It had long been a dream of mine to visit the Canadian Rockies, and Banff National Park in particular. Banff is gorgeous and features surreal, aquamarine-colored glacial lakes, stunning mountain scenery, glaciers, abundant wildlife, historic lodges, and world class hiking. The park is exquisitely photogenic – just looking at pictures makes the heart ache.
Note: We visited Banff, the Icefields Parkway / Jasper National Park, and Kootenay National Park in Canada, and Glacier National Park in the US in one trip. Check out our other guides!
Getting To Banff
Banff National Park lies about 1.5 hours west and slightly north of the city of Calgary in Alberta province, Canada. As such, many travelers to Banff fly in to Calgary. The next nearest major city is Spokane, Washington in the US, which is about 6.5 hours’ drive from Banff. It is possible to fly into Calgary from most major US and Canadian cities. We flew direct from Atlanta.
Proximity to Glacier National Park
Banff National Park is about 240 miles (400 km), or 4 hours’ drive, from Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Since these national parks are both a bit difficult to access for many, consider visiting both on the same trip.
When To Visit Banff National Park
Summer is the obvious choice for visiting Banff. Temperatures are warm and wildflowers at their peak. But that brings crowds. In July and August, the park has a bit of an “amusement park” feel to it with people being shuttled around in buses, social influencer wannabes getting their selfies, and huge crowds everywhere.
If traveling in summer, it’s best to get up early to enjoy the park before the crowds catch you. Early evening also provides a respite, and hiking just a little way off the main tourist areas will gain you some peace.
To avoid summer crowds, visit Banff National Park during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. We chose early September for our trip. There were still some wildflowers, and the trees were not yet changing color for fall. Overall, this is a fantastic time to travel. The late spring into early June would be good as well.
Check the Parks Canada Seasonal Closures and Restrictions page by clicking here.
Making Reservations for Banff
A note on making reservations for Banff National Park: Even though we traveled in a shoulder season, we needed to book campgrounds and shuttles in the park well in advance. Visit the Parks Canada Reservations website by clicking here. Campsites and shuttle reservations fill up quickly once the reservation window opens in late January.
Note: It is now mandatory to reserve a shuttle to Moraine Lake. The park does not allow any personal vehicles at Moraine Lake.
Planning This Itinerary
This spreadsheet is downloadable as Open Document Sheets and can be used in Excel or a cloud spreadsheet tool (e.g., Google Drive or Office 365). Update your arrival date into cell A2 and get started on your itinerary (automations/equations are embedded for convenience). This file can serve as a template for other trips as well.
Getting Around Banff National Park
Access to the Lakes – Park and Ride Shuttles
A note about Moraine Lake and Lake Louise access: Parks Canada does not allow personal vehicles to drive to Moraine Lake. Further, it is practically impossible to park at Lake Louise, as the parking lot is typically full by the opening time of 6 AM during peak and shoulder seasons. To access these must-see areas of Banff NP, you need reservations on the Parks Canada shuttle or Roam Public Transit. Study the rules and procedures for getting around within Banff NP carefully. Make your shuttle reservations early.
Tip on getting last minute Walk-Up Park-and-Ride tickets for shuttles to the lakes! The best option is absolutely to book your the shuttles as soon as reservations open. However, we were unaware that we needed shuttle reservations. By the time we realized this, we were unable to get a morning reservation for the shuttle to Lake Louise, even when trying for the last-minute tickets made available online two days in advance by Parks Canada.
Since we planned to spend the whole day at Lake Louise hiking, enjoying the lake, and visiting the Chateau, we needed to get started in the morning. Luckily, we were able to get shuttle reservations by walking up to the ticket office at the Park-and-Ride early in the morning of the day we wished to visit.
Tip for campers trying to navigate the park: While planning our trip, we searched and searched for a way to get from the campground to the shore of Lake Louise due to warnings we’d seen online about the parking lot at the lake filling up early. It would have been a 3.3 mile (5.4 km) one-way walk from the campground to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The official Park and Ride shuttles do not service the campgrounds. With the miles of hiking we had planned, the thought of adding almost 7 more miles roundtrip just to get to the lake was discouraging.
