15 Epic Things to do in Banff during Winter

Banff National Park might be more well-known as a summer destination, but if you’re looking for a winter wonderland getaway, Banff has so much to offer! Hot springs, epic downhill and cross-country skiing, frozen waterfalls, shopping — all surrounded by craggy snow-capped mountains — with much, much cheaper prices and no crowds!

Let’s discover all the fun stuff you can do in Banff during the winter months!

Where is Banff National Park?

Banff National Park is located in the Canadian Rockies, about an hour and a half drive outside of Calgary, Alberta, so if you are planning on flying here, Calgary would be the closest airport (YYC – airport code). While you don’t necessarily need to rent a car – you can find shuttles to Banff from the Calgary airport, a rental car makes it much easier to get around. Banff does have public transportation within town, but I just prefer being able to do things on my time. And if you’re planning on skiing, Banff does offer ski shuttles to the major resorts in the area.

If driving in the snow is holding you back on a visit to Banff during winter, don’t let it limit you! Alberta is used to getting lots of snow, so they’re pros at keeping the roads clear. I’ve visited Banff in January and February – peak winter months – and never had any issues with roads, even when it snowed.

Quick Overview of Banff National Park

You must have a valid Banff National Park pass when visiting this area. The townsite of Banff itself is located inside the National Park (which, to Americans like myself, this may seem a bit odd!), so even to stay at your hotel, you will need to buy a pass. Park passes are per person, per day. Currently, the price is $10.50 CAD for each adult, each day.

You can buy the park pass at the booths along the Trans-Canada Highway as you enter the Banff area, otherwise they can be purchased at the visitor centers in Banff and Canmore, or you can buy ahead of time online.

Depending on when, exactly, in winter you go, you’ll have about 8 – 10 hours of daylight during the winter season.

Things to do in Banff during Winter

Go downhill skiing

Downhill skiing is typically the reason my husband and I visit Banff in the winter, so much of our time here is spent on the slopes. There are several ski resorts within easy driving distance to Banff – namely Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mt. Norquay. I’ve skied at both Lake Louise and Sunshine Village multiple times and always had a pleasant experience. The ski resorts can be very busy – especially on the weekends – so it’s vital to get there early – right when they open.

Mt. Norquay is a smaller, cheaper ski resort, so if you’re on a strict budget – or you’ve never been downhill skiing before, this might be an option to try. Mt. Norquay has a bunch of ‘green’ (beginner) runs — much more than the other two resorts.

Johnston Canyon

An extremely popular destination during summer, it turns into a magical frozen wonderland in the winter. Walk along the catwalks and explore the frozen waterfalls and icy canyon walls. Guided tours are available – and recommended — especially if you don’t have the correct equipment, such as crampons, for trekking on the ice. I haven’t had the chance to visit Johnston Canyon in the winter yet, but I have visited in the summer and it’s a gorgeous place!

Ride the Banff Gondola up to Sulpher Mountain

Summit a mountain without any of the work by riding up the Banff Gondola! The gondola takes you up ~7,400 feet elevation, giving you amazing views of the Canadian Rockies. For the best experience, you’ll want to do this on a clear day – this is not a cheap excursion – it’ll run you $57 CAD per adult, so it’s best to plan this out based on the weather to ensure you have nice day.

Personally, I haven’t done this yet myself – it’s just never worked out with the weather (I’m not about to spend that kind of money to be socked in with clouds), but I do have it on my list for next time, should the weather corporate!

Explore downtown Banff Avenue

I absolutely love simply walking around Banff’s downtown area, popping in and out of shops, enjoying a coffee or a treat. If you’re lucky, you may catch a winter festival while you are here – when we were here in winter one time, we visited during an ice sculpture contest!

Visit Surprise Corner

Surprise! There’s a castle in the forest! That “castle” is the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (and it’s extremely expensive to stay here) but you can get that famous photograph of the hotel nestled in the forest at Surprise Corner. There are a few parking spots here, and in winter, you shouldn’t have any issues.

Visit Morant’s Curve and Wait for a Train

I’ve never been lucky enough (or patient enough!) to see a train at this iconic location, but if you have the time and desire to get that bucket-list photograph, you might want to put this location on your itinerary. You’ll need to drive up the Trans-Canada highway about 45 minutes north of Banff, or travel along the Bow Valley Parkway (road will close seasonally, so it may or may not be open).

A train will eventually pass by, but you may need to wait several hours. There is no set schedule, so you’ll need a little luck on your side.

Drive the Bow Valley Parkway

The Bow Valley Parkway runs alongside the Trans-Canada Highway, from Banff to Lake Louise in a 48 km stretch of scenic roadway. It’s a great alternative if you want to slow down and take the scenic route between these two areas. This is a great place to view wildlife – during my trip, there were elk as far as the eye can see. You can also see bears here in the summer.

