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Compiled by the Street Journey Alberta crew
Final up to date on January 14, 2024
In Banff, Alberta, winter wraps itself across the city with a frosty white embrace. Bundled up like marshmallows, guests waddle via the streets, having fun with the diminished crowds and the winter wonderland environment. The mountains are draped in white fluffy powder, and lights twinkle all through city like stars. That is Banff in winter…and it’s a magical place to go to with a lot to see and expertise. Overlook a pink carpet, it’s a fantastic white one which welcomes those that come to go to throughout these chilly months!
The right way to Put together to Go to Banff in Winter
One have to be ready to go to Banff through the winter months. Having enough heat clothes, together with jackets, toques, gloves, scarves and ski pants, is a necessity as climate can change rapidly. The chilly can and might be excessive at instances (under -40 levels Celsius) so examine the climate earlier than you enterprise out.
When you’re driving to Banff Nationwide Park, you should definitely have an emergency automobile package ready as roads will be extraordinarily icy. And when you’re venturing out on the Icefields Parkway, it’s obligatory to have your automobile outfitted with winter tires or chains.
Issues to Do in Banff in Winter
Banff SnowDays
Banff and Lake Louise are rocking each January for just a few weeks with the annual SnowDays celebration. There are PLENTY of out of doors winter actions to participate in, together with snow sculpting, reside leisure within the streets, dogsledding, a winter carnival, plus far more!
And don’t miss the thrilling occasion of skijoring as horses pull skiers down the streets of Banff at full velocity! SnowDays is a bunch of enjoyable for the entire household
Strive Winter Mountain climbing
Don’t be terrified of climbing in Banff in winter… in truth, some folks choose it over summer season climbing! Banff Nationwide Park has many nice winter hikes; the bottom line is sticking to the simpler, extra accessible trails, as you don’t wish to put your self in peril by straying too far within the snow. A few of our favorite winter climbing trails embrace Johnston Canyon, Fenland Path, Lake Louise Lakeshore, Fairview Lookout, Tunnel Mountain, and Sulphur Mountain.
We advocate bringing climbing poles and ice cleats on these trails in winter, as they make it a lot simpler if the path is icy. Most of the climbing trails in Banff can be explored by snowshoes, which is one thing to remember!
Get pleasure from Downhill Snowboarding and Snowboarding
When you’re visiting Banff in winter, chances are high you like to downhill ski or snowboard. Fortuitously, Banff Nationwide Park has a few of the greatest mountains on the planet! Get pleasure from the fantastic thing about the snow-capped mountains in all their glory in winter. With one of many longest ski seasons in North America, you’re spoiled for choices; select from Mount Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and the Lake Louise Ski Space, which mixed offer you over 8,000 acres of terrain. It doesn’t matter what degree you might be, there are ski hills in Banff Nationwide Park that can go well with you.
Don’t have your personal skis or snowboard? There are many locations to hire ski tools in Banff Nationwide Park, so there’s no excuse to not attempt it in your subsequent go to!
Go Ice Skating
There’s no scarcity of spots to go ice skating in Banff Nationwide Park! One of the iconic locations to ice skate is on Lake Louise itself, as there are additionally ice sculptures and an ice citadel there to your enjoyment. For wild ice skating on frozen lakes – which takes loads of planning and precautions – Lake Minnewanka, Johnson Lake, and Two Jack Lake are all standard choices.
If you wish to go ice skating on a maintained rink, go to the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre, the Prepare Station in Banff city, or the Lake Louise Recreation Centre for an indoor rink. And don’t fear when you don’t have your personal ice skates, as there are many locations to hire them round Banff and Lake Louise!
Expertise Christmas
Is there something extra magical than experiencing Christmas in a winter wonderland like Banff? Christmas in Banff is without doubt one of the greatest instances to go to, as you’ll have your choose of Christmas lights, markets, concert events, purchasing, parades, and extra.
