Things to Do in Banff National Park: A Complete Guide

At age 34, I finally set foot in North America for the first time—not counting airport layovers in Los Angeles. This is my first article about Canada, a beautiful country I discovered during my road trip to the USA in the summer of 2018. To be fair, I only explored a small part of the country around the Alberta–British Columbia border. Today, I’m focusing on a place I absolutely loved: Banff National Park.

The park is within driving distance of the U.S. border, and I was fortunate to spend an entire week there. At the time, I was visiting Glacier National Park in the United States. After meeting a lovely couple and their two children, I decided to cross the border. A few hours later, I found myself in a postcard-perfect landscape at the foot of the Canadian Rockies.

Please also check out our in-depth article on what to do in Montreal, a wonderful city to discover.

This guide covers the essential things to see and do in Banff National Park, along with practical advice for planning your visit. If you are looking for other places to explore, I suggest you visit Terra Nova National Park on the island of Newfoundland.

I spent only a week in the park and could easily have stayed another week to hike and discover more of its turquoise lakes. Speaking of lakes, Take a look at some of the outdoor activities you can enjoy during your stay in Banff.

Since then, in 2024, we spent a month on a motorhome road trip through the Yukon and Alaska. We discovered the incredible Dempster Highway!

Let’s begin with one of the park’s two most famous, photographed, and heavily visited places. When you get to the edge of the lake you’ll see why! Even with the crowds that gather from early morning, the setting is undeniably magical.

Picture a vividly colored lake reflecting the surrounding mountains at sunrise, with the historic Fairmont Château Lake Louise standing along the shore. It’s very beautiful to see. The area is extremely busy, so early morning or late evening generally offers the best chance of finding a little more space. That will not only give you a little space before the crowds arrive but will have the added bonus of providing you with beautiful light for your photographs.

Several walks and hikes begin around the lake, offering different views of the water, mountains, and hotel. Even though it’s very touristy, these paths around the lake, and the views you see in the park are a real must.

Moraine Lake is another Banff National Park essential. Many people come to the park just to see the lakes, Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, and then continue on their way. Moraine Lake famously appeared on the reverse of Canada’s 1969 and 1979 twenty-dollar banknotes. Many visitors combine Moraine Lake and Lake Louise on the same day because they are only about 14 km apart.

So what makes Moraine Lake different from Lake Louise? Moraine Lake has an extraordinary turquoise color that can make the water look almost tropical, depending on the brightness of the day when you happen to visit it. The reflections in the lake of the mountains and the fir-covered slopes are simply extraordinary.

Like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake is a victim of its own popularity and receives a huge number of visitors. Moraine Lake Road is now closed to personal vehicles year-round. Most visitors must use a Parks Canada shuttle, public transit, or a licensed commercial operator during the seasonal access period. During my 2018 visit, private vehicles were still allowed, and I repeatedly encountered full parking lots, early-morning queues, and heavy traffic. That experience helps explain why access rules have since changed.

Take the short Rockpile Trail when you arrive, the view from above is truly breathtaking.

Lake Minnewanka is another reminder that the park’s lakes are among its greatest attractions. The lake has an unusual history because its water level was raised by several dams. Dams built during the 20th century enlarged the natural lake and submerged earlier structures along the shoreline. The spot is really superb even if it is still quite busy with tourists and locals coming to fish and relax in this amazing setting. The surrounding mountains and endless forest are breathtaking.

Remains of the former resort village of Minnewanka Landing now lie underwater, making the lake an unusual cold-water diving site. Note that you can also take a boat trip on the lake. I didn’t but I’m sure it’s a wonderful experience considering the location….

And yes, it’s also nice to spend a day in the city of Banff, or even just a morning, to soak up a little of the local atmosphere. If you are visiting in the summer, sit on a sunny patio and enjoy a coffee.

The streets are still very touristy between June and September and I must admit, there were too many people for my liking. But I still liked being in a small town nestled at the foot of the mountains and, in particular, Sulphur Mountain.

