Ultimate Guide to Visiting Banff National Park

Guide to Visiting Banff National Park

Banff National Park, located in the Canadian Rockies, is one of the absolute gems in the Canadian National Parks System. From turquoise blue glacial lakes, rushing rivers, impressive waterfalls, and incredible wildlife, you will see some of Canada’s best in this national park. While you could spend weeks here exploring and never run out of things to do, with less time you can still see the top sites which we share in this Banff National Park guide.

About Banff National Park

Banff National Park is located in the Canadian province of Alberta, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. It is Canada’s first national park, dating back to 1883 when Canadian railroad workers discovered natural hot springs at the base of Sulphur Mountain. The land was soon set aside to protect this natural wonder and shortly thereafter, Canada’s first national park was born. It was officially named Banff in 1930 when the then-president of Canadian Pacific Railway named it after his home of Banffshire, Scotland.

Banff National Park covers 2,564 square miles of land, encompassing lakes, valleys, rivers, and forests making it one of the world’s most outstanding national parks.

Situated about 80 miles west of Calgary, it is a fairly easy-to-access park. The town of Banff is a great base when exploring this park with a bevy of restaurants, lodging, and retail shops, and is a jumping off point for many tours in the area.

When we went

We visited Banff in September 2024. The weather was sunny, in fact not even a cloud in the sky the entire time we were there. Temperatures were comfortable for hiking, 40s in the early morning, getting up to 60s-70s by the afternoon.

Banff is Canada’s most visited national park so crowd levels are almost always high. In early September, some places were still very busy, such as Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. However, we were there in between two of the busiest seasons: peak summer season and peak fall season, when the larch trees turn a beautiful golden shade of yellow, just before the cold and snow sets in. Because of this, a visit to Banff in early to mid-September is a great time to go, but still expect some crowds.

BANFF NATIONAL PARK FACTS

Canada’s First National Park

LOCATION: Alberta, Canada
CLOSEST CITY: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
ANNUAL VISITORS: 4.28 million visitors (2023)
# 1 most visited national park in Canada
BECAME A NATIONAL PARK: 1885
TOP THINGS TO SEE: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and driving the Icefields Parkway

GUIDE TO VISITING BANFF NATIONAL PARK

How to Get Here & Transportation

The closest major airport is Calgary, about 80 miles east of Banff. There are shuttle services that run between Calgary and Banff.

Within Banff, Roam Public Transit runs between Banff and many of the popular places to visit, such as Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.

We rented a vehicle for the duration of our time in Banff, which we found very handy. Our hotel also had underground parking so we never dealt with the parking issues that may people experience within Banff.

Where to Stay and Restaurant Recommendations

Staying in the town of Banff is the best place to stay while visiting the park with the same name. Not only does the town of Banff have several sites within its boundaries, but lodging, dining, and shopping are all plentiful. Banff is a beautiful town with Banff Avenue running through the main corridor towards massive Cascade Mountain. Banff Avenue hosts many retailers, souvenir shops, and gear outfitters.

The town of Banff

There are several lodging options in Banff, from Airbnbs to the luxury hotel, Fairmont Banff Springs. We stayed at the Moose Hotel & Suites right on Banff Avenue. The hotel features a rooftop pool, hot tub, a workout room, underground parking, and laundry facilities. A large, two-story fire was almost always burning in the lobby area with plenty of comfy chairs to lounge in. A cozy bar attached to the restaurant made for a great place to stop in for an evening cocktail. We had a one-bedroom with a mini kitchen, perfect for our stay here and we would absolutely stay here again.

In the town of Banff, the Banff National Park Building is located at the end of Banff Avenue with the beautiful Cascade Gardens out front.

Banff National Park Building

Cascade Gardens, looking down to the town of Banff

Just a short distance away is the Cave & Basin National Historic site, site of what started Banff National Park and the Canadian National Park System.

As for restaurants in Banff, all of the restaurants we visited were either located right on Banff Avenue or at least walking distance from our hotel.

Here is a list of restaurants we tried while in Banff:

Brazen

LOCATION: Banff Avenue | Banff

Brazen pays homage to the “brazen” folks who built the town of Banff.

We had a delicious steak dinner and a wine pairing. Service here was great and we really enjoyed our meal here.

Farm & Fire

LOCATION: Elk + Avenue Hotel | Banff Avenue, Banff

Farm & Fire is located in the Elk + Avenue Hotel, just two hotels down from where we were staying at the Moose Hotel & Suites. The dinner was a bit unique in that it is considered family style, so portions are large. We dined here on a Wednesday, which happens to be the night they have live music. The restaurant was cozy and the service was great, and our food and drinks were excellent.

Rundle Bar

LOCATION: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel | Spray Ave., Banff

We returned our rental car at the Fairmont Banff Springs after our Icefields Parkway day as we were off on a two-day train trip the next day. It worked out to drop the car here and walk back to our hotel, The Moose Hotel, on Banff Avenue. However, we were hungry and decided to stop in to this historic property grab a bite to eat.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Dining on the patio of Rundle Bar was a fabulous dining experience! We enjoyed light bites with Aperol Spritzes all while dining with amazing views. The hotel is gorgeous and worth a visit to check it out.