The Bow Valley Parkway is also the route to take to visit Johnston Canyon and to visit Morant’s Curve.

Visit Bow Falls Waterfall

Bow Falls waterfall is located in the Banff townsite, and although the falls will be mostly frozen during winter, you’ll still be treated to beautiful winter views, especially the river downstream from the falls.

Related: Read more about visiting Bow Falls in Banff

Ice Skate at Lake Louise

That famous turquoise-colored lake turns into a frozen skating rink in the winter! Bring your own ice skates or rent some at the Fairmount Lake Louise. This is true ‘skating outside’ in that there was no Zamboni smoothing the ice, no warming hut or railings!

Soak in the hot springs

The most accessible hot springs in Banff is the Upper Banff Hot Springs. Alternatively, you could drive out to Radium Hot Springs and get in a soak there (that’s what we did!). Both of these hot springs are commercial hot springs, in that they function much like a community pool.

Read more: Radium Hot Springs Review

Take a drive through Kootenay National Park

While you won’t find much in terms of services or things to do during winter, as most spots are closed, if you want a scenic drive through a different Canadian Rockies National Park, Kootenay National Park is nearby (plus it goes right past the thermal baths of Radium Hot Springs!)

Note – our rental was 4WD truck with all season tires. The road was fine, but there were patches of snow and ice. If you’re going to do this, check road conditions before heading out.

Read more: Kootenay National Park in Winter – Driving Guide

Look for wildlife

We saw elk and deer everywhere! As mentioned above, the Bow Valley Parkway is a great spot to view wildlife, but you can also see elk and deer within the Banff townsite as well. I always seem to have the best luck along Tunnel Mountain Drive (the part that’s open in the winter) near Surprise Corner and the Banff Centre for Performing Arts.

Additionally, I had lots of luck finding Bighorn Sheep when we drove through Kootenay National Park, and onto Radium Hot Springs townsite. They were everywhere!

Photography at Vermillion Lakes

Just outside of the Banff townsite lies Vermillion Lakes, a popular Banff photography location in both summer and winter.

As you’re leaving the Banff townsite, simply take the Vermillion Lakes road to the viewpoint. Here, you’ll be able to photograph the semi-frozen lakes and the thermal features spewing steam into the air, with the backdrop of Mount Rundle. This is a great spot for winter sunrise photography in Banff too!

Go Snowshoeing or Cross Country Ski in Banff or Lake Louise in Winter

The Canadian Rockies is filled to the brim with awesome hiking trails – and many of those awesome hiking trails turn into epic snowshoe trails in the winter. If you didn’t bring your own snowshoes, rentals are available at Banff Adventures. (I’ve rented ski equipment from here before and I highly recommend them!)

I’ve never tried it but it’s on my list of things to do in Banff in winter!

Banff trails list

Lake Louise area trails list

Drive the Icefields Parkway in Winter

I’ll admit; I chickened out on driving the Icefields Parkway in winter, despite the fact that we had a 4WD truck with the correct tires. I just didn’t want to chance it. The Icefields Parkway is only maintained during the daylight hours and there are no services (i.e. no gas) on the road until you get to Jasper, which is 3 hours away.

But, if you’re ready for an adventure, driving the Icefields Parkway is definitely something you can do on your Banff winter vacation! You don’t have to go all the way to Jasper; you can turn around at any point.

I have driven the entire Icefields Parkway in summer and it’s an epic drive – I can only imagine how cool it would be to see it during winter!

Related: Best Stops Along the Icefields Parkway

Where to stay in Banff during winter

Banff has plenty of options for hotels, ranging from budget hostels to high end luxury resorts. Banff hotel prices are much cheaper in the winter months than summer, so when I’ve visited Banff during winter, I like to stay in downtown Banff.

I like staying at the Best Western, but there are plenty of other hotels from which to chose.

Check all prices and availability for Banff-area hotels here.

Otherwise, if you don’t mind a 10-15 minute drive out of town, you can stay in the nearby town of Canmore. I’ve done this before, too, and it’s typically much cheaper to stay in Canmore than in Banff.

I’ve stayed at the Holiday Inn Canmore several times and always had a good experience. I’ve also stayed at the Coast Canmore hotel (read my review here). Otherwise, check current prices and room availability for Canmore hotels here.

Things to do in Banff during winter – Final Thoughts

Banff is an awesome year-round destination and if you don’t mind getting out in the chilly weather and bundling up, you’ll find plenty of things to do in Banff during winter. I hope this post gives you plenty of ideas for planning your Banff winter vacation!