Trying to decide when to visit Banff? Maybe you’ve got some dates in mind and you’re wondering will the lakes be thawed? Will there still be snow? Is it going to be packed with people? Let’s walk through the seasons together so you can figure out the best time for your kind of trip.
Today, we’re breaking down one of the most common questions I get: When is the best time to visit Banff?
The answer might surprise you.
When is the Best Time to Visit Banff… It Depends
I know, I know, ‘it depends’ is kind of the worst answer. But it’s true. The best time to visit Banff depends on what kind of experience you want to have. Do you want bright blue lakes? Do you want to hike or ski? Do you want fewer crowds? Or the best chance at seeing wildlife?
Each season in Banff brings something different. And honestly, I don’t think there’s a bad time to come here but you do want to plan your expectations around the season.
Let’s get started with winter in Banff.
Winter in Banff (December to March)
Let’s start with winter because it is truly magical if you like snow. Skiing, snowshoeing, winter hikes, skating on frozen lakes it’s a real-life snow globe.
The lakes are all frozen, so you won’t see turquoise water, but you’ll get fewer crowds and a cozy, festive vibe. If you’ve ever wanted to skate on a frozen mountain lake Lake Louise is the place to do it.
If you come late November to mid-December, you may have a chance at seeing some of the lakes that are frozen without snow on them, and that sometimes gives a really amazing opportunity to skate on the frozen lakes without having snow on them at all. So they’re still that blue colour and you can see through the ice, it’s really quite spectacular.
We call that wild ice skating. The thing to know about that is you do need to be able to keep yourself safe by checking the thickness of the ice and making sure you’re prepared to go out there. So make sure you do your research on skating safely on lakes.
Typically Lake Louise will be frozen, and they do actually clear that for skating. So even if you’re coming in late December and you don’t catch it without snow on it, you still will have a chance to skate on a frozen lake. A couple of years ago, we had the opportunity to go skate on Lake Louise before any snow had fallen.
We were actually skating at another lake and someone told us that Lake Louise was safe enough to skate on, and so we rushed over there and sure enough, it was thick enough. I talked to some of the guys that were there measuring the ice thickness, and it was just spectacular to get to skate on Lake Louise.
Completely frozen. No snow on it. It was really, really an amazing experience. Of course, skating on a frozen lake is a little bit harder to plan around and something that we’re lucky enough to do when we’re here. But even in January or February, with Lake Louise frozen and you can skate with that mountain scenery around in the Victoria Glacier in the background, it’s really well worth doing.
Obviously, if skiing is your thing, winter is great time to come. Just keep in mind, the past few years our winter has been a little late showing up. So all of the winter activities don’t necessarily get in full swing until mid-December, and it just needs to be cold enough and snowy enough. Now, every winter can be different, so you have to keep that in mind as well.
But if you’re looking to go dog sledding, skating on the lakes, they need to be frozen enough. If you want skiing with all of the runs open, you do really wanna make sure you’re looking at mid-December into January when we have more snow and it’s gotten a little bit colder. So that’s something to think about if you’re coming in the winter.
Spring in Banff (April to May)
And then we get into spring. I recently did an episode on coming to Banff in April. April is when everything is starting to thaw and the trails down in the lower part of the valley are getting cleared of snow. You still have those high mountain peaks that are covered in snow against the bright blue sky, making it a wonderful time to come.
Especially, if you’re looking for more sightseeing and you’re not looking to go on any high elevation hikes (since those are mostly still within some avalanche terrain with avalanche danger). But there’s way less crowds here in April and May. If you love skiing, you still have the opportunity to go do some spring skiing too.
And then you have the wildlife. The bears are starting to come out in April and May. I just recently saw that the Boss was seen, he’s one of the famous grizzly bears.
If you’re coming in April and May, though, you do need to set your expectations. A lot of the mountain lakes are not going to be thawed, especially in April in Banff. They’re still going to be frozen and snow covered. If you are visiting Banff in May, you’re going to see more of the lakes starting to thaw. Lake Louise typically isn’t thawed until late May, early June. Same with Moraine Lake.
Now that changes every year, and it really depends on how warm our spring is. So if you’re coming at that time, it’s just really important to set your expectations.
The road to Moraine Lake doesn’t open until June 1st, so that’s usually a no-go until the very, very late end of May when the road might get cleared and you might be able to e-bike up the road.
