Visiting Banff in Winter: The Ultimate Guide

One of the best qualities about Banff is that it’s a great destination to visit in all seasons – even winter!

After experiencing it in both the heat of the summer and the dead of winter, I have to say that Banff might actually be more enjoyable to visit in its “off season”. Fewer crowds and more free space in combination with a long list of fun and unique outdoor activities make a Banff winter trip the perfect getaway for both breathtaking scenery and adventure.

No matter your interests or ability levels – you’ll find something for everyone in Banff.

Exploring Banff in the Winter

In February, a small group of my friends and I planned a winter trip to Banff and had the time of our lives! I honestly don’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard and had so much carefree fun. 

We each took three days off of work and paired it with a weekend to have a five day winter vacation in Banff – which felt like the perfect amount of time to explore.

Five days in Banff allowed us to wander at our own place and feel completely relaxed and engaged with each activity. We didn’t feel too overwhelmed trying to cram everything into one day nor did we feel bored from a lack of options. We probably could have spent two weeks in the Banff area and not even scratched the surface of things to do! 

Five Day Winter Banff Itinerary

I’ve put together a post outlining our full five day Banff itinerary and have also compiled a detailed list of all the activities we did over our five day winter getaway in Banff below. 

If you’re looking to spend a few days in Banff, I highly recommend all the options I’ve outlined below! However, please don’t just take my word for it – I’m sure there are a ton of local hidden gems that I didn’t have the pleasure of finding yet!

The Best Winter Activities in Banff

Go on a Winter Hike

One of the best ways to experience the amazing nature and mountain views in Banff National Park is to go on a winter hike. Within the park you’ll find an abundance of different winter hiking trail options for all different fitness levels. Although you’ll definitely find more trail options in the summer, the winter offerings definitely don’t disappoint! Check out alltrails.com or visit the Banff Visitor Center in town to learn about all your winter hiking options in Banff.

On our vacation, we hiked at Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, and Tunnel Mountain. The trails for these hikes are typically well maintained and hard packed so we didn’t need to rent snowshoes for these popular trails – regular winter boots worked just fine!

Johnston Canyon

In the summer months Johnston Canyon is one of the most iconic stops on any trip to Banff. Its blue waterfalls, towering rock walls, and lush coniferous landscape draw in thousands of tourists every year. 

In the winter, Johnston Canyon feels just as magical as the waterfalls freeze into blue-tingled icicles and powdery blankets of snow cover the towering trees and boulders transforming the canyon into a white-coated winter wonderland. 

We hiked about 1.5 miles to the Upper Falls and back while taking our time looking around, snapping photos, and marveling at the canyon’s frozen beauty. We were even lucky enough to see some ice climbers at the end! 

Lake Louise

No matter how many photos you see of Lake Louise, experiencing it in person is even more amazing than you could ever imagine. Photos simply don’t do this stunning location justice. 

The easy and flat four mile out and back trail along Lake Louise’s shoreline provides the perfect way to enjoy and immerse yourself in breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains and glaciers.  

We hiked this trail just after sunrise before we departed for the airport on our last day. We loved watching the sun come up over the mountains and basking in the golden-hour glow while taking in all the beautiful winter views around Lake Louise. As a bonus, we were the only people out on the lake for the first hour! 

Tunnel Mountain Trail

Tunnel Mountain is a great introductory hike to Banff. It’s easy to access, well maintained, and the scenic view of Mount Rundle and the Bow River Valley make it the perfect stop to start out your time in Banff. 

We stopped at Tunnel Mountain for a quick hike as soon as we arrived in Banff – before we even checked in to our hotel! The ridgeline trail is fairly flat and runs for about five miles but you can turn around at any time. We hiked about 2 miles before turning back.

Ice Skate on Lake Louise

No matter what time of year you visit Banff, you must stop at Lake Louise. It’s beauty is legendary in all seasons – but on a winter visit, you won’t find a better way to experience the magic of this beautiful place than ice skating over the crystal clear frozen water. Even if you’re not very good at skating, I swear it’s worth it!

Ice skating on Lake Louise was my favorite part of our entire trip – hands down. It felt so surreal to glide around on the ice with pristine views of glaciers, dense coniferous forest, and snow-capped mountains in the distance. We spent over two hours skating around the outdoor ice rink holding hands, goofing around, and even trying our hand at a makeshift hockey game. It’s one of the best memories I’ll ever have.

Afterwards we treated ourselves to a round of hot toddies at the Alpine Social – one of the Fairmont Chateau’s multiple bars. If you’re lucky the seasonal ice bar will be open and you can have a drink there too! Unfortunately for us, we ice skated too long and they closed the ice bar before we could grab a drink.

Lake Louise Ice Skate Rentals

You can rent ice skates at the rental center inside the Fairmont Chateau Hotel for $22 CAD for two hours. Or, if you plan ahead, you can rent skates in Banff town and bring them out to the lake yourself. If you go this route, I’d recommend going to Snowtips-Bactrax where you can get a full day skate rental for $15 CAD.

Ski at one of Banff’s Big Three

If you’re looking to do some snowboarding or skiing or in Banff you have three major options – Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, or Norquay Mountain. All three resorts offer a variety of runs and have plenty of great options for a day or two on the slopes. 

After asking around and talking with a few locals, we learned a few key differences between the Big Three ski resorts in Banff. 

• Norquay has the cheapest lift tickets and the most challenging runs. 
• Lake Louise is the local favorite. However, this mountain tends to have icier conditions than the others. 
• Sunshine Village has the most beginner-friendly routes but is also the most expensive.

With those descriptions in mind, we decided to spend our ski day at Sunshine Village in order to have access to more beginner routes as we all had very average skiing skills and confidence levels. Sunshine was the perfect choice for us and we absolutely loved skiing there.

