Banff National Park
Things To Do
Lake Louise
Starting off by walking around your favourite instagram photo spot; Lake Louise. Make sure when planning your trip you go early to get a parking spot or you’ll be stuck doing laps for a while. During the summer months you can rent yourself a canoe for roughly $135 or bring your own canoe, kayak or paddle board and bum around the lake. If you’d like to hike you have lots of options to choose from, starting with walking the shoreline of Lake Louise itself.
Lake Agnes
Lake Agnes is a favourite of mine. If you’re looking for a moderate hike with beautiful views and some over priced hot chocolate & hummus sandwiches at the top, than this is your hike. This is roughly a 7km heavily trafficked trail by both people and horses with a little tea house up top to add into your adventure. About midway up to Lake Agnes Tea House you can stop for a breather, snack and photo op at Mirror Lake with a stunning reflection of The Beehive!
Little Bee Hive
Little Bee Hive via Lake Agnes Trail. This is a moderate out and back 9km trail that has a steady incline the whole way up. At the top there is a stunning view of Lake Louise, Lake Agnes, Mirror Lake and the surrounding rockies landscape. Make sure to bring your bug spray on this one because the bugs are insane!
Big Bee Hive
Big Bee Hive is a heavily trafficked 11km loop rated as hard that overlooks beautiful blue Lake Louise at the top. This hike has some steep switchbacks and can be very icy and unpredictable in the colder months but if you keep a steady pace and take breaks when needed it’s definitely worth the views at the top!
Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake even on a rainy day this place is so picture perfect. If you’re looking for that gatorade blue water with an unreal view hitting up this spot should be on your list. From the parking lot you can walk less than 1km to Moraine Lake viewpoint so this is ideal for any skill level including kids and dogs! There is also the option to canoe, explore the gift store and enjoy some coco with a view.
If you’re into camping, paddling around or just want to experience an unreal golden peak at sunrise Two Jake Lake is the place to be. There is a camp ground and surrounding trails you can explore while spending the weekend exploring the great outdoors. This place isn’t far from both Banff and Canmore so getting there is super easy but it is a very popular place, especially in the summer so getting there early is always the ideal goal. There is always lots of wildlife in this area so keep an eye out for that treat, but please remember to drive slowly in the area and if you do encounter an animal give it space and respect its boundaries.
FunFact: this lake is where I saw the northern lights for the first time so I will also say that night life here never disappoints.
Lake Minnewanka
Lake Minnewanka is a stunning place to visit if you are in Banff National Park. In the summer months there is a moderate out and back hike along the lake that is roughly 15km that allows you to see the beautiful views of the surrounding area. You can also take a boat tour of the lake to learn the history of the lake and town, as well as bring your own paddle board, canoe or kayak and tour around on your own. During the winter you can almost always find people skating around playing hockey on this beautiful huge lake.
Something a lot of people who are visiting the area are not aware of is the underwater ghost town in the lake! If you want to check it out you can scuba down and take a tour that not all are lucky enough to experience, so if you have the gear and the time; taking a deep dive into this glacier lake should definitely be on your list of things to do.
Cascade Ponds
This place is a treat in both the winter and summer months and is by far one of my favourite late night picnic spots. During the summer this place is packed all weekend long with people enjoying the water and bbq’ing with their friends and family. The reflections of the mountains on the water from this place are so unreal, you can almost always find people taking their engagement photos here. During the winter months the ponds freeze over and a lot of the tourists don’t hang around as much, but for locals it’s an amazing spot to cozy up with a fire and enjoy the scenery.
Cascade Garden
Cascade Garden is a beautiful little oasis. This place was at one time hotel built in the 1800’s which unfortunately burnt down in 1930 and than taken over by Parks Canada was turned into the gardens as you see today. These gardens are open all year round but definitely most beautiful in the summer months when the flowers are all in bloom and you can really experience the beauty for what it is. Looking away from the building you are given perfect views of downtown Banff and the massive Cascade Mountain.
Johnston Canyon Upper Falls This trail is definitely one of the busier in the area especially during the summer; with minimal parking and high traffic this is a 5.5km out and back trail rated as Moderate on AllTrails. This trail is open year round (though it tends to become very icy in the colder months so spikes and poles are highly recommended) and is dog friendly as long as they are kept on leash! The views along this whole trail are truly spectacular and if you do catch yourself here in the winter, you will likely come across some Ice Climbers at the waterfall!
Johnston Canyon Lower Falls The lower falls, like the upper is a very busy area especially in the summer months. This hike is a 2.3km out and back taking about an hour to complete. Again this area is open all year round and is dog friendly. Be prepared to wait in line to see the lower falls as you do have to walk through a little cave that only accommodates a few people at a time.