The Best Things To See And Do In Banff National Park For Summer 2025
Welcome to our guide to The Best Things To See And do In Banff National Park for summer 2025! Read on to learn about the best natural attractions, like glaciers, lakes and waterfalls, as well as the best things to do, like tours, hikes and activities. We’ve rounded up the best lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, trails, wildlife viewing spots, viewpoints, activities and more to help make your summer trip to Banff one to remember! Don’t forget to pay attention to the pro tips to help make the most of each experience and to avoid the busy times and hassle for your adventures in Banff. Some of these are lesser known, off the beaten path features and some of them are the most popular and best rated attractions near Banff.
Best Lakes In Banff National park
Lake Louise
Lake Louise is one of the most popular lakes to see in the Rockies and one of the top things to see near Banff. The lake is a pale, blue-green color in the summer sun and reflects an incredible scene of Mount Victoria and Victoria Glacier at the far end of the lake. There is a very crowded viewing and photo area at the start of the lake where most people take their photos from. If you’d like to escape the crowds a bit, you can walk 2 km (one way) along the shoreline trail that follows the lake to the far end. You can also hike up to Agnes Tea House from Lake Louise to enjoy some alpine tranquility and some more amazing views.
Pro tip: Get here early to avoid parking lot dramas! Lake Louise is one of the most popular places to visit in Banff National Park, so the lot is almost always full.
Moraine lake
Moraine Lake is located 24 km up a mountain road from the base of Lake Louise village. The moment you see Moraine Lake you will recognize it from most of the iconic photos of the Rockies. The Valley of Ten Peaks looms impressively in front of you, reflecting off the surreal blue water of the lake. Moraine Lake is easily the most famous lake in the Rockies and for good reason! The blue water is a result of sunlight being reflected off particles of ground up rock, which blocks all light rays except blue ones. Being one of the most popular natural attractions in Banff National Park means the lake is crowded and access is limited. You need to book a tour or take a shuttle to reach the lake, from Lake Louise or Banff town center.
Pro tip: Book your shuttle early to avoid missing out! You can have breakfast at the lodge at Moraine Lake.
Lake Minnewanka
Lake Minnewanka is the largest lake in Banff National Park and is one of the closest lakes to the town of Banff. This lake offers views of the surrounding mountains, plus an opportunity to swim and a great place to head out for a hike. The beach area at the start of the lake ais also home to a set of the famous Park’s Canada “Red Chairs”, which offer a fun photo opportunity or relaxing place to enjoy the views! Lake Minnewanka is one of the best lakes in the Rockies for a variety of activities.
Bow lake
Bow Lake is located on the Icefields Parkway, roughly an hour north of Banff and still within the boundaries of Banff National Park. Bow Lake is a popular viewpoint in the Rockies and photo stop, with a convenient roadside pullout for vehicles to stop and enjoy the views. There is a beautiful lodge on the shores of Bow Lake, which also has a convenient coffee and gift shop so you can stop for a warm beverage to enjoy at the lake. Bow Lake is a must see attraction on your next trip to Banff, and is a great place to head for a hike, a swim or just relax and enjoy the views and take photos from.
Pro tip: There are some really great picnic spots at the south end of Bow Lake!
Peyto lake
One of the best things to see in Banff National Park is Peyto Lake, named after Wild Bill Peyto. You will likely recognize the lake from many photos of the Rockies with its unique shape and beautiful shimmering blue color. Peyto Lake has one of the most popular viewpoints in the Rockies, from which you can get a really great view and photo angle of the lake. Peyto Lake is 5 minutes from Bow Lake and also along the Icefields Parkway, so the two lakes pair well together.
Pro tip: Bring a wide angle lens so you can capture the whole lake in your photo!
Glacier’s Near Banff
Bow Glacier
Bow Glacier is easily visible from the highway viewpoint at Bow Lake, though it is a bit far away. You can hike along the trail towards Bow Glacier Falls to get closer to it and to appreciate the cascading meltwater of the falls! This is one of many glaciers near Banff and a visit to Bow Lake is one of the best things to do in Banff National Park.
Athabasca Glacier
Athasbasca Glacier is the most popular glacier in the Rockies and while technically not in Banff National Park, is the easiest place for a proper glacier experience during your visit to Banff. Located on the Icefields Parkway, Athabasca Glacier is roughly 1.5 hours north of Banff. Here you can walk to the toe of the glacier for up close views of the ice, or you can head out on the glacier on an ice coach tour or on a guided ice walk. The Athabasca Glacier is fairly crowded as it is one of the main attractions in the Canadian Rockies, so we recommend arriving early, late or sticking around for a bit as the crowds ebb and flow.
Pro tip: Do the Parker Ridge Hike nearby for some amazing views of the Saskatchewan Glacier!