Larkspur

LOCATION: Rimrock Hotel | Mountain Ave., Banff

We had an especially great dining experience at Larkspur Lounge. Seated outside on the patio overlooking the mountains, we enjoyed craft cocktails, charcuterie, and other small plates. We liked it so much we came back for drinks after our gondola ride, since it is so close to the Banff Gondola.

TOP THINGS TO DO IN BANFF NATIONAL PARK

We were in Banff for four days, which was a great amount of time to visit the top sites, log lots of miles on the hiking trails, and drive one of North America’s most spectacular drives.

Visit the Glacial Lakes

As two of the most popular glacial lakes in Banff National Park, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are not to be missed.

Canoers out on Lake Louise

Lake Louise is famous for its setting ringed by craggy mountain peaks with the luxurious Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise on its shores. Renting a canoe is popular here in the spring, summer, and fall months, while ice skating reigns supreme during the winter. Off the lake, the trails offer fabulous hiking opportunities with never ending views.

Lake Agnes Trail | Lake Louise

Lake Louise peeking through the trees while on the Lake Agnes Trail

View of Lake Louise from the Little Beehive Trail (which continues on from the Lake Agnes Trail)

The Lake Agnes Trail to the Lake Agnes Teahouse is not to be missed.

The Lake Agnes Tea House

Not only are the views on the Lake Agnes Trail great but reaching a tea house after a hike is a unique experience. Lake Agnes, the trail’s namesake, is a gorgeous mountain lake sitting high up by the tea house.

Lake Agnes

Along the trail we also passed Mirror Lake, which definitely lived up to its name.

Mirror Lake

Just a short distance away, Moraine Lake was our favorite of the glacial lakes in Banff as the beauty here is unreal. Hike the short Rockpile Trail to reach three levels of overlooks to take in the views of Moraine Lake and the distant mountains.

Moraine Lake

While at Moraine Lake, we also hiked the Consolation Lakes Trail which took us over a massive boulder field onto a woody trail that runs next to rushing Babel Creek. The trail was relatively easy with minimal elevation gain and it was shaded the whole time. At the end of the trail, the woods give way to a meadow and the stunning Consolation Lakes. Mike and I ate our picnic lunch on a large boulder in the lake and we could not have had better views.

Our picnic spot on Consolation Lakes

NOTE: Visiting Lake Louise and Moraine Lake takes advance planning due to their popularity. We have a full guide outlining how to visit these lakes with planning tips and lots of information: Guide to Visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.

Another popular lake in Banff National Park, Peyto Lake, is not to be missed. It is unique in that it looks like a wolf’s head!

Peyto Lake

The paved trail to reach Petyo Lake is short and steep with a spur to the left, an easier route as it increases in elevation at a gentler grade. Regardless of what path you take, the trail brings you to an overlook with great views over Peyto Lake and beyond. You can continue on further up the trail for even more vast views, although we didn’t do this. The day we visited Peyto Lake, we were driving the Icefields Parkway and had multiple stops to make. We were content with our view seen from the first overlook anyway.

Soak in the Hot Springs

What is better after a day of hiking than soaking in hot springs? Banff Upper Hot Springs is the perfect place to do so! The hot mineral-rich waters are believed to have healing properties so a soak is a must, especially after hitting the trails. The hot springs are actually the highest hot springs in all of Canada at an elevation of 5,200 feet!

You can combine a stop at the Banff Upper Hot Springs with a visit to the Banff Gondola (which we share about below), as they are located right next to one another.

Ride a Gondola for Birds-Eye Views

The Banff Gondola takes you up almost 2,300 feet to the top of Sulphur Mountain. At the top there are multiple levels to explore to take in the vast views of the town of Banff below and surrounding mountains.

View of Banff from the top of Sulphur Mountain

Sky Bistro is a restaurant located at the top with great views while dining. Unfortunately for us it was closed for a private event while we were there, so we settled for a coffee from Castle Mountain Coffee while taking in the views.

There are also interpretive signs and areas for kids to explore indoors.

Want to go even further? Begin on the boardwalk and walk about 0.6 miles to the Cosmic Ray Station. Follow the series of walkways and lots of steps to reach the Cosmic Ray Station. We did not do this as we had hiked a lot already this day so don’t have personal experience. We heard that the best part of reaching the station was the view…which we had plenty of at the gondola viewing area, so that also solidified our decision to skip it.

The Boardwalk leading to the Cosmic Ray Station

The Lake Louise Gondola is another great option, especially if you park there to access the shuttle busses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. This gondola advertises the likelihood of seeing grizzlies from the gondola…so it may be worth a visit!

Check Out Cave & Basin Historic Site

The site that started it all! Cave & Basin National Historic Site is located in the town of Banff, just down the road from Cascade Gardens and the Banff National Park building. Cave & Basin is the site of mineral hot springs that led to the creation of Banff National Park and national parks as we know them today. Already a special place for the Indigenous people of the area, Canadian Railway workers came upon the springs in the late 1800s. They went on to build a cabin next to the springs, which ended up as a boundary, leading to the eventual creation of Canada’s first national park.