The town did not appeal to me as much as the surrounding wilderness, but it’s perfect for a little shopping and to enjoy some everyday life in beautiful surroundings. Definitely nice to spend a morning there…

I hesitated to include this, but the Banff Gondola climbs Sulphur Mountain on the outskirts of the town of Banff, offers visitors the chance to see breathtaking panoramic views from way up high. An opportunity I didn’t want to miss! I later learned that Lake Louise also has a sightseeing gondola.

When I climbed to the top of Sulphur Mountain, the weather was not ideal and there were a lot of people there. So overall, the conditions for me were not great, however, the idea is a good one: a gondola ride with expansive views of the town of Banff and surrounding mountains. In good weather, I’m sure it must be magical! At the top, you will find everything you need; restaurants, interpretive displays, viewing platforms, and souvenir shops.

During my visit, I found the ride expensive at CAD $64 per adult and CAD $32 per child. Current prices vary by date and should be checked before booking. I think that’s too much to pay to see a view, no matter how amazing. The Lake Louise sightseeing gondola is another option, with different scenery and pricing. It’s definitely a must so do try to take one or the other of these rides when you go there.

If there is one essential activity in Banff National Park, it is hiking. Visiting without exploring at least one trail would mean missing a major part of the experience. The park is perfect for all nature lovers to discover the local fauna and flora. On the agenda: rivers, waterfalls, snow-covered peaks, gorges, abundant wildlife and all of that in a dream setting.

I was able to go on a few short hikes and walks in the park, mainly around the better-known areas, but if you have the time, I’m sure you would appreciate getting off the tourist track and doing a little exploring of your own. Having my 3-year-old with me made it a bit difficult to go on long hikes, but I hope to come back one day and take a little more time to really see the park.

For lovers of walking, it is the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with nature in a truly beautiful setting. However, follow all wildlife-safety guidance, carry appropriate equipment, and keep the required distance from animals. There’s a good summary, given here on the Canadian government website, of what you need to know and also a list of all the walks/hikes in the different sections of the park.

After a full day of hiking, the Banff Upper Hot Springs offer a relaxing change of pace. The Upper Hot Springs are the best-known developed hot springs near the town of Banff.

During my original visit, admission cost about CAD $8. In 2026, adult admission is CAD $19.75, and entry remains first-come, first-served. so it is definitely worth taking a look around and spending an hour or two relaxing in these beautiful hot springs.

The Vermilion Lakes were another highlight of my time in Canada. Located just outside the town of Banff and easy to access, they offer a perfect opportunity to enjoy a quiet walk, especially if you are traveling with your family.

I recommend that you make time to go at least once in the late evening, as I did, in order to admire the magnificent reflections in the lakes, which are once again surrounded by mountains and their peaks. In good weather, Mount Rundle is one of the most beautiful in the area. The scenic road is roughly 4 km long and can be explored on foot, by bike, or by car.

A very beautiful stroll in a fairy tale setting, at least that’s how I would describe it!

The Bow Valley Parkway was another memorable part of my Banff visit. You can access it via the road between Banff and Lake Louise (it is signposted). The valley is famous, as are many places in the park, for its splendid landscapes, wildlife and hiking trails. The scenic parkway runs for roughly 48 km between the Banff and Lake Louise areas.

You can easily spend a day in this beautiful valley. With a little luck (which we didn’t have), you can meet some of the wildlife (bighorn sheep or black bears, for example). All along the road are areas in which to stop and observe the scenery, which is absolutely breathtaking in some places.

One of the best-known areas of the valley is the beautiful Johnston Canyon. Visit early in the day and check current seasonal road restrictions before setting out. You might also like to take the time to drive around in your car looking at the scenery and searching for animals. The road is well laid out with a lot of picnic tables, etc. It’s perfect for taking it easy and relaxing with your family!

Often called one of the world’s great scenic drives, this route is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen on my travels. It’s so beautiful; words just don’t do it justice! The Icefields Parkway runs for approximately 232 km between Lake Louise and Jasper. The road offers breathtaking panoramic views of the glaciers.