Emerald Glacier
Emerald Glacier is a lesser known glacier near Banff and is harder to access than the other two above. Emerald Glacier lies in Yoho National Park, and is the glacier that sits directly over the Iceline hiking trail. The hike is just over an hour from Banff, and is one of the greatest hikes in the Banff area, and certainly one of the best hikes in Yoho National Park. While doing the Iceline Trail, you hike directly beneath the Emerald Glacier and the views are unbelievable. If you want, you could walk right up to it and touch the ice.
Pro tip: Bring a zoom lens for some really cool photos of the glacier and of Takakkaw Falls in the valley below!
Best Waterfalls Near Banff and Lake Louise
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is a crowded place but the narrow canyon with its steep walls and rushing waterfalls is a sight not to be missed in Banff National Park. We recommend arriving first thing in the morning to be able to park and to have more of the trail to yourself. Johnston Canyon is roughly 20 minutes from Banff on the Bow Valley Parkway. The hike to the first waterfall is roughly 1.5 kilometers and another 1.5 kilometers to the second set of falls. We recommend doing both if you are going to go through the bother of parking.
Pro tip: Get your parking space super early so you are hiking out while the crowds are hiking in.
Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon is one of the best canyons near Banff and is absolutely worth the visit. It is roughly 40 minutes from Banff and 25 minutes from Johnston Canyon, so you can pair the two of them together! Peering down into the narrow slot canyon, with smooth walls carved out by the rushing water over tens of thousands of years is an amazing experience. Make sure you walk to the far end of the canyon to see the waterfall cascading into the depths!
Grotto Canyon
One of the best places to see near Banff is Grotto Canyon, which is roughly 30 minutes from the town of Banff, just to the East of Canmore. Grotto Canyon is an out and back hike that takes roughly 1.5 hours to complete. The canyon is a result of thousands of years of water rushing between two mountains and carving out the rock. Grotto Canyon is an amazing natural attraction that has more than meets the eyes. The steep walls on either side of you are a nice perks, and the waterfall on the right side is also a cool feature but it’s the 1300 year old pictographs on the side of the canyon for me! The petroglyphs are believed to have been painted by Navajo passing through some 1300 years ago. Remember to not touch the pictographs as it would be a shame for us to scratch them off in a matter of years!
Pro tip: You can check this one off your list on your way back to Calgary at the end of your visit to Banff!
Bow Falls
Bow Falls are one of the easiest things to see in Banff National Park, since they are right in town and an easy walk from the bustling Banff Avenue. Bow Falls is a great photo spot and a nice place to relax and enjoy some white noise with a scenic backdrop!
Mistaya Canyon
Mistaya Canyon is one of the best examples of how thousands of years of ice melting have shaped the landscape in the Rockies. Standing at the edge of the canyon you can see the water rushing through the winding turns with such force, it’s no wonder the rock eventually gives way to the powder of water. Mistaya Canyon is one of the top natural attractions along the Icefields Parkway and is absolutely worth stopping at if you are driving North towards Jasper or the Columbia Icefields.
Bow Glacier Falls
Bow Glacier Falls is the very beginning of the Bow River, which eventually travels across our entire country and enters the Atlantic Ocean. Who can say they have touched the water that crosses our entire country?! Bow Glacier Falls is one of the easier intermediate hikes in the Rockies and is accessible from the parking lot at Bow Lake. Head along the lake, eventually arriving at the edge of a canyon that shoots out from the waterfall. From here you go up, but not much and arrive at the base of the waterfall. Bow Glacier Falls is a very picturesque waterfall in Banff National Park and a great place to take photos.
Pro tip: Aim to start your hike as early as possible to capture the falls in the morning light, which is much softer than the harsher afternoon light, which backlights the falls.
Hot Springs Near Banff
Upper Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs
No trip to the Rockies is complete without soaking in the natural mineral waters of the hot springs in Banff or elsewhere in the Rockies. Hot Springs aren’t just a convenient way to relax, but also have historic significance and the Indigenous Peoples have been using the hot springs for thousands of years as they visited and travelled through the Banff area. It is believed that the hot mineral waters have healing properties, so you can be suer to feel like a superhuman after a good soak in the pools. The pools used to be natural, but they were renovated to sustain the heavy traffic they receive so you should come expecting a swimming pool experience. Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs are right on the edge of Banff, near the base of the Gondola.
Pro tip: Bring sunglasses! The water reflects the light and can be hard on the eyes on a sunny day. You can rent a historic bathing suit, which makes for a good laugh and unique photo.
Radium Hot Springs
Radium Hot Springs are one of the most popular hot springs in the Rockies, but much less crowded than the hot springs in Banff. If you are exploring Kootenay National Park (which you should), then I would recommend taking the extra time to visit Radium Hot Springs. The sunset glow is pretty nice from these hot springs, so later in the day is a great time to visit.
