including stops, but not counting a boat tour or hikes.

The loop’s namesake is Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies. It’s not the most dramatic lake in Banff scenery-wise, but a detour here is still worthwhile.

For CAD 60 (about $40), you can take a one-hour boat tour on Lake Minnewanka. Honestly, though, we didn’t think the price was really worth it.

We enjoyed Two Jack Lake more — a southern arm of Lake Minnewanka that’s especially great for a picnic. Even farther south along a small side road off the Minnewanka Loop is the equally lovely Johnson Lake, where you can also swim in the summer.

Vermilion Lakes

The Vermilion Lakes are a chain of small lakes to the west of Banff. Around the lakes, you can go for hikes or paddle a canoe — a really peaceful way to spend a few hours.

Sulphur Mountain and Banff Gondola

About five kilometers south of Banff is the base station of the Banff Gondola.

The gondola climbs to the 2,300-meter summit of Sulphur Mountain in just under eight minutes, gaining 700 meters in elevation.

The ride costs CAD 62 (about $40), which is pretty steep for what you get. From the summit, you do get a great view of Banff and the surrounding peaks — but in our opinion, the gondola ride isn’t really worth the price tag.

If you’ve never ridden a gondola in Austria or Switzerland, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you have, you can save your money.

Of course, you can also hike up Sulphur Mountain on foot. The trail is well maintained, and it takes about two hours to climb the 700 meters in elevation.

Banff Upper Hot Springs

Right next to the Banff Gondola station are the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Natural hot springs are found throughout the Canadian Rockies, and several of them are open for swimming.

The Banff Upper Hot Springs are the closest option to the town of Banff. The best time to go is in the evening, when most tourists have retreated to their hotels for dinner.

Other places to soak include the Radium Hot Springs southwest of Banff and the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park.

For all the details on the thermal baths and their hours, visit the Canadian Rockies Hot Springs website.

Bow Valley Parkway

The fastest route from Banff to Lake Louise is via the Trans-Canada Highway. The far more scenic option, however, is the Bow Valley Parkway, which begins about ten kilometers outside of Banff and runs all the way to Lake Louise.

The drive takes a bit longer than the highway, but it’s seriously worth taking this route.

In the early morning and evening hours, you’re said to have very good chances of spotting bears here. We weren’t so lucky, unfortunately — but even without wildlife sightings, the landscape on both sides of the road is simply breathtaking.

Johnston Canyon

Right along the Bow Valley Parkway is Johnston Canyon — a gorge with several waterfalls. An easy trail leads through the canyon, and after about a kilometer you reach the Lower Falls.

About 1.5 kilometers farther are the Upper Falls. In our opinion, the real highlight of the hike isn’t the large waterfall at the end of the trail, but a hidden cave located about 150 meters before it.

If you continue another three kilometers past the Upper Falls, you’ll reach the so-called Ink Pots — greenish pools with bubbles rising to the surface. We ourselves only hiked as far as the Upper Falls.

If Johnston Canyon is on your list, go first thing in the morning. You don’t need to be there at sunrise, but by 9 or 10 AM it gets very crowded, especially on the path to the Lower Falls.

We arrived just in time and shared the trail with only a handful of other visitors. On the way back, the paths were completely packed with tourists heading in the opposite direction — we were really glad we’d gotten there early.

Bring water, and use the restroom at the parking lot before you head out — there’s nothing along the way.

Pilot Pond

One of the best under-the-radar spots along the Bow Valley Parkway is Pilot Pond. We only stumbled upon it by chance when we pulled into one of the many roadside parking areas and spotted a small sign.

A fairly steep trail leads down for about five minutes, and at the bottom you suddenly find yourself at a solitary mountain lake. We were completely alone here — no buses, no tour groups, no other people. That never happened anywhere else in Banff National Park!

The climb back up is a bit of a workout, but totally worth it.

Photo tip: If you want to photograph the lake, come in the morning or at sunset. In the afternoon, the backlight is really strong and makes photography tricky.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is probably the most famous of all the things to do in Banff National Park. The glacial lake sits in a stunning setting and is absolutely worth a visit — though in our opinion, it’s not actually the most beautiful lake in Banff.

Lake Louise is at its best in the early morning around sunrise. The water is usually still calm at that hour, creating gorgeous reflections of the surrounding mountains. Later in the day, wind and boat traffic make the surface choppy.

Very early in the morning it’s also less crowded. Even though plenty of photographers gather at that time, it’s nothing compared to the later hours, when hundreds of tourists swarm the shoreline.

Despite the large number of parking spots at the lake, they fill up fast during the day — free shuttle buses run from an overflow parking area along the highway to the lake. Yet another reason to get up early.

The drive from Banff to Lake Louise takes just under an hour. If you want to stay closer, the Château Lake Louise puts you up in an elegant castle hotel right on the water. Rooms with a lake view don’t come cheap, though.

Moraine Lake and the Consolation Lakes

Our absolute favorite lake in Banff National Park is Moraine Lake, located just a few kilometers from Lake Louise.

Moraine Lake sits in a picture-perfect setting in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The valley got its name because it’s surrounded by ten peaks in total, giving the lake a seriously breathtaking panoramic backdrop.

Bad news for late sleepers: you should also visit Moraine Lake around sunrise. The water is usually still calm at that hour, and with a bit of luck the lake will show off that gorgeous turquoise color it had when we were there.

The road to Moraine Lake is only open from June (sometimes as early as late May) through early October, right after the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend on the second Monday of October. Our visit was on October 9 — we luckily made it on the second-to-last day.

