Parks and the outdoors in Banff

26 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Banff.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

See
Banff Park Museum National Historic Site
Come and learn about the animals you may see on your trip to Banff. Guaranteed bear sightings! This historic "cabinet museum" is full of Banff wildlife preserved through taxidermy. Most of the animals on display were killed roughly a century ago.
May 14-June 30: Wed-Sun 10AM-5PM; July 1-Sept 1: daily 10AM-5PM; Sept 2-Oct 12: Wed-Sun 10AM-5PM$3.90/adult, free with Parks Canada Discovery Pass
See
Bow Falls
Below the iconic Banff Springs Hotel is the beautiful Bow Falls. It's not the most dramatic waterfall in Banff National Park, but Bow Falls is in the town of Banff and is worth a visit. Easily accessible with plenty of parking for private vehicles and tour buses. You can take in the view from either side of the river.
Do
Bow River Trail
The Bow River Trail is a riverside trail of 0.9 or 1.4 km, which are paved and according to the home page of the Town of Banff even wheelchair accessible.
Do
Bow Valley Parkway
A scenic route from Banff to Lake Louise, running parallel to Highway 1. You have a good chance at seeing different mammals like bighorn sheep, wolves, elk, deer and grizzly bears. There are seasonal travel restrictions.
Do
Canoeing & kayaking with Banff Adventures Unlimited
formerly Blue Canoe
Three minutes walk from the centre of Banff, you can find the canoe docks. There, you can rent canoe or kayak to take a tranquil journey on the Bow River. 1- and 2-person kayaks available; canoes seat three. Guided tours in large voyageur canoes are offered twice daily. Purchase canoe vouchers at 211 Bear Street.
$36 per person for one hour
See
Cascades of Time Gardens
Cascade Gardens
Designed and built in the 1930s, the Cascades of Time gardens cover 1.6 hectares (4 acres) in the Banff townsite, in front of the Administration Building and behind it. The rustic timber and stone pavilions in the garden are Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings.
Flowering from late June to early SeptFree
See
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
See the birthplace of Canada's National Park system, where hot sulphur springs were found and the original bathhouse was built in 1887. There are also a couple of short nature trails that are free to access that explain the origin and the give you a view over the pools that are free to access.
Hours vary seasonally, check website$3.90/person, free if you have Parks Canada Discovery Pass
Do
Fenland Trail
A very good spot for birdwatching all year, and you may also see beaver or muskrat in 40 Mile Creek. May be closed in spring due to calving elk. (Cow elk are very protective of calves.)
Do
Holiday on Horseback
Trail rides, western cookouts (trail ride and campfire meal), and back-country rides. Wagons are available so that your whole group can go together, including non-riders.
From $46 per person
Do
Hoodoo Trail
A popular walk to the hoodoos (a kind of rock formations) east of Banff.
See
Lake Minnewanka Loop
This scenic driving loop is a short distance from the Banff townsite. It goes up the side of Cascade Mountain to Lake Minnewanka, and back down by a different route. Sights along the way include Cascade Ponds, Bankhead (former site of a coal mining town and the mine), Lake Minnewanka (picnic area, hiking, boat cruises, motor boat rentals), Two Jack Lake, and Johnson Lake. The area is also well known for the bighorn sheep that can be seen on and near the road.
Free
Do
Lake Minnewanka Loop
Great spot to see bighorn sheep next to the road, especially when you get to Lake Minnewanka and the area around Johnson Lake and Two Jack Lake.
Do
Marsh Loop
An easy walk of 2.4 km through the marshlands near Banff. This is a good place for birdwatching and there are good views of Mount Norquay.
Do
Norquay
The closest mountain to the Banff townsite, and it is much used by the locals. It is unique in the area because you can pay for skiing by the hour, and night skiing is available on Fridays and Saturdays. There is a tube park for non-skiers (and non-boarders.) The ski season is a little shorter at Norquay, because it is at a lower altitude than Sunshine and Lake Louise, and snowfall is less consistent. The trails here lean more towards steep and difficult, although there is still plenty of easy terrain. Giv'er Grandi (formerly Excalibur, accessed via Mystic Express lift) is North America's steepest groomed piste. The lodge is not much good for breakfast; lunch and beer on the deck can't be beat however!
$61 for full-day adult ticket
Drink
Park Distillery
Local distillery, serving their own liquors, flights, and cocktails, together with comfort food. Space opens to outside in summer.
11AM-10PM
Do
Rocky Mountain Raft Tours
Float trips down the Bow River starting near the base of Bow Falls. The only rafting trips that take place inside Banff National Park; other rafting operators will pick you up in Banff and then start the trip somewhere outside the park. Season is from mid-May to late Sept.
From $50 per adult
Do
Sulphur Mountain Trail
Rather than taking the gondola up Sulphur Mountain, you can hike the trail up to the top of the ridge and catch the gondola down. (It's half price to just take the gondola down, but it's free before 10AM and after 7PM.) The trail is steep but manageable for those with a reasonable level of fitness. Note that there is a little-used road that goes down the side of Sulphur Mountain that is away from the town, which has been mistaken for the hiking trail; the road is much longer than the hiking trail. If you opt to hike down after taking the gondola up, you should be able to see the gondola towers and cables on your way down, as the hiking trail zigzags below the gondola lift.
Do
Sunshine Meadows
An alpine park with trails with varying difficulty levels. There are guided walks too, and the area offers good views of the highest mountains in the Banff National Park. Shuttle bus access from Banff.
See
Surprise Corner viewpoint
You can see the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Bow River, and Sulphur Mountain from this viewpoint on the lower slopes of Tunnel Mountain.
Do
Tunnel Mountain Trail
A hike of 4.3 km, ranked as "easy". It starts from downtown Banff and takes you up the Tunnel Mountain, from where you have a nice view over the surroundings. You won't find any tunnel along the trail; when the Canadian Pacific railway was constructed in the late 19th century a plan was to build a tunnel through this mountain but it never happened.
See
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
Offers something for the whole family: art, culture and the human and natural history of the Canadian Rockies. Visit the heritage homes or take a guided walk.
Jun 15-Sep 15: daily 9:30AM-6PM; Sep 16-Jun 14: 10AM-5PMAdmission by donation
Do Not mapped
Fishing
Companies arrange fishing tours on Lake Minnewanka. There are both boat and wading tours. Some tours include equipment and/or the mandatory fishing permit ($36.36+GST), inquire beforehand!
Do Not mapped
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is allowed on designated trails in Banff National Park, most of which have trail-heads in or near the town of Banff. Bike trails are also used by hikers, equestrians, bears, and other wildlife. Freeriding and downhilling are not permitted in the national park.
Do Not mapped
Rock climbing
The area around Banff offers climbing for climbers of all levels — all climbs will happen with certified guides. Good places for beginners are Rundle Rock near the golf course and Yamnuska Bluffs and Zygote Crag. Advanced climbers should head to Wasootch Creek, Heart Creek and a site near Lake Louise. Prices for climbing tours are a few hundred dollars for one person, but the per person price is less if there are two or more of you.
Do Not mapped
Banff Legacy Trail
22-km cycle path between Banff and Canmore.
Do Not mapped
Tubing and sledding
Tube parks at Mt Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Resort.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Banff (CC BY-SA 4.0).