Best Viewpoints In Banff National park
Castle Mountain Lookout
Castle Mountain is one of the most impressive and imposing mountains near Banff. Castle Mountain Lookout is a pullout on the side of the Trans Canada Highway from which you can see Castle Mountain from a really beautiful angle.
Big Bend Highway Pull Out
If you are driving to Jasper or the Columbia Icefields make sure to stop on the right, halfway up the big hill known as “Big Bend”. From here you can see a waterfall directly across from you and look back South to see dramatic rock walls and the gorgeous valley stretching out as far as the eye can see. This is one of the best viewpoints in Banff National Park.
Peyto lake viewing platform
Peyto Lake is one of the more iconic sights to see in the Rockies and the viewing platform is definitely one of the best viewpoints in the Canadian Rockies. This is a really great place at any time of day, though is is quite busy in the middle of the day, so arriving early or late can help a lot.
Moraine Lake Rock Pile
Another iconic place to take photos and see some spectacular views of the Rockies is from the rockpile at Moraine Lake. From the top of the rock pile you can see deep into the bright blue waters of the lake, and have a perfect view of the peaks in the background for one of the most famous photos of Banff National Park.
Park’s Canada’s Red Chairs In Banff National park
Park’s Canada strategically placed several pairs of red Adirondack Chairs around Banff National Park, as well as the rest of the national parks in Canada. Each of these pairs of chairs is open to be enjoyed by the public on a first come, first served basis. Some of them are easy to find, and some are a little more involved, either on a hike or in the middle of a forest somewhere. If you find yourself sitting in one of these chairs, you can rest assured that you have found yourself in an iconic and worthwhile place to relax in, as these chairs are typically placed in areas with excellent views, and near iconic features of each park. Finding the “red chairs” has become a popular activity in Banff National Park, and a famous attraction! Below is a list of the locations of the red chairs that are placed in Banff National Park.
Valleyview Picnic Area
Cascade Ponds Picnic Area
Lake Minnewanka Picnic Area
Two Jack Lake Picnic Area
Tunnel Mountain Summit
Cave & Basin National Historic Site
Sulphur Mountain Summit
Hoodoos Viewpoint
Muleshoe Picnic Area
Silverhorn Creek Campground
Glacier Lake
You can find a map of the red chair locations here.
Top 5 easy hikes near banff and Lake louise
Lake Louise Shoreline Trail
One of the best ways to enjoy Lake Louise is to get away from the crowds and the Lake Louise Shoreline Trail is one of the best ways to do that! This is one of the easiest hikes in Banff National Park and has some incredible views of the peaks surrounding Lake Louise, including Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier. We love looking back at the Chateau Lake Louise from the far end of the lake.
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is another easy hike in Banff National Park and is close to Banff as well! You can hike to the lower or upper falls, depending on how far you would like to go. The entire trail is 5.5 kilometers long and includes roughly 270 meters of elevation gain and loss. We recommend hiking the full trail to see the upper falls, which are less crowded than the lower falls and every bit as dramatic!
Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon is the perfect easy hike near Banff for anyone looking for some beautiful scenery and some close up photos of a waterfall. The trail is 1.4 kilometers with almost no elevation. It is one of the easiest a shortest hikes near Banff, and is located in Kootenay National Park, just 40 minutes from the town of Banff.
Lake Minnewanka Shoreline Trail
The hiking trail along the shore of Lake Minnewanka goes for a long distance, so you can hike for as long as you’d like and then turn back whenever you feel like it. If you are feeling ambitious. you can extend your hike to reach Alymer Pass, which has some incredible views back towards Banff. The Lake Minnewanka hiking trail travels along the lakeshore for most of the way, so there are plenty of nice places to swim and virtually no crowds at all!
Emerald Lake Trail
The hiking trail around Emerald Lake is one of the most beautiful hiking trails near Banff and also one of the easiest. There is no elevation gain and the entire trail is just over 4 kilometers taking a bit over an hour to complete. We recommend taking some time to enjoy the views at the far end of the lake, and if you want to go further, you can head up to Yoho Lake or Emerald Basin.
Where to See Wildlife In Banff National Park
Banff National Park is home to a diverse and plentiful wildlife population! The only tricky thing is making the wildlife show up right when you want it to because it’s, well… wild! Below are some of our recommended places to try and spot wildlife. For more information, check out our guide on how to see wildlife in the Canadian Rockies.
Fairmont Golf Course
While it might seem like a weird place to go, the open grasslands of the gold course are a popular place for Elk to hang out and travel through. The golf course is also located on the banks of the Bow River, which is a big attraction for elk in the Rockies. This is one of the best places to see wildlife near Banff!