We extremely advocate visiting the Cascade of Time Backyard in Banff for an interactive vacation expertise, the Banff Christmas Market, and seeing the lights on the Banff Springs Lodge.
Go for a Gondola Experience
The Banff Gondola is a unbelievable option to see the majestic Canadian Rockies from a unique viewpoint, and it’s one of the vital standard issues to do in Banff within the winter.
Take the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain for unparalleled views and enjoyable choices on the prime, together with an interpretive centre with eating choices, 360-degree views, and even the occasional reside occasion. Discovered not removed from downtown Banff, the Banff Gondola is simply as stunning in winter as it’s in summer season.
Go Cross-Nation Snowboarding
Positive, we could immediately consider downhill snowboarding on the excessive peaks of the Canadian Rockies once we consider Banff Nationwide Park, however there are some unbelievable cross-country snowboarding trails within the park, too! There are scenic track-set and skate snowboarding choices in Banff, and also you’ll discover many alternative trails to attempt all through the Banff and Lake Louise areas.
A few of our favorite cross-country snowboarding trails embrace the Tunnel Mountain River Trails, the Spray River West Path, the Lake Louise Loop, the Bow River Loop, and Moraine Lake Street.
Expertise the Banff Springs Lodge
Visiting the Banff Springs Lodge in winter is like stepping onto the set of your favorite Christmas film!
Other than the wonderful Christmas lights on show on the lodge, the Fairmont Banff Springs has unbelievable eating, purchasing, and spa choices. Often known as the “Citadel within the Rockies,” the lodge makes for a photogenic and memorable cease throughout your journey to Banff Nationwide Park.
See the Northern Lights
One of many advantages of visiting Banff in winter is the flexibility to see the Northern Lights. Shining their brightest from December till February, the Aurora Borealis dance their manner throughout the Alberta skies in shades of inexperienced, blue, and even pink!
You possibly can take a Northern Lights tour or attempt to catch them by yourself; your greatest wager to see them is on a transparent evening. There’s additionally the close by Darkish Skies Protect in Jasper, top-of-the-line locations to see the Northern Lights in Alberta.
Go Snowshoeing
One in all our favorite Banff winter actions is snowshoeing. Good for traversing via deep snow, many of the climbing trails in Banff in winter can be used as snowshoe trails. Unsure the place to begin? You possibly can take one of many snowshoe excursions within the park.
We personally love the Johnston Canyon stroll as you may see the frozen waterfalls, however many individuals love Tunnel Mountain and Peyto Lake, too.
Go to the Banff Higher Scorching Springs
We don’t learn about you, however we choose winter scorching springs over summer season! There’s simply one thing further magical about seeing the entire steam within the air and experiencing the nice and cozy water in distinction with the chilly climate.
Arguably probably the most well-known scorching springs in Alberta, the Banff Higher Scorching Springs are family-friendly; there’s additionally a present store, café, and a day spa with varied remedies that embrace therapeutic massage, steam rooms, and aromatherapy, so your time right here can take the higher a part of the day. Discovered close to the Banff Gondola, the recent springs are a unbelievable option to chill out and unwind on a wintry day.
Take a Tour
Whether or not it’s your first time to the Canadian Rocky Mountains or your hundredth, there’s at all times one thing new to see and find out about. Unsure the place to begin? Take a tour! Fortuitously, there are many excursions to attempt in winter in Banff; we love relinquishing all duty to a tour firm and never having to fret about driving, parking, or the place to go.
A few of our favorite winter excursions in Banff embrace these run by Banff Adventures, the place you will discover excursions on all the pieces from mountain climbing to helicopter flights and past.
Strive Dogsledding
When you’re searching for a singular option to see Banff in winter, why not attempt dogsledding? Discover the attractive Canadian Rockies with a crew of energetic Huskies and a musher (your information) as you zip via the panorama such as you by no means have earlier than.
Our advice is Kingmik Canine Sled Excursions, which has operated in Banff since 1982.
