Outdoors · Banff · Canada
8 best outdoor things to do in Banff
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Odysseus1479, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Johnston Canyon. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 14–22 hours across 5 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 14–22 hours
- Areas
- Lake Louise, Bow Valley Parkway and Minnewanka Loop
Outdoors in Banff
Nature · Lake Louise
1.Lake Louise
Arrive by Parks Canada shuttle or Roam bus rather than driving; the lakeshore parking lot fills very early in summer.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Nature · Lake Louise
2.Moraine Lake
Book the earliest shuttle or a sunrise tour for calm water and softer light on the peaks.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Nature · Bow Valley Parkway
3.Johnston Canyon
Start before 9am or after 5pm in summer to avoid the queues on the catwalks; ice cleats help in winter.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
- Photo spot
Nature · Minnewanka Loop
4.Lake Minnewanka
Stop at Two Jack Lake at sunrise for reflections of Mount Rundle.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Nature · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
5.Bow Falls
Combine with the Hoodoos trail or the Surprise Corner viewpoint for the classic view of the Banff Springs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Historic site · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
6.Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Walk or cycle the flat Sundance trail beyond the site for an easy river outing.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
Nature · Tunnel Mountain
7.Tunnel Mountain hike
Start from the St. Julien Road trailhead and allow about two hours return.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
- Kids
Nature · Lake Louise
8.Lake Agnes Teahouse and Plain of Six Glaciers
Carry cash for the teahouses and start early; the trails get crowded by late morning.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Nature
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Louise | Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Lake Agnes Teahouse and Plain of Six Glaciers | 2–4 hours + 2–3 hours + 3–5 hours |
| Bow Valley Parkway | Johnston Canyon | 2–3 hours |
| Minnewanka Loop | Lake Minnewanka | 1–3 hours |
| Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs | Bow Falls and Cave and Basin National Historic Site | 45 minutes + 1–1.5 hours |
| Tunnel Mountain | Tunnel Mountain hike | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 4 low cost. Book ahead for Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. The longest visit is Lake Agnes Teahouse and Plain of Six Glaciers; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Lake Louise: Parks Canada shuttles to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake run in summer and early autumn and are reserved online.
- Moraine Lake: Shuttle and tour seats for the main summer season sell out; reserve as soon as bookings open.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Lake Louise): Lake Louise, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Lake Louise): Moraine Lake, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Lake Louise): Lake Agnes Teahouse and Plain of Six Glaciers, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Bow Valley Parkway and Minnewanka Loop): Johnston Canyon → Lake Minnewanka, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs and Tunnel Mountain): Bow Falls → Cave and Basin National Historic Site → Tunnel Mountain hike, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- August: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 12 rainy days, very busy crowds. Still peak season; wildfire smoke can haze the views in some years.
- July: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 13 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warmest and busiest month: all trails open, lakes at their brightest, and very busy roads and parking.
- September: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Crisp, clearer days; larches turn gold on the high trails, usually in the second half of the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs — South of the Bow River: Bow Falls, the castle hotel and the road to the gondola
- Tunnel Mountain — Hillside lodges, condo hotels and campgrounds above the town
- Lake Louise Village — Small hamlet near the famous lake, 58 km northwest of Banff
- Bow Valley Parkway — Cabins and lodges along the scenic road between Banff and Lake Louise
More of Banff
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Banff?
Lake Louise. The emerald-turquoise lake beneath Victoria Glacier is coloured by fine glacial rock flour.
+Which of these are free in Banff?
Johnston Canyon, Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls and Tunnel Mountain hike.