If you’re looking for the ultimate Canadian adventure, look no further than Banff National Park. Known for its turquoise lakes and towering peaks, Banff is the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the Canadian Rockies. There are endless places to visit in Banff National Park, ensuring you’ll never have a dull moment.
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The Ultimate Guide to Banff National Park
I recently spent a week exploring everything that Canada’s first National Park has to offer. In this post, I’ll be sharing my 7-day itinerary for Banff National Park, covering the must-see hikes, breathtaking views, and even a dog sledding adventure!
We’re sharing everything you need to know for your next trip to Banff National Park, including the best restaurants, scenic attractions, where to stay in Banff, and more!
Where is Banff National Park
Banff National Park is located in the Canadian Province of Alberta, and is less than a two hour drive from the Calgary International Airport. I highly recommend renting a car when visiting Banff so that you have the freedom to explore on your own. If you decide to rent a car, make sure to choose a car with 4WD so that you are not limited on where you can explore in Banff. There are also several shuttle options available from Calgary International Airport to the town of Banff, as well as shuttles to transport you around town and sightseeing.
Exploring Banff in the Winter
While Banff is spectacular no matter what time of the year you visit, there’s something magical about spending the holidays in Banff. The winter snow covers the mountains and decorates the evergreen trees, turning the park into a real life snow globe. The winter months are also the best time to experience unique, once in a lifetime activities in Banff, from sleigh rides around Lake Louise to dog sledding through Banff National forest.
Day 1: Explore Banff
Spend the morning of your first full day in Banff exploring the town. Start your day with a filling breakfast at Tooloulou’s for a cajun meal and fun atmosphere that never disappoints. Afterwards, stroll to Sundance Road to shop through the Banff Christmas Markets. The markets are a perfect spot to find souvenirs and gifts to bring home! Banff’s outdoor markets are filled with everything from locally made soaps to handmade ornaments.
Ride the Banff Gondola
After spending the morning exploring, ride the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain. This iconic mountain offers unparalleled views of Banff and the surrounding valleys. While you’re taking in the mountain views, make sure to grab a hot chocolate from the Alpine Kitchen or Sky Bistro, which is part of the annual Banff Hot Chocolate Trail.
For dinner, I recommend eating at Chuck’s Steakhouse, which was one of the best meals we had the entire trip. All of the meat at Chuck’s is locally sourced in Alberta, and we could taste the high quality with every plate we tried.
Day 2: Banff’s Turquoise Lakes
On the second day of your trip, go sightseeing and venture out of town. Start by following Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive, which will lead you to Two Jack Lake overlooked by Mount Rundle. The winter is the perfect time to visit Two Jack Lake, whether you’re hoping to ice skate on the picturesque frozen lake or find snowshoeing trails.
Continue to drive on Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive until you reach Lake Minnewanka, the second longest lake in the Canadian Rockies. Because of its size, Lake Minnewanka is only frozen for a few months during the winter. If you visit during the peak winter months, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the frozen lake and the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
On the way back from Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive, there is a side road (Johnson Lake Road) which will take you to the smaller, more secluded Johnson Lake. If you’re looking for a less crowded winter hike, the Johnson Lake hike starts from the north shore and allows you to explore the winter wonderland in more depth as you walk around the lake.
Vermillion Lakes Road is another scenic road close to Banff that allows you to explore multiple lakes with views of the iconic Mount Rundle. Following the road out of Banff, you’ll reach the three Vermillion Lakes, which are all worth visiting. The Vermillion Lakes are known for providing breathtaking reflections of Mount Rundle, whether on the water or the frozen ice. There are several picnic areas and viewpoints where you can stop to enjoy the calmness or explore the lakes up close.
Day 3: Johnston Canyon and Hot Springs
Spend the morning hiking and exploring Johnston Canyon, which is only a 30 minute drive away from the town of Banff. To hike Johnston Canyon in the winter, you’ll need snowshoes or crampons. We bought crampons that fit perfectly over our shoes, and used them several times throughout the trip to walk across lakes and hike up trails covered in snow. I also recommend wearing several layers and bringing a backpack, as you’ll begin to warm up and peel off jackets throughout the hike.
The Lower Falls hike is not too strenuous, and showcases unique ice fixtures and snow covered trees for miles in every direction. About half an hour into the hike, you’ll reach the lower falls and their natural cave, which you can climb into to see the frozen falls and turquoise natural pool. If you continue forward to the Upper Falls, you’ll climb stairs and uphill hiking, but the view of the larger frozen falls and winter sculptures is definitely worth the effort! If you’re lucky, you’ll also be able to watch ice climbers ascend across the frozen falls.
After a long morning hiking Johnston Canyon, head to the Banff Hot Springs for some much needed relaxation. The Upper Hot Springs are the National Park’s only hot springs pool, and the mineral waters offer the perfect way to unwind.