Think about starting your journey from Lake Louise and heading towards Jasper, or vice versa. For photography, I personally enjoyed traveling north from Lake Louise in the early morning, starting from Lake Louise, and heading north, especially for those photographers among you. To give you a little practical advice; set off early, very early! We set off around 6am, just before sunrise. Seeing the sun emerge from behind the mountains and glaciers was truly magical to see.

Words cannot describe the beauty of the road and the landscapes we encounter.

Over the course of a very long day, expect: breathtaking views of snow-covered mountains and their peaks, fast-flowing rivers, glaciers hanging from rocky peaks, a scattering of wildlife here and there. In short: it’s extraordinary.

The landscapes on this “glacier route” are impressive in their beauty. One of the most beautiful journeys of my life

Peyto Lake is one of the most popular stops along the route. I saw this lake at 6:30 in the morning and there were only four of us at this viewpoint. It’s so truly beautiful that it’s almost enough to make you cry; the tranquility of the area before the onslaught of tourists, the fabulous lake with its turquoise colors, the breathtaking view… Just wow!

Other superb stops you can expect along the way: Bow Lake (magical in the early morning), the Columbia Icefield area, the Sunwapta and Athabasca waterfalls, and a walk along the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a glass-floored observation platform above the Sunwapta Valley.

All the information you’ll need to take this route can be found on this government page, which summarizes everything for you perfectly.

Unfortunately, I was running out of time because I had to cross the border to go to Yellowstone, but it would have been good to spend a few days in a roadside inn or hotel. There are also campsites all along the route. I think you could happily spend two or three days exploring the 232 km route.

If, like me, you don’t plan to stay somewhere along the road, you will either have to find accommodation in Jasper or return to your starting point at Lake Louise. Don’t forget, the road, although splendid, is very long! I made the round trip in one day and it was more than 450 km in total, leaving at 6:00 am and returning at 9:00 pm.

Since we wrote this article, we have been lucky enough to visit another part of Canada. We wrote our first article on when to go to Newfoundland!

To plan guided activities in and around the park, you can browse this website which lists and compares all the activities in the area. On the agenda: helicopter rides, guided hiking, horseback riding, etc.

To compare prices, I use this site for car rentals !

In order to visit this superb national park, there will probably be two main ways to reach the park. If you are traveling from another country (France, Europe, etc.) you will need to take a flight, if you are already in the States or Canada you may choose to fly but it will probably be more fun to travel by road, especially if you’re in the Northwest of the United States.

In my case, I went on a road trip from Salt Lake City (SLC) and even if it wasn’t planned, it’s possible to drive up to Calgary from SLC. The road is still very long. The drive between Salt Lake City and Calgary is roughly 1,500 km and takes about 15 hours without extended stops. In other words, almost 3 days while only driving or almost driving (which is not the goal either, is it?). If you are coming from the Central United States, there are not many national parks on the road, except Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton, but you will have to do a detour to Wyoming anyway… Another cheap option if you want to see the Northwest of the USA, take a flight to Seattle. You can look at this great flight comparator that I have been using for more than 10 years.

If you are farther down than Salt Lake City, it is really very (very) far away to imagine being able to see, for example, southern Utah (Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, etc.) and then go all the way up to Banff. Or else I would say several months….

I have met a lot of people who have considered seeing Banff, Jasper and Yoho parks from Vancouver. There are really cheap flights from Europe at prices that vary significantly by season all year round. If you live in Canada, here are the cheapest flight to Calgary, the main airport near the park.

After all, it depends on how you see things. If you are on a road trip to Canada from Vancouver to see the surrounding parks, it’s a very good thing. If you are flying from Europe or other place to see only the area around Banff, you might as well take a flight directly to Calgary. You can compare options using this Calgary flight search. You are near the parks and it is the easiest. There are also some interesting flights to Edmonton, a large city north of Banff National Park.

Train travelers can take VIA Rail from Vancouver toward Jasper, but Banff itself does not have passenger rail service. To put it bluntly, it’s long (more than a day) and still expensive (about $200 on average). Knowing that the train stops as close as possible to Jasper or Edmonton (north of Banff) and that you will still have to take a bus or rent a car. Anyway, it’s essential to get around.