Employee / Camper Shuttles
But don’t lose heart! We found the solution. The Park shuttles employees and campers on unadvertised black buses, free of charge, to some stops within the park and to the town of Lake Louise. A park employee told us about these buses, and they worked out well. In the Hard-Sided campground, the buses stop right in front of campsite #1 (where we were luckily camped!) and run about twice/hour.
We took the black bus to the Park-and-Ride for transportation to Lake Louise, and from the Park-and-Ride back to the campground. To ride the bus, just tell the driver you are staying in the campground, and you need transportation to or from the Park-and-Ride.
Sights Near Banff National Park
Banff Town
Before entering the national park, you arrive in Banff Town. The town is extremely picturesque with a mountain backdrop and is full of restaurants, shopping and lodging.
Banff Town Sign
Stop at the iconic Banff Town Sign (101 Mt. Norquay RD) for a picture. Park on the roadside or at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre across the street from the sign.
Bow Falls
Bow Falls is a gorgeous waterfall on the Bow River. The falls cascade only 9 meters down, but the sight of the turquoise river and the foaming water tumbling over the rocks is terrific. The Falls are part of Banff National Park, so you may need to show your Canada Parks Pass here.
Parking was easy and plentiful at Bow Falls. From the waterfall, we walked the quick path up to Surprise Corner Viewpoint for a glimpse over the Bow River to the stunning Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Visit the grand lobby of this hotel (free to visit) to take in the ambience, take a pic or two, or drop in for a coffee and pastry at Stocked. Book ahead (https://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/dining/afternoon-tea/) if you want to enjoy afternoon tea at the hotel.
Sunshine Meadows
We had planned to spend the afternoon at Sunshine Meadows, a ski resort famous in the warm months for world-class, family friendly alpine hiking. We did not reserve the gondola though, so that we could watch the weather. If the weather is not good, as was the case the day we visited, you can’t see anything in a high altitude area like Sunshine Meadows. Visiting would waste your time and money. It was hard to make this decision since hiking at Sunshine Meadows was one of the top things in our trip itinerary. To purchase Gondola tickets and for hiker information, click here.
Sights in Banff National Park
Johnston Canyon
Drive 32 km northwest from Banff Town to Johnston Canyon via the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A). Johnston Canyon is a deep and mind-blowingly beautiful canyon formed by Johnston Creek. The trail through the canyon is on elevated catwalks, providing amazing views down into the canyon and its many waterfalls.
This is a family-friendly hike, with a relatively easy and short .7 mile (1.2 km) walk to the Lower Falls. Hike an additional .8 miles (1.3 km) to the Upper Falls if you wish. The roundtrip hike to the Upper Falls and back is 3 miles (5 km).
Camping at Johnston Canyon
This pleasant campground, set among evergreen trees, has 132 sites and is open from late May through late September. See here for campground reservations on the Parks Canada website.
Bow Valley Parkway
The beautiful Bow Valley Parkway travels through an evergreen forest and provides stunning views of the Rocky Mountain peaks. There are plentiful picnic areas along the parkway. At Morant’s Curve, the train tracks form an S-shape, running along the gorgeous Bow River with the mountains as a stunning backdrop.
Moraine Lake
Get ready to have your mind blown by the stupendously beautiful Moraine Lake! Upon arriving to the lake via the Parks Canada shuttle, you can use the pit toilets located in the transportation drop off area before beginning your Moraine Lake experience. Next, hike up the “Rockpile” (everybody heads there, follow signs) for views down to the gorgeous, highly photogenic Moraine Lake. The lake ranks high among the most beautiful places we have ever visited.
The water is a surreal aquamarine color due to glacial runoff (silt), and the lake is set in a stupendous mountain backdrop. Spend at least 30 minutes on the Rockpile taking photos and taking in the views. This area can become crowded, but hang around long enough for crowds to disperse. This is the spot to get your next Christmas card photo!
Even if you’re not into hiking, walk along the Lake Moraine Shoreline Trail. It’s an easy 2.3 mile (3.8 km) roundtrip stroll that offers breathtaking views of the lake and mountains.
Recommended Hikes at Moraine Lake
We researched day hikes at Moraine Lake and chose these two. They did not disappoint, and both come highly recommended.
Consolation Lakes to the First Lake
This 3.6 mile (6 km) out-and-back trail is relatively flat and family friendly. From the Rockpile, follow the signs to Consolation Lakes. Early on, you will need to walk over a boulder field, but don’t be deterred. You will soon be back on a beautiful, sometimes wooded, sometimes open trail.