Today, visitors can learn about the history and culture of the area while taking a peek into the springs that started it all.

Drive the Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway is a 144 mile span on Highway 93 in the Canadian Province of Alberta. While on the parkway you can see some of the area’s best sites such as glacial lakes, canyons, and waterfalls, all in a days drive. While in Banff, driving the Icefields Parkway is not to be missed.

The Icefields Parkway

Several sites that we have listed in this guide are great stops on the Icefields Parkway, such as Johnston Canyon, Peyto Lake, and Mistaya Canyon. While Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are off Highway 93 as well, we think each of them deserve their own day!

READ: For our detailed itinerary of driving the Icefields Parkway, taking us from Banff up to Jasper, check out our article: Full Guide to Driving the Icefield’s Parkway.

Visit Mistaya Canyon

Mistaya Canyon is located just off Highway 93 (aka The Icefields Parkway), about 80 miles from the town of Banff. It is a beautiful spot and one of our favorite stops on the Icefields Parkway.

Mistaya Canyon

Set amongst towering mountains and tall pines, the canyon forms off the rushing river coming from nearby Peyto Lake. The result is a gorgeous setting with fast flowing water making its way through the canyon.

Rushing water flowing through Mistaya Canyon

The trail here at Mistaya Canyon is rugged with rocks and roots underfoot, so not accessible. It is just about one mile to the bridge where you get magnificent views of the rushing river set amongst forest with distant mountains completing the scene. There are additional trails for more hiking, however we chose to just relax on the rocks with a snack as, again, we had multiple stops today on the Icefields Parkway.

Visit Johnston Canyon

This is one of the stops on the Icefields Parkway, the closest to Banff, at just 30 minutes from town.

Johnston Canyon features a paved path onto an elevated walkway to reach the Lower Falls and the Upper Falls.

The path at Johnston Canyon

The hike to Lower Falls is just one mile on a paved path, so it is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. It was an easy walk with very minimal elevation gain and handrails if needed. The scene in the canyon was gorgeous and the Lower Falls are a magnificent end to the hike.

Views along the trail; The Lower Falls | Johnston Canyon

With more time, continue on to the Upper Falls. We did not have time as we had several other stops on our Icefields Parkway drive, however, heard the views are worth it.

The entire hike in the canyon is just gorgeous with the rushing river next to you as you make your way to the falls.

FANTASTIC HIKES TO ADD TO YOUR LIST

The town of Banff features several trails. One of the most popular is Tunnel Mountain Summit Trail, taking hikers above Banff for an incredible birds-eye view. Another great one is the hike up to Sulphur Mountain, where your legs get you up the mountain versus the gondola! This hike will have you climbing a lot of elevation on the way up. This trail is a 3.6 mile out-and-back, although you also have the option to take the gondola one way as well.

The trails we hiked in Banff National Park were at Lake Louise and Moraine Lake and a few trails on our drive on the Icefields Parkway, which we share about below.

Lake Agnes Trail

Lake Agnes was a favorite of ours for the beautiful hike up through the pines with peeks of turquoise blue Lake Louise popping through the trees here and there. The best part was ending at the Lake Agnes Tea House where we enjoyed a cup of wildberry tea in the comfort of a cozy mountain cabin.

Rockpile Trail

The Rockpile Trail at Moraine Lake takes you on a short and steep trail up to three levels of viewpoints over Moraine Lake.

The Rockpile Trail

This happens to be our favorite of all the alpine lakes in Banff as the color of Moraine Lake is striking and the overall setting just so majestic.

View of Moraine Lake from the Rockpile Trail

Consolation Lakes Trail

For a longer hike, we trekked across a boulder field until we arrived at the woodsy path and continued on this trail that snakes through the forest, following Babel Creek.

The boulder field at the beginning of Consolation Lakes Trail – it’s worth it!

The forest part of Consolation Lakes Trail

Finally the forest gives way to the meadow and your view is the beautiful, peaceful setting of Consolation Lakes. The trail itself is relatively easy with very little elevation gain. We were rewarded with a stunning view of Consolation Lake while perched on a rock enjoying a delicious picnic lunch. After all everything tastes better post hiking!

Picnic with a view at Consolation Lakes

How we did this trip: Our trip to Banff and Banff National Park was part of a larger trip to the Canadian Rockies. We started out in Banff, where we spent four wonderful days. From here, we took a two day train trip on the Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver. And finally, we ended our time in Canada with two nights in Vancouver. You can read our full itinerary here: The Ultimate One Week Canadian Rockies Itinerary and Guide.

OUR PACKING LIST

Here is our packing list for our trip to the Canadian Rockies:

Our go-to hiking backpacks are Osprey brand. They are very lightweight and comfortable and carry all our essentials. You can find the backpacks in a variety of colors and capacities.
Camelback water reservoirs are a must when hiking.
I really like these Black Diamond trekking poles. These fold up and are lightweight, especially great for packing when traveling and taking along on hikes.
No hike should be without a mini first aid kit!

Ultimate Guide to Visiting Banff National Park

Guide to Visiting Banff National Park