If you’re not a beginner or are interested in taking on more of a challenge, you can find more about the other resorts in the area here.

Sunshine Village for Beginners

As beginners, skiing at Sunshine Village was the best choice for us and we had an awesome day skiing there! Made up of three separate mountains, the resort dedicates one of them completely to beginner skiers! We were actually able to ride the lift to the top of the mountain and ski all the way to the bottom only taking blue and green routes – which I’ve never been able to do!

If you’re newer to skiing or are trying to get back into it after a few years – I can’t recommend Sunshine Village enough.  

Banff Sunshine Village Cost

In all, a day at Sunshine Village cost about $250 CAD including ski rentals ($90), a lift ticket ($127), lunch at that chalet ($17), and two ice-cold Molsons ($16). Although the lift ticket costs more than any other resorts in the area, we thought the hefty price tag was worth it to have access to so many beginner routes. 

If you want to keep costs a little lower on your ski day, you have the option of bringing in your own rentals from Snowtips-Backtrax (about $40) and packing a lunch/snacks instead of eating at the restaurant.

Wander Around  Banff Town

Wandering around and exploring Banff Town feels like a treat in itself. In the winter, Banff transforms from a bustling summer city into a relaxed ski town filled with boutique shops and local restaurants. An afternoon or morning strolling along the main drag and taking in the views of Mount Rundle is the perfect way to kill an hour or two. 

Our favorite stops and discoveries in town included Park Distillery for the amazing gin and tonics, BeaverTails to enjoy the iconic Canadian dessert, and Good Earth for a fantastic cup of mid-day coffee!

Soak in the Banff Hot Springs

Can you think of anything better than a nice, long soak in a hot spring after a long day of adventures out in the cold? I can’t! 

After spending a full day skiing at Sunshine Village, we headed straight for the Banff Upper Hot Springs to soak in the hot water and enjoy the picturesque views of the snow-capped mountains. We loved the relaxed atmosphere and the hot springs felt phenomenal on our sore muscles after a long day on the slopes.

The hot spring entrance fee is $7 which also includes complimentary towels, showers, and personal lockers. Swimsuits are also available for rental in case you forgot to pack one!

Other hot spring options in the Rocky Mountain area include Radium and Miette – but the Banff Upper Hot Springs is by far the most convenient!

Go Snowshoeing 

Although snowshoeing can look a little silly, it usually lets you wander a little more off the beaten path and explore areas where you’ll see far less traffic than a hard-packed winter hiking trail like the ones found at Johnston Canyon or Lake Louise.

You’ll have a variety of different snowshoeing trails around Banff to choose from and can definitely find a trail that has exactly what you’re looking for in terms of scenery and physical challenge. Whether you’re interested in an easy walk through the woods, a flat jaunt around a lake, or even a challenging elevation gain with great views – you’ll find a great option for all interests and abilities! 

If you’re not sure which hike best suits your ability level and interests, stop in at the Banff Visitor Center and have one of their super-helpful staff make a recommendation for you! We thought we knew what hike we wanted to do, but after stopping in at the visitors center, we selected a new route that better matched our fitness levels and interests!

Snowshoeing Sulphur Mountain

For our snowshoe excursion, we wanted alpine views and a bit of a challenge; so we chose to hike up Sulphur Mountain. It was a beautiful trail that traversed through a valley before turning into a general incline climb up the mountain with breathtaking views in almost every direction. Although we didn’t technically make it to the top (or anywhere close to the top) we still hiked 6 miles and over 1,200 feet in elevation and definitely got a workout! 

We chose this route for a few reasons, mainly for the low-risk of avalanches and general safety of the route. Most alpine snowshoeing trails are located in high-risk areas for avalanches, so if you’re planning on snowshoeing there you’ll need to make sure you have the proper gear and avalanche-safety training.

Snowshoe Rentals in Banff

We rented snowshoes and poles from Snowtips-Bactrax in Banff town. Overall, the prices were very reasonable at $20 CAD per pair for an entire day and the staff were super friendly!

Drive the Scenic the Bow Valley Parkway

Located right off of Highway 1, the Bow Valley Parkway is one of the most scenic drives in Banff – both in the summer and winter!

Take a few hours of a morning or afternoon to cruise along this curvy road and enjoy the scenery while stopping at whichever viewpoints and vistas look interesting along the way.

We took a break to have a cocktail and appetizers at the Baker Creek Bistro and fell in love with the cozy cabin vibe. They also set up lawn chairs and firepits by the river for you to relax in and enjoy year-round. Unfortunately for us, the single digit temperatures kept us indoors this time around! 

Explore Banff’s Bars and Restaurants

Banff is filled with amazing dining and drinking options of all different kinds. I highly encourage you to wander around and stop in at whatever establishment calls out to you. We found some amazing and unexpected options this way! Some of our favorites included:

• Park Distillery – An amazing bar, restaurant, and distillery where I sipped on the best gin and tonic of my life!
• Ticino – A cute European-style restaurant serving up traditional Swiss-Italian dishes. Although it’s a little pricier, we thought the homemade pasta was worth it! You’ll have to wander a little off the beaten path to find Ticino – which means it’s less touristy & more authentic!
• Baker Creek Bistro – An adorable log cabin resort and restaurant on the Bow Valley Parkway that serves up amazing apps and cocktails in a cozy cabin setting.
• Good Earth Coffee – A quick stop for a healthy breakfast to go and delicious, high-quality coffee! 
• BeaverTails – A Canadian tradition and must stop for dessert after dinner or just as a sweet treat while exploring town. 

And that’s all for now! Honestly, this region of Canada is absolutely stunning and no matter what you choose to do, I know you’ll have a great time!

Have you visited Banff in winter? What were some of your favorite spots?