Thinking about visiting Banff National Park? My hubby and I went to Banff last summer, and learned a few things along the way that will prove to be invaluable to you if you’re wanting to go! So without further ado, here is the ultimate guide to visiting Banff National Park!
1.Get to popular attractions EARLY
I’m mainly talking about Lake Moraine and Lake Louise. And when I say early, I don’t mean 7 am. I’m talking getting there before the sun is even up.
We woke up at 4 AM and drove from the town of Banff (about an hour drive) straight to Lake Louise. The parking lot was pretty much empty when we got there, but it was super cloudy and foggy. We went out to the dock and got our photos and then headed to Lake Moraine. To our surprise, the parking lot was already close to being full.
At 6:30 in the morning.
We couldn’t believe it! It was even rainy and foggy, but there were still tons of people. I cannot stress this enough, get there early!
2. Go to Lake Moraine First
I personally thought that Lake Moraine was a lot more beautiful than Lake Louise, so I would suggest going there first. Lake Moraine has less parking on site than Louise, so you either have to wait forever to park once it’s full or take a shuttle. Both not ideal options! So I would definitely recommend going there first and early if you can.
While we’re talking about going to Lake Moraine early, when you get there, take the short hike up to the overlook very first. It gets the most crowded and if you’re wanting to get a photo from the Instagram famous vantage point, that’s it! You can walk around the lake and enjoy the view after the hike, where there are less people scattered along the trail.
3. Consider the distance from the town of Banff to the lakes
The actual town of Banff, where most lodging in the area is located, is actually a few hours from the lakes. We ended up having to wake up at 4 AM just to get to the lakes early enough! To stay near the lakes can cost anywhere from $250-$1000 a night, so keep that in mind when planning where to stay!
4. Camping in the town of Banff isn’t allowed
No overnight camping is allowed inside the town of Banff, so that’s something to consider if you’re planning to camp in an RV or camper. I would suggest making reservations at a nearby campground, here are a few options I found.
Tunnel Mountain Campground:
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/camping/tunnel1
Johnston Canyon Campground:
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/camping/johnston
5. Don’t plan your trip too early in the summer
Unless you want to encounter lots of snow and ice. The prime weather for Banff is late July-August because of the high elevation, and we made the mistake of planning to go in June. We checked the forecast and it literally called for snow for 2 weeks straight!
Also, you have to drive straight up a mountain to get to Lake Moraine, so they’ll close the road if its snowed too much, and trust me, you do not want to miss out on Lake Moraine!
6. Bring Bug Spray
This should be a no brainer, but still a good reminder. Since mosquitoes have a limited time when they can survive in the north, they are particularly bad in the summer in Canada.
We didn’t have a lot of trouble in Banff, but definitely bring it with you just in case. Also be wary of ticks, they have a similar window of time to survive as well, so there are a lot of them in the summer.
7. Make sure to take time to actually enjoy the views
Definitely get all the photos that you want of the beautiful sights, but then I would recommend putting your camera and phone down and just enjoy the breathtaking views. We did this and just sat still for about 10 minutes. We listened to the birds chirping and the chipmunks chattering, and it was so relaxing. It’s so easy to stress about getting all the perfect travel photos, but what’s the point of getting photos if you don’t actually enjoy your trip?
I hope you enjoyed this ultimate guide to actually enjoy your visit to Banff National Park! Thanks so much for reading!
Megan
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