Season guide · Banff · Canada
Banff in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Odysseus1479, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Three ski resorts, skating on Lake Louise, ice walks in Johnston Canyon and the hot springs in the snow; very cold. Expect highs up to -2°C (28°F) and lows around -15°C (5°F), with about 31 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -15°C (5°F) to -2°C (28°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 31
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -5°C (23°F) | -15°C (5°F) | 11 | 8.4 h | 3/5 |
| February | -2°C (28°F) | -14°C (7°F) | 9 | 9.9 h | 3/5 |
| December | -5°C (23°F) | -14°C (7°F) | 11 | 7.9 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of -4°C (25°F) against a yearly 9°C (48°F), and 31 of the year's roughly 136 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Ice Magic Festival — ice-carving competition at Lake Louise (usually mid-to-late January)
- January: SnowDays — winter festival with ice sculptures in Banff (usually January)
- December: Christmas and New Year festivities in town and at the Fairmont hotels
Good choices for winter
Architecture · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
Fairmont Banff Springs
Afternoon tea or a drink in the lounge is the easiest way to see inside without staying.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Couples
- Rainy day
Historic site · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
The thermal springs found here by railway workers in 1883 led to the creation of Canada's first national park in 1885.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
Museum · Downtown Banff
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
A good rainy-afternoon stop on Bear Street, a block from Banff Avenue.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown Banff
Banff Park Museum
Western Canada's oldest natural-history museum, a log building from 1903 filled with Victorian-era mounted animals and display cases.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
Banff Upper Hot Springs
Visit in the evening or on a winter day; swimsuits and towels can be rented if you arrive without.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Canmore (About 20 minutes by car or 25 minutes by Roam bus) — The mountain town just outside the park has the Grassi Lakes trail, the Canmore Nordic Centre and a relaxed Main Street of cafés, galleries and breweries.
- Kananaskis Country (About 1 hour by car) — Provincial parks south of Canmore with quieter lakes, hikes and wildlife; the Kananaskis Lakes and Spray Lakes road are highlights.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Banff?
It is a trade-off: Three ski resorts, skating on Lake Louise, ice walks in Johnston Canyon and the hot springs in the snow; very cold. The best months overall are June–September.
+What is the weather like in Banff in winter?
Highs of up to -2°C (28°F) and lows around -15°C (5°F), with about 31 rainy days over the season.