Day 4: Dog Sledding
Wake up early to watch the sunrise at Vermillion Lakes or Castle Mountain. Luckily, you only need to wake up around 8:00 am to catch the sunrise in Banff in the winter! It is so special to wake up, grab a couple coffees and snacks, and spend the morning watching the sun rise above the mountains.
After taking in the views, get ready for my most favorite winter activity that we experienced in Banff – Dog Sledding! We booked our tour with Kingmik Dog Sled Tours, who train and care for the dogs, and even provide them new homes when they reach retirement. You’ll want to bundle up for this activity, as being on the snowy mountain trails going over 10 mph can quickly become chilly. Our musher (dog sled driver) and his dogs were a professional dog sledding team that competed in races in Northern Canada, and we loved being able to learn about the lives of the whole team.
Afterwards, head over to the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, where I highly recommend staying for the second half of your trip. Staying at the Fairmont for the holidays is like being in a real life Hallmark movie, with the entire hotel decorated for Christmas at the Castle. The Fairmont organizes so many winter activities for guests to explore, from their ice sculptures and ice carved bar, to the onsite holiday shopping and outdoor sledding. The hotel also hosts daily events for guests, ranging from yoga to cocktail classes and wine tastings, and writing letters to Santa for families.
Following a busy afternoon getting to know your way around the Fairmont Chateau, enjoy a romantic dinner at the Fairview Bar & Restaurant.
Trying to decide which Fairmont Restaurant to eat at? Check out my reviews for Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Day 5: Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Valley
Venture out of Banff to Jasper National Park, where you can explore the stunning Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Valley. The icefield is the largest in the Rocky Mountains, and allows visitors to explore Canada’s natural wonders up close. Columbia Icefield is accessible by car, about a 2 hour drive from Banff, or you can opt to book a guided tour with transportation to the icefield.
When you arrive at Columbia Icefield, you have two options for exploring the Athabasca Glacier.
I highly recommend booking an Ice Walk tour, which allows you to trek across the icefield to the glacier. If you prefer not to walk across the ice, you can book a tour with the Ice Explorers, which drive visitors across the glacier.
- Be sure to book your tour in advance, as the Columbia Icefield only allows a limited number of guests.
After exploring the glacier, head to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, which offers unparalleled views of the valley and its stunning landscape. The glass-bottomed bridge is suspended 918 feet (280m) above the ground.
Keep in mind, the Columbia Icefield is only open from May – October.
Day 6: Lake Louise
Spend the day getting to know Lake Louise and all of the attractions the area has to offer! After breakfast, bundle up and head outside to walk the Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail. The Lakeshore trail is a flat, easy walk that takes less than an hour. In the winter, this trail offers astounding views of the frozen lake and towering mountains surrounding it. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can continue hiking past the trail at the end of the lake to explore more of the Lake Louise region.
For a scenic, picture perfect view, head to Morant’s Curve, which is known for the iconic pictures of Canadian Pacific trains coming around the curve. After stopping at Morant’s Curve, continue down the Bow Valley Parkway to Marble Canyon, which is an easy out & back trail with great views of the Canadian Rockies. In the winter, you can see frozen waterfalls, small blue pools of water, and running streams.
Save time for a European style dinner at Walliser Stube inside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. If you’re trying to decide between their various fondue experiences, I recommend the Chateau Experiences fondue dinner paired with the Premium Wine Pairing – this dinner was the best we’ve had at any Fairmont hotel.
Day 7: Ski Lake Louise
The Canadian Rocky Mountains have some of the best skiing in the world, and if you’re visiting in the winter, you likely already have skiing the Big 3 on your bucket list. We chose to explore the Canadian Rockies at Lake Louise Ski Resort. If you’re staying at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the hotel offers onsite rentals and shuttle transportation to the ski resort, which makes the day so much easier for you. Keep in mind that skiing in the Canadian Rockies is not the same as skiing on the U.S. East Coast. Make sure to carry a trail map with you to navigate the 140+ trails and lifts!
If you’re not a skier or snowboarder, there are still several winter activities to enjoy. Lake Louise Ski Resort offers snow tubing, and if you’d rather stay closer to the hotel, the Fairmont Chateau offers ice skating on the iconic Lake Louise.
Where To Stay in Banff:
During our time in Banff, we stayed at the Moose Hotel and Suites. The main thing we were looking for when choosing where to stay was a place that was centrally located and within walking distance to the entire town of Banff, and the Moose Hotel and Suites was the perfect place! Every angle of the hotel has beautiful mountain views, and the rooftop hot tubs were the perfect way to end each day.
I recommend spending the second half of your trip at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which overlooks the iconic turquoise lake that Banff National Park is known for. Staying at Lake Louise will allow you to explore more of the Canadian Rockies and puts you at the doorstep of some of my favorite hikes and experiences in the region.
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