Go Tubing
You will have tried snowboarding or snowboarding in Banff Nationwide Park… however have you ever tried tubing in Banff?! When you’re searching for one thing enjoyable and thrilling, tubing is without doubt one of the greatest issues to do in Banff in winter.
Among the finest locations in Banff to attempt it’s at Mount Norquay Ski Resort, the place there’s a complete tube park devoted to the exercise. Experience down Alberta’s longest tube lanes on an inflatable tube for a snowy exercise you’ll always remember.
Indulge within the Scorching Chocolate Path
When you love scorching chocolate, you’re in luck! Banff has a particular “Scorching Chocolate Path” with over 20 collaborating eating places and cafés to attempt, all providing a singular festive-themed scorching chocolate.
Good for a enjoyable winter exercise in Banff – this 12 months, it’s operating from November seventeenth till December twenty third – get pleasure from all the pieces from Raspberry Ripple to Banana Bliss to boozy concoctions with Cointreau and Maple Rye!
Strive Fats Biking
Fats biking is a comparatively new exercise to the park, nevertheless it’s an effective way to expertise Banff within the winter. This can be a unbelievable manner for avid cyclists to maintain up their interest, even when the snow falls, however newbies love this distinctive exercise, too!
Whether or not you stick with the Banff townsite or enterprise additional afield to one of many trails – the Lake Minnewanka Path, Sundance Path, and Spray East Path are all standard – there are many methods to discover the park on a fats bike. It’s also possible to join a fats biking tour. And there’s no must convey your personal bike, as there may be lots to hire in Banff!
Go to Lake Louise
Seeing Lake Louise in winter is a should. Whether or not you’re skating on the frozen lake, popping into the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, having fun with the Lake Louise Ski Space, or wandering across the village, don’t miss out on visiting this a part of Banff Nationwide Park.
Whereas many guests to the park keep in downtown Banff, you may simply spend many days exploring all that Lake Louise has to supply… and it’s solely a brief drive away from the Banff townsite! Snowshoe, ski, skate, hike, store, eat… Lake Louise in winter actually has all of it.
Get Cozy on a Sleigh Experience
One of the memorable (and maybe most romantic) of all of the Banff winter actions? Occurring a horse-drawn sleigh journey within the park! There are fairly just a few choices for horse-drawn sleigh rides in Banff Nationwide Park, however we nonetheless advocate reserving your sleigh journey as far prematurely as attainable.
Breathe within the recent air, take within the views of the Canadian Rockies, and revel in the fantastic thing about this winter wonderland throughout you. You possibly can even ebook a non-public sleigh journey for an additional particular expertise!
Deal with-yo-Self on the Spa
In any case of these Banff winter actions, you would possibly really feel the necessity to chill out! Fortunately, Banff Nationwide Park is house to fairly just a few wonderful spas. Each the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and the Fairmont Banff Springs are standouts, however there’s additionally Cedar and Sage Co. Spa, Meadow Spa and Swimming pools, Bliss Valley Therapeutic massage and Wellness, and plenty of extra, most of which will be discovered within the city of Banff.
There’s nothing like a little bit of relaxation and rejuvenation after a protracted day of being outdoor, particularly within the chilly climate!
Get pleasure from Procuring
Let’s face it: generally we’d like a break from all of the outdoorsy adventures and simply really feel like a purchasing spree! Fortunately, there may be loads of nice purchasing in Banff Nationwide Park, each in downtown Banff and Lake Louise Village.
Stroll alongside Banff Avenue for quite a lot of retailers providing all the pieces from winter gear to souvenirs. In Lake Louise, don’t overlook to take a look at the entire retailers on the grand Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Dalene Heck is a co-founder of Street Journey Alberta. She was born in Edmonton, grew up within the Peace Nation, and has ventured to virtually each nook of Alberta and the world (she’s travelled to 60 international locations)! She is a serial blogger, the CEO of HMI Advertising and marketing, co-creator of the Journey Chaser card recreation, a leukemia-slayer, and cat whisperer.