Because the timing of lakes thawing and snow melting fluctuates so much year to year, it’s really important to give yourself some flexibility in your Banff itinerary.
One question that I see in the Facebook group over and over and over is about Lake Louise and if it’s thawed. I have a really great way for you to check that yourself! The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise that sits on the lake has a webcam. As you approach your the start of your trip to Banff, you can see if Lake Louise is thawed yet and whether they’re getting the canoes ready.
Summer in Banff (June to August)
If you want bright turquoise lakes, hiking, wildflowers, and long daylight hours summer is your season. But just know… so does everyone else.
And then once we’re into June and then we get further into July and August, then we’ve, hit one of the most beautiful times here, but also the busiest times here.
Banff in June is really beautiful, but earlier in the month those lakes might be just starting to thaw. You’re probably going to find the lakes closer to Banff thawed in May, like Johnson Lake and Two Jack Lake.
And then as you get towards mid-June to late June, all the lakes should all be pretty much thawed. You’re going to get that really pretty blue colour that Banff lakes are known for. Just know that the water levels at Moraine Lake may not be super high in June. It just depends again, on the melt and when those water levels come up.
I know last year it was a little bit late in the spring when everything finally thawed and a lot of people were actually disappointed with how low the water levels were at Moraine Lake and canoeing wasn’t up and running yet again. The mountains can be so unpredictable that it’s key to have flexibility in your schedule and set your expectations.
And then we get into July and August, everybody’s travelling and camping to make the most of summer in Banff. This is the time when you can get out on all of the hiking trails and such a great time to explore.
Especially in late June and July, you have such long days. With early sunrises and the sun not setting until after 9pm, you really do have a lot of time to get in all of that mountain scenery.
Now, while technically still summer until towards the end of the month, September will start to feel like fall. That is my favourite time of year around Banff. Once you get into late August and September, the bugs are mostly gone so you don’t have to deal with mosquitoes. The weather is perfect for hiking. The trails start to get a little quieter, especially in September.
Fall in Banff (September to November)
And then as you get into mid to late September and then into early October, we get into larch hiking season. Now, if you don’t know anything about larch trees, the people here get a little bit crazy about them. Myself included. It is one of my absolute favourite times for hiking here when all of those larch trees turn golden.
Just take a look through these posts on Banff in September and Banff in October. You can take a look at some of those pictures of hiking in late September or early October in Banff and you’ll understand why it’s such a great time for hiking. It’s around the third week of September when the larch trees start to change colour, then the hiking really picks up.
It’s going to get a lot harder to park at places like Lake Louise when people are trying to hike there. You’ll also have a harder time getting Parks Canada shuttle passes to Moraine Lake, as Larch Valley is one of the most popular larch hikes in Banff.
By the time we get to Canadian Thanksgiving, the second Monday in October, a lot of things start slowing down and closing for the season. The summer schedules for public transit, like Roam, will go to a winter schedule. The shuttles to Moraine Lake will stop as the Moraine Lake Road will close. Other places like the road to Takakkaw Falls will close as well.
It’s all in preparation for more snow, as we move from October into November. The ski resorts are starting to get ready for the winter season. You have more potential for avalanche danger depending on how much snow we get. And there’s just less people in general visiting, so you’re going to see a lot of activities either closed or scaled back.
This is also the time of year when you really need to start thinking about driving and the potential for having to drive in winter conditions. You’ll want to be checking those road conditions before you head out and the forecast before you head out for the day and especially when it’s time to drive back to the airport.
October and November can be a really wonderful time to visit Banff with less crowds.
Tips for Picking the Right Season in Banff
So if you’re still wondering when to come, here’s my quick breakdown:
- Want turquoise lakes? → Mid-June to early October
- Want to hike? → Late June through early October
- Love skiing or snow? → December to March
- Want fewer crowds? → April, early May, late September
- Want that golden larch magic? → Mid to late September
- Need a balance of good weather + fewer people? → Early June or mid-September
No matter when you come, Banff will absolutely deliver if you know what to expect. I’ve written a full guide on the Best Time to Visit Banff on my TravelBanffCanada site, that goes into each month in more detail.
Listener Question of the Week
This week’s listener question is: If I want to hike AND see the lakes thawed, when should I come?
My answer? Late June to mid-September. The snow will be gone from most trails, and lakes like Moraine Lake and Lake Louise will have that gorgeous colour everyone dreams of. If you want to avoid peak crowds, aim for the last week of June or anytime after Labor Day.