Lake Minnewanka Slopes
The sun facing slopes of the mountains adjacent to Lake Minnewanka get lots of Buffalo berries, which aren’t a very tasty berry. But guess who really enjoys these berries?! Grizzly bears! Grizzly bears need to consume roughly 250,000 berries each day in the summer season in order to store enough fat to survive the winter hibernation. If you look closely during August and early September, you can often see grizzlies chowing down on a berry buffet higher on the slopes of the mountains, where there are no trees and the berry bushes get lots of sun. Remember that this also makes hiking and being around these areas much more hazardous, so follow Parks guidelines and stay in groups of four or more with bear spray and no dogs. This is one of the best places to see bears near Banff.
Bow Valley Parkway
The Bow Valley Parkway is a road that travels from Cochrane all the way to Lake Louise. It is much smaller than the Trans Canada Highway and gets a fraction of the traffic. Because of this, animals don’t mind being around the road, which is a good place to spot wildlife near Banff. Bow Valley Parkway is a great attraction near Banff and a popular cycling route. There are open grasslands beside the road, which are a popular area for elk. You can sometimes see bears eating the shrubs along the ditches as well!
Saskatchewan Crossing Burn Areas
Bears and elk love the shrubs that grow in wide open spaces in the Rockies. This means that old forest fire locations are prime real estate for wildlife viewing, since the lack of trees allow the important shrubs to grow in great supply. Saskatchewan Crossing has lots of old and new burn areas, which are full of food for our favourite animals to look for!
Historical sites and monuments in Banff National Park
Check back for more info here soon!
Top things to do in Banff National Park
Sulphur Mountain Gondola
Banff is surrounded by beautiful mountains, but what good is that if you can’t see them?! One of the easiest ways to see the gorgeous mountain views is to get up high, which can either be done by hiking (sigh) or taking a gondola! Sulphur Mountain Gondola is one of the most popular things to do in Banff, and trust us, the views from the top are well worth the price of admission! You can look down on the town of Banff and see mountains for miles in all directions.
Pro tip: Go when the light is low and photos pop the most! We recommend going as close to sunrise and sunset as possible. It is least crowded early morning and with either sunrise or sunset you get those long shadows and moody photos that are so popular!
Lake Minnewank Boat Cruise
Another popular activity in Banff is to take a cruise along the waters of Lake Minnewanka. The cruise heads all the way to the far end of the lake and the easy mountain views are a nice distraction from the hustle of everyday life.
Pro tip: Bring binoculars in the late summer/ fall to search for Grizzlies high on the south facing slopes where there are no trees!
Tea House Hikes At Lake Louise
Tourism was really made popular around Lake Louise by the Swiss Mountain Guides who worked here in the late 1800’s. There is nothing that the Swiss like more than to hike to a mountain refuge and drink tea high in the alpine. You could say they left their mark on Lake Louise with the Lake Agnes Teahouse, where you can hike to and enjoy a nice mug of tea with the beautiful lake as a backdrop!
Guided Hikes near banff and Lake Louise
Hiking is one of the most popular activities in the Canadian Rockies so we highly recommend you head out for some leg powered adventures! If venturing into the bear filled wilderness isn’t exactly your idea of a safe activity you can always hire a guide or book a guided group hiking tour in Banff. There are short walks around town and longer day hikes. If you really want to explore, you can always join a guided group hiking tour for a week in Banff to really explore the best of the area!
Whitewater Rafting
What could be a better way to experience Banff and Lake Louise than to glide down a rushing river in a tiny raft?! We highly recommend getting your feet wet (so to speak) on a guided rafting tour on one of the rivers near Banff. If you are looking for a scenic experience, head to Canmore, while those looking for a wild ride should head to Golden to experience the mighty Kicking Horse River.
Horseback riding
While hiking can be a fun activity in the Rockies, there is no denying that it can be a lot of work. If the hard work isn’t your cup of tea, getting a horse to do the heavy lifting for you may be a good alternative. You can book several different horseback riding tours in the Canadian Rockies to explore alpine trails and riverbanks all around Banff National Park. We recommend the rides out of Lake Louise!
Mountain Biking and Cycling
Mountain Biking is an ideal way to explore the Rockies while getting a serious adrenaline rush at the same time! Banff is home to tons of mountain bike trails, and Golden offers a huge variety of mountain bike trails, and lit assisted downhill biking as well.
If cruising along a smooth stretch of road is more your jam, Banff is perfect for that too. Base yourself in Banff and ride the legacy trail to Canmore, or the Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise, or venture to Highway 40 for some really scenic cruising in Kananaskis Provincial Park. There is virtually no end to the amount of riding you can do in the Rockies!
About The Author
Alex Ross- Lead Guide/ Founder
Let’s just say Alex didn’t want to work a real job when he grew up. He had his heart set on avoiding any kind of accounting, human resources, compliance, marketing and business administration, in order to be free for his dream job as a ski guide. Now he guides people on skis, but mostly does accounting, human resources, compliance, marketing and business administration work!