Things to Do in Banff, Canada

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada’s first national park and part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Rocky Mountain landscape includes glaciers, rivers, sharp peaks, broad valleys, turquoise lakes, thermal springs, forests, alpine meadows and important wildlife habitat.

Indigenous Peoples have used and cared for these lands and waters for millennia. Experiences range from short lakeside walks and scenic drives to multi-day backcountry trips, with popular areas including the Bow Valley, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, the Icefields Parkway, Vermilion Lakes and Lake Minnewanka.

Check Parks Canada advisories, carry a valid park pass and follow wildlife-distance and trail regulations.

Official Banff National Park website →

Banff Gondola

The Banff Gondola carries visitors 698 metres up Sulphur Mountain in about eight minutes, rising above the forest toward views of Banff, the Bow Valley and surrounding Rocky Mountain ranges. At the summit, observation areas, interpretive exhibits, dining and indoor spaces add context to the scenery.

The Above Banff Interpretive Centre covers local landscapes, wildlife, geology and park history, while a ridge boardwalk leads toward Sanson Peak, the 1903 weather observatory and the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site. Summit weather can differ sharply from conditions in town, so warm layers, water and suitable footwear are useful.

Official Banff Gondola website →

Cave and Basin National Historic Site

Cave and Basin National Historic Site marks the birthplace of Canada’s national parks. Thermal springs on Sulphur Mountain helped lead to the creation of a protected Hot Springs Reserve in 1885, which developed into Banff National Park.

The site has older cultural importance too: Indigenous Peoples have visited and cared for these waters for more than 10,000 years. Exhibits and films in the 1914 Bathing Pavilion explore Indigenous connections, park history, conservation, architecture and thermal geology.

Visitors can enter the Cave and follow boardwalks toward the springs and marsh, where specialized habitat includes the endangered Banff Springs snail.

Official Cave and Basin National Historic Site website →

Banff Upper Hot Springs

Banff Upper Hot Springs offers a relaxing outdoor soak above the town of Banff, with views toward Mount Rundle and Cascade Mountain. At about 1,585 metres elevation, it is Canada’s highest hot-springs pool.

The springs have attracted visitors since 1886, and the present 1932 bathhouse is recognized as a federal heritage building. Interpretive displays explain the facility’s history and how natural hot springs form, while Indigenous Peoples’ long-standing connections with these waters are part of the site’s story.

The pool is generally maintained between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius. Check current operating conditions, access details and possible closures before visiting.

Official Banff Upper Hot Springs website →

Lake Minnewanka

Lake Minnewanka is Banff National Park’s largest lake, stretching through a mountain valley northeast of Banff beneath Cascade Mountain and other rugged peaks. Its name reflects the Stoney people’s term for “Lake of the Spirits,” and Indigenous Peoples have used the area for more than 10,000 years.

Visitors come for shoreline views, walks toward Stewart Canyon, picnic areas, fishing and seasonal boating experiences. The lake also preserves the submerged history of a former resort community, flooded after successive dams raised the water.

Cold conditions and aquatic invasive-species protections make it important to check current water regulations, permits, road access and wildlife notices.

Official Lake Minnewanka website →

Vermilion Lakes

Vermilion Lakes is a chain of three shallow lakes and wetlands just west of Banff. The open water, marshes, forests and mountain views create a spacious landscape close to town, with Mount Rundle providing the signature backdrop and frequent reflections.

The Vermilion Wetlands support migratory birds, fish, aquatic species and mammals including elk, moose, wolves and black bears. Visitors can stop at shoreline viewpoints, walk or cycle along Vermilion Lakes Road, or connect with Fenland Trail near Banff.

Small docks suit photography and quiet nature observation. Check current access, wildlife advisories and aquatic invasive-species requirements before bringing watercraft.

Official Vermilion Lakes website →

Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon follows Johnston Creek through a narrow limestone gorge, combining forest, rushing water, deep pools, cliff walls and waterfalls. Suspended steel catwalks and bridges lead beside the creek to the Lower Falls, 1.1 kilometres one way, and the Upper Falls, 2.4 kilometres one way.

A further path reaches a viewpoint above the Upper Falls, while a longer route continues toward the Ink Pots. The canyon lies about 25 kilometres northwest of Banff on the Bow Valley Parkway.

Parking fills quickly and roadside parking is prohibited. Check current trail conditions, closures, wildlife notices and seasonal transportation before leaving.

Official Johnston Canyon website →

Banff Park Museum National Historic Site

Banff Park Museum National Historic Site occupies a distinctive 1903 log building in downtown Banff. It is the oldest surviving federal building in a Canadian national park and one of Western Canada’s oldest natural history museums.

More than 5,000 botanical and zoological specimens include mammals, birds, fish, insects, plants and minerals associated with the Canadian Rockies. Original cases, labels, habitat arrangements and furnishings preserve an early twentieth-century approach to natural history, while the building’s cross-log construction and elaborate roofline reflect early national park architecture.

Allow time to study both the collection and the heritage building, and verify seasonal operations with Parks Canada.

Official Banff Park Museum National Historic Site website →

Bow Falls

Bow Falls is a broad, powerful waterfall on the Bow River about one kilometre from downtown Banff. A trail from Central Park crosses a pedestrian bridge and follows the forested south shore for about 1.2 kilometres one way, passing rapids and viewpoints before reaching the falls.

Separate pedestrian and cycling routes offer changing views of the water, Cascade Mountain and surrounding forest, while Surprise Corner provides another perspective across the river. The waterfall’s cultural history includes timber transport and appearances in 1950s Hollywood films.

Stay behind barriers and on designated paths: the river has strong currents, hidden hazards and dangerously cold water.

Official Bow Falls website →