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Alberta · British Columbia · Canada
The first national park of Canada, in the Rocky Mountains: Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, the town of Banff, the hot springs and, on the other side of the border, the lakes and waterfalls of Yoho.
In the photo: Bow Lake, Banff National Park
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Banff National Park was created in 1885 around hot springs discovered by workers building the transcontinental railway and is Canada’s oldest park. It lies in the Rocky Mountains, in Alberta, and together with the neighboring parks forms the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The town of Banff, inside the park, has a main avenue with views of Mount Cascade, the Sulphur Mountain gondola, the hot springs and the historic site where the park was founded. Around it are Lake Minnewanka, Johnston Canyon and trails for all levels.
About 58 km away, the village of Lake Louise gives access to the two most famous Rocky Mountain lakes: Lake Louise, with green-turquoise water at the foot of the Victoria Glacier, and Moraine Lake, in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. From there the Icefields Parkway begins, the road that continues to Jasper among glaciers and lakes such as Peyto. The color of the lakes comes from rock flour ground by glaciers.
Canmore, just outside the park, is a mountain town with trails and accommodations. On the other side of the continental divide, already in British Columbia, Field is the village of Yoho National Park, with Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls. Bears, moose, deer and bighorn sheep can appear at the roadside.
This destination brings together 4 cities: Banff, Lake Louise, Canmore, Field.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence) / geoBoundaries. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Calgary International Airport (YYC), in Calgary · 145 km to Banff
Calgary International Airport is about 145 km from Banff via the Trans-Canada Highway, roughly an hour and a half by car. Buses and transfers connect the airport to Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise. A national parks pass is required to enter.
Suggested arrival point: Banff
Town inside Banff National Park, in the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by Mounts Cascade, Rundle and Sulphur. It has the Sulphur Mountain gondola, the Upper Hot Springs, the Cave and Basin historic site where the park began, and the Bow River falls. Lake Minnewanka and Johnston Canyon are a few kilometers away.
Village in Banff National Park, about 58 km from the town of Banff, providing access to Lakes Louise and Moraine, turquoise-green waters among glaciers. There is a gondola with views of the lakes and mountains, and it is the start of the Icefields Parkway, with Peyto Lake about 40 km away.
Mountain town in the Bow River valley, just outside Banff National Park, about 25 km from the town of Banff, at the foot of the Three Sisters peaks. It began as a coal-mining village and was a venue for events at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Trails include the Grassi Lakes and the Canmore Nordic Centre.
Small railway village in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, about 27 km from Lake Louise, on the other side of the continental divide. It provides access to Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls, one of Canada's highest waterfalls, and the Natural Bridge over the Kicking Horse River. Nearby are the Burgess Shale fossils, visited only with a guide.
The local experience
Gondola that climbs Sulphur Mountain, to about 2,280 meters, with viewpoints over the Bow Valley and a wooden boardwalk to Sanson Peak and its old weather station.
The largest lake in Yoho National Park, green water, surrounded by mountains and forests, with a roughly 5 km trail around it and canoe rentals in summer.
A turquoise-green lake at the foot of the Victoria Glacier in Banff National Park, with a shoreline trail, canoe rentals in summer and trails to Lake Agnes and the Plain of the Six Glaciers.
Short trail above Canmore that leads to two small green-blue lakes at the base of limestone cliffs used for climbing, with ancient rock paintings nearby.
An outdoor thermal pool at about 1,585 meters elevation, on the slope of Sulphur Mountain, with views of Mount Rundle, housed in a historic Parks Canada bathhouse.
One of Canada’s tallest waterfalls, about 373 meters in total with a main drop of about 254 meters, fed by Daly Glacier in Yoho Valley.
Provincial park created for the Nordic skiing events of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, with cross-country ski trails in winter and mountain biking and hiking in summer.
A glacial lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, about 14 km from Lake Louise, with blue-turquoise water at the foot of a mountain wall, accessible only by Parks Canada buses or authorized operators.
The place where Canada’s national parks system began: a cave with a hot spring and an uncovered outdoor pool discovered in 1883, with exhibits and trails across heated wetlands.
The Lake Louise ski-resort gondola that, in summer, climbs to a viewpoint with views of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier, in an area where grizzly bears often feed.
A river‑carved rock arch in the Kicking Horse River, about 3 km from Field, where the green river runs forcefully among the rocks.
A glacier lake shaped like a wolf’s head, seen from the top of Bow Summit, the highest point of the Icefields Parkway, about 40 km from Lake Louise.
A wide, low drop of the Bow River, just below downtown Banff at the foot of Mount Rundle, reached by riverside trails.
The largest lake in Banff National Park, about 21 km long, 9 km from town, with boat trips among mountains and the remains of a submerged village under the water.
A limestone canyon about 25 km from Banff, with walkways fixed to the walls that lead to the lower and upper falls and, further on, to the sources of the Ink Pots.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From late June to mid-September the lakes are ice-free and the high trails are open; this is the busiest season. The lakes usually thaw between late May and June. September brings golden larches at higher elevations. From December to April it’s ski season, with winter roads and frozen lakes.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three to five days: one or two for Banff and surroundings, one for Lake Louise and Moraine, one for Yoho and one for the Icefields Parkway. Many people continue on to Jasper afterward.
The town of Banff concentrates most park accommodations, close to restaurants and buses. Lake Louise has few options, near the lakes, which sell out early in summer. Canmore, outside the park, has more options and is 20 minutes from Banff. Field has small lodgings for those who want to explore Yoho.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Three to five days for Banff, Lake Louise and Moraine, Yoho and a section of the Icefields Parkway.
No. The road is closed to private vehicles; access is by Parks Canada buses or authorized operators, generally from June to mid-October. Check the season and book ahead.
Yes. You must purchase a daily or annual national parks pass, including to overnight in Banff or Lake Louise. Check the current fee schedule.
It helps for the Icefields Parkway and Yoho. In Banff and Lake Louise, Roam buses and Parks Canada buses cover the main points in season.
Generally from late May or June until October. Lake Louise usually thaws in early June.
Alberta time, UTC−6 year-round, with no daylight saving clock changes.