The first lake is a fine stopping point – and we recommend stopping here – with stunning views of the Tower of Babel and other mountains and scree fields. The lake is gorgeous; climbing over a few rocks positions you at your own spot to relax, picnic and take photos. There is a large rock formation a little further on that you can climb, but finding your spot on the lake and relaxing is preferable.
You can continue on to the second lake, but there is a difficult boulder field to traverse. We opted to stop at the first lake. Remember, some experiences are not always worth the opportunity cost in time!
Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail
The trail along the Moraine Lake shoreline is an easy, 2.3 mile out-and-back walk. Along the way, you are treated to magnificent views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Canoes and kayaks dot the lake, and the color contrasts are amazing.
At the turnaround point, you will be at the mouth of the glacial flow, an exciting place for a stop. This is truly a must on your itinerary. Many visitors to Moraine Lake take this trail, so it can become crowded but as you get further away from the shuttle bus area, crowds thin out. There are benches along the way, some in the shade.
Lake Louise
Please see above for vital information on getting to Lake Louise.
The Lake Louise area is the tourist mecca in the park and for good reason. The Rocky Mountains provide a magnificent backdrop for the turquoise waters of this glacial lake. The gorgeous, white Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise sits right on the lake in a manicured garden setting.
If you only walk to the lakeshore in front of the hotel, you will contend with crowds, tourists, and selfie-sticks. However, within a short walk along the shoreline from the Chateau, the crowds thin out. Sit on a bench enjoying the lake or walk all the way to the “back” of the lake where it is filled by the melting glacier.
Since we were here for a full day of hiking, we quickly moved beyond the shoreline, even though our jaws were dropping at the stunning views.
As noted above, the parking lot at Lake Louise fills up by 6:00 AM. See above for tips and links to shuttle reservations and navigating the park.
Hiking at Lake Louise
There are not enough superlatives to describe the hiking at Lake Louise. Between the stunning, turquoise-jeweled lakes, gorgeous forests, alpine meadows with beautiful wildflowers, expansive mountain vistas, and plentiful glaciers, your jaw will be dropping at every turn. To do the hikes we’ve outlined, you need to have reasonable fitness. But no scrambling is required. If you have time to stop and rest as needed, you can do these hikes!
We opted for a loop from the Lake Louise shoreline to the Lake Agnes Teahouse, then over to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse, then back down to the Lake Louise shoreline, for a total of 8.2 miles (12.8 km).
Recommended Hike: Two Teahouse Loop Hike
This loop hike is astounding! With just a little over 8 miles of hiking, you can see multiple glacial lakes, visit both the Lake Agnes and Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouses, and enjoy fabulous alpine views all the way! We’ve created a detailed description of this hike as a separate guide. Check it out at Two Teahouse Loop Hike, which breaks the hike down into legs with mileage info and descriptions.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
After a long day hiking, we popped into this famous hotel to see the grand lobby and visit the Chateau Deli (down the hall from the lobby, open 24 hours, sells coffee, teas, cold drinks, pastries and sandwiches) for coffee.
Canoeing on Lake Louise
Taking a canoe out onto Lake Louise is a popular way to spend time here. And for good reason – the setting is magical. However, the cost is high and when we visited, the rental line was long. The Chateau runs the canoe rental operation; overnight guests have priority (and receive lower rental rates). A ½ hour rental was $165 when we visited. This experience is not worth the money to us. We can see the lake, hike along its shore, and hike above it for free.
Camping near Lake Louise
The Lake Louise Hard-Sided Campground is only for RVs, vans and trailers. The campground is situated in a scenic area near the Bow River with lovely snow-capped mountain views. A trail runs along the river.
The facilities are new and modern with large bathhouses.
The nearby Lake Louise Soft-Sided campground is for tents only and is surrounded by an electric fence to prevent bear incidents.
To make campground reservations near Lake Louise or anywhere else in Banff, visit the Parks Canada Camping page.
Book your spot here as early as possible. We booked our site in March for an early September stay.
Other Related Guides
Two Teahouse Hike – Banff National Park (link coming soon)
Icefields Parkway / Jasper National Park
Kootenay National Park along the Windemere Highway
Glacier National Park (you can also link to separate guides for different parts of Glacier NP and for hikes there)
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