Canada does have a national park pass: the Parks Canada Discovery Pass which provides unlimited admission for 12 months at participating national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas. During my original six-day visit, a daily pass was more economical for my itinerary. The longer your visit the more economical the pass and I believe you would start seeing savings about a week into your stay.

The figures below were the prices when the original article was written and should not be treated as current rates:

• approximately €6.50 per adult per day,
• approximately €3.20 per child,
• Free for very young children at the time.
• There are also group/family rates (interesting for those traveling with children).

Banff lies in western Canada, in the middle of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The climate of the town of Banff is classified as “subarctic”, which means it can get really cold!

From the point of view of the climate, you will have to be properly equipped if you’re visiting any time after the summer, especially if you are camping or in a campervan for example. I believe that June to September is pleasant enough but I was there in August and it wasn’t very hot. Days can be pleasant, but evenings and nights are often cold even in summer. I camped in a tent in Banff park and the temperature was around 3 or 4°C. Not hot but fortunately all camping areas are equipped with places to make a fire to get warmed up!

Another point to take into account: the tourists. Banff and Jasper are becoming more and more popular and a quick look on Instagram will show you that they’ve become almost fashionable destinations. Whatever the reason, you’ll find a huge number of people there. The same can be said for some of the American national parks I’ve visited, Yellowstone for example. My advice is, if you are not afraid of the cold and come well equipped, or plan to stay in one of the nearby hotels or lodges, try to arrange your visit for late May, June, or September, while checking trail, road, and facility openings carefully. These periods can be quieter, but snow and cold weather remain possible.

This is an important question when planning a trip to Canada. In summer, it can be a real challenge to find cheap accommodation. If you are traveling around Canada on a budget, campsites are your best friends. You can also find quite a few places who will take your motorhome or campervan for the night.

Banff National Park has a range of front-country and backcountry campgrounds. Be aware that some of these are reserved for caravans only, and others for tents only. Current Parks Canada guidance requires reservations for front-country camping, so book as early as possible for the summer season. Here is a list of campsites in the park. Camping fees vary by campground, site type, and season. When I was there, in August, everything was literally full to bursting. The trick is to either book your tent space months in advance, which may not be possible if you are on a road trip and not sure when you’ll be turning up, or to check every day for any last minute cancellations. That’s how I managed to get a night at Tunnel Mountain outside Banff. The struggle began the next day when we had to look for somewhere else!

After my experience in the park, I recommend that you book your first night at a campsite before arriving and then go off very early in the morning (5am) and check the official reservation system for cancellations. If you are camping, this is your best option. I personally had to go as far as Yoho National Park, more than 40 minutes from the town of Banff, to find an available pitch in the early hours of the morning in temperatures of 2°… So, be prepared, you’ve been warned!

For those who aren’t camping there are several other options, including hotels and lodges, which you’ll find throughout the park.

Finally, how many days should you spend in Banff? This is a difficult question to answer, because it will depend on a lot of factors, including how much time you actually have.

Based on my experience, I would say that a week in the park is a good amount of time. That gives you time to explore the town of Banff and visit many of the attractions mentioned in this guide.

However, I didn’t see and do everything in the park and there are plenty more hikes giving access to other magnificent waterfalls and lakes. The fact is that traveling with a three-year-old, while being a lovely experience, certainly has its restrictions, especially when part of the day may involve carrying them.

In addition to the 10 points listed above, there are plenty more reasons to stay longer, especially if you love nature, walking and watching wildlife.

That’s it, I’ve come to the end of my adventure and I hope you enjoyed this article. If you know Canada, are there any other areas you recommend that you particularly liked? Banff National Park is certainly a real wonder, a pleasure for the eyes, and well worth visiting. I look forward to introducing you to other great places in this amazing country, but I’ll save them for another day! If you are traveling in the Northwestern United States, not far from the Canadian border, I invite you to read my article on Yellowstone National Park.

See you soon, and have a wonderful trip.

Written by Sylvain PONS

I had the opportunity to explore the beauty of this country I love on several different occasions and in different places (Canadian Rockies, the Island of Newfoundland for 1 month, Yukon and Québec)!

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