You can’t park directly at the lake — you need to take a shuttle from Lake Louise or Banff. There are several stops at both locations, and you can combine Moraine Lake with Lake Louise in one trip. On the Banff and Lake Louise tourism website, you’ll find the various shuttle services and their stops.

From Moraine Lake, a trail also leads to the Consolation Lakes. The round trip takes about two hours and offers beautiful scenery throughout.

Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway begins at Lake Louise and stretches 280 kilometers into Jasper National Park. The route is considered one of the most beautiful in the world and has so many highlights that we’ve written a dedicated article about it: Icefields Parkway Attractions.

Attractions in Yoho National Park

To the west of Lake Louise lies Yoho National Park. Although its points of interest are no longer part of Banff National Park — and the park is already in the neighboring province of British Columbia — we don’t want you to miss these spots.

From Lake Louise, it’s less than an hour’s drive to all three attractions, and the detour is absolutely worth it.

Spiral Tunnels

Along the Trans-Canada Highway between Lake Louise and the small town of Field, you’ll find the viewpoint for the Spiral Tunnels.

What they are is hard to put into words.

The Spiral Tunnels are railway tunnels built in the early 20th century.

Because the grade in the area is extremely steep, spiral tunnels were bored into the mountain so that trains travel like they’re on switchbacks, reducing the incline.

The route is used by freight trains stretching kilometers long — we’ve never seen trains that long! — and from the viewpoint you can watch the whole spectacle unfold in real time.

The train passes through two tunnels, and because of the sheer length you can see it in three places at once. While the front section is already exiting the second tunnel, the middle section is between the tunnels, and the rear section hasn’t entered either one yet.

It’s worth pulling into the parking area for a few minutes to watch for a train. Just don’t wait forever — it’s a cool sight, but not quite that spectacular.

Natural Bridge

Over thousands of years, the Kicking Horse River carved its way through a layer of rock, creating a natural bridge in the process.

The whole thing looks incredibly impressive, and the upper area in particular offers great photo opportunities.

Emerald Lake

Just a few minutes’ drive past the Natural Bridge is Emerald Lake, considered the most beautiful lake in Yoho National Park.

A trail loops around the lake, and there are plenty of opportunities for great photos here too. As with most lakes, early morning is the best time — but driving all the way from Banff for sunrise is a bit of a stretch.

Our Itinerary for Banff National Park

For three days, we recommend the following route, starting each day from accommodations in Banff:

Day 1: Lake Louise, Bow Valley Parkway, Johnston Canyon, Pilot Pond & Hot Springs

About an hour before sunrise, head out on the Trans-Canada Highway toward Lake Louise. After seeing the lake, make sure to have breakfast at the Trailhead Café (see our restaurant tips below).

Then head back toward Banff along the Bow Valley Parkway. Your first stop along the way is Johnston Canyon. Plan about two to three hours for the hike to the Upper Falls and back.

After the canyon, make a quick stop at Pilot Pond, then head back to Banff. You can wrap up the day perfectly with a soak at the Hot Springs.

Day 2: Moraine Lake, Consolation Lakes, Yoho National Park, Bow Valley Parkway

Day two also starts early. Thanks to the time change, getting up early in Canada is fortunately not as hard. Again, head north on the Trans-Canada Highway.

This time, your destination is the stunning Moraine Lake. Right after, it’s worth doing the two-hour round-trip hike to the Consolation Lakes.

From there, continue west to the highlights in Yoho National Park: Spiral Tunnels, Natural Bridge, and Emerald Lake.

On the way back, we recommend taking the scenic Bow Valley Parkway again — with a bit of luck, you might spot a few bears.

Day 3: Minnewanka Loop, Banff Gondola, Vermilion Lakes

On day three you can sleep in a bit, since this day is all about the attractions around Banff. In the morning, head to Lake Minnewanka and the neighboring lakes of the Minnewanka Loop.

After that, follow your mood — either head to the Banff Gondola or the Vermilion Lakes, and just like that, day three is done.

Of course, this route through Banff National Park is just a suggestion. In terms of distances, though, it’s definitely optimized to minimize driving time.

Restaurants in Banff National Park

As mentioned, Banff has a huge number of restaurants serving Canadian and international cuisine.

We tried a few of them and can honestly recommend them:
Trailhead Café – The Trailhead Café is a tiny diner with about ten seats, located right in the parking lot of the Lake Louise visitor center. We stopped here for breakfast after our early morning photo excursions every time, and it was absolutely delicious. Highly recommended is “The Cure” — a wrap filled with egg, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage, and vegetables. Fantastic and filling, and a real treat compared to a Canadian hotel breakfast.

Chili’s Grill & Bar – Chili’s is a North American restaurant chain serving Tex-Mex food. The restaurant was attached to our hotel. The food is tasty, the portions are very generous, and the prices are reasonable.

Pacini – Pacini is also a chain, serving pizza and pasta right on the main street in Banff. It obviously doesn’t compare to authentic Italian pizza, but by North American standards the pizza is genuinely good. Jenny had the pasta, which unfortunately wasn’t as impressive.

Sushi Bistro – The Sushi Bistro is a small, unassuming spot on Caribou Street, a side street off the main drag of Banff Avenue. They serve surprisingly good sushi at very affordable prices.

Disclosure: We were supported on our trip to Canada by Travel Alberta. Travel Alberta covered our flights, some of our hotels, and our rental car. Our opinions are, of course, entirely our own.