Banff National Park
Banff National Park was Canada’s first officially designated national park, and it is also the most visited.
Situated in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Banff has rocky mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, a picture-perfect mountain town and village, abundant wildlife and miles of scenic drives and trails. With easy access to pristine wilderness, endless outdoor adventures, and all the amenities you need, Banff National Park is a place you need to see to believe.
Places to Stay While Visiting Banff
There are a number of hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and campgrounds in and around the town of Banff, AB. There is also public transportation available in town. Lake Louise, AB is a neighboring town that also has a lot of amenities.
VISIT Banff National Park:
Park Details
Banff National Park was established in 1885, and has a total area of 1,640,960 acres (2,564 square miles, or 6,644 square kilometers).
| Address | 224 Banff Avenue, Banff, AB, T1L 1B3 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 403.762.8421 |
| Hours | Open year round |
| Entrance Fee | $21 per family daily |
| Learn More | Official Website |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
There is no better way to experience Banff’s pristine mountain landscape than to get out there in the snow. Thousands of avalanches occur throughout Banff National Park every year. Visitors wishing to venture beyond the limits of the trails described in this guide should assume that they are travelling in avalanche terrain and should be prepared with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and equipment.
Using Historical Data to Predict
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Banff National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Banff National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Banff National Park are September, July, June & August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 208,100 | 177,900 | 236,800 | 262,200 | 317,800 | 389,100 | 688,500 | 723,800 | 472,300 | 149,700 | 126,000 | 151,400 |
| Precipitation | 31 | 27 | 43 | 70 | 107 | 131 | 87 | 77 | 57 | 43 | 43 | 24 |
| Avg Temp | 29 | 32 | 36 | 44 | 55 | 63 | 71 | 71 | 62 | 47 | 33 | 28 |
| Max Temp | 40 | 41 | 46 | 58 | 71 | 76 | 83 | 82 | 77 | 63 | 44 | 40 |
| Avg Temp | 16 | 17 | 23 | 32 | 41 | 47 | 52 | 52 | 45 | 34 | 22 | 16 |
| Min Temp | -6 | -3 | 3 | 16 | 28 | 36 | 41 | 40 | 32 | 17 | 2 | -5 |
Banff National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Banff National Park is visited.
| Trip Name | Trip Miles | Trip Days |
|---|---|---|
| Jasper, Yoho and Banff | 687 | 9 |
| Glacier to Canadian Banff & Kootenay | 1,035 | 9 |
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Banff National Park.
| Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Yoho National Park | 50 km |
| Kootenay National Park | 54 km |
| Jasper National Park | 104 km |
| Glacier National Park | 114 km |
| Mount Revelstoke National Park | 159 km |
| Waterton Lakes National Park | 292 km |
| Elk Island National Park | 324 km |
| Glacier National Park | 338 km |
| Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area | 398 km |
Nearest Ski Resorts
For those of you who are the diehard outdoors type, visiting a national park on a ski trip can be quite the adventure. Here are the ski resorts within 100 miles of Banff National Park:
| Name | Location | Summit | Difficulty Score™ | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Louise | Lake Louise, AB | 8,650 ft | 66% | 22 km |
| Mount Norquay | Banff, AB | 6,998 ft | 53% | 26 km |
| Banff Sunshine Village | Banff, AB | 8,957 ft | 68% | 28 km |
| Nakiska Ski | Kananaskis, AB | 7,415 ft | 60% | 68 km |
| Fortress Mountain Resort | Kananaskis, AB | 8,400 ft | 57% | 75 km |
| Kicking Horse | Golden, BC | 8,218 ft | 90% | 81 km |
| Panorama Mountain | Panorama, BC | 8,038 ft | 87% | 103 km |
| Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Ski Area | Fairmont Hot Springs, BC | 5,200 ft | 44% | 113 km |
Nearest Airports
When visiting a National park, many people are faced with either a very long drive across country, or a much shorter flight.
Large Airports
A large airport has scheduled major airline service with millions of passengers per year. This type of airport always accepts international flights. Here are the closest large airports to Banff National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary International Airport | YYC | Calgary, AB | 132 km |
| Edmonton International Airport | YEG | Edmonton, AB | 268 km |
| Vancouver International Airport | YVR | Vancouver, BC | 571 km |
| Seattle–Tacoma International Airport | SEA | Seattle, WA | 635 km |
Medium Airports
A medium-sized airport has scheduled regional airline service. This type of airport may or may not accept international flights. Here are the closest medium-sized airports to Banff National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport | YXC | Cranbrook, BC | 194 km |
| Castlegar/West Kootenay Regional Airport | YCG | Castlegar, BC | 260 km |
| Lethbridge County Airport | YQL | Lethbridge, AB | 290 km |
| Kelowna International Airport | YLW | Kelowna, BC | 291 km |
| Kamloops Airport | YKA | Kamloops, BC | 327 km |
| Penticton Airport | YYF | Penticton, BC | 337 km |
| Glacier Park International Airport | FCA | Kalispell, MT | 358 km |
Credits: Campground data provided by USCampgrounds.info. Map shapes from CartographyVectors. Weather data from NOAA. Airport data from OurAirports.com. Images from Unsplash, Flickr and Parks&Trips. All data has also been updated and augmented by Parks&Trips.