Are you looking for the best winter hikes in Banff National Park that you can do with the family? We’ve got you covered!
We live only an hour away from Banff National Park, so we frequently explore the Canadian Rockies and even in the winter. In fact, hiking in Banff in the winter is one of our favorite things.
Frozen lakes, frozen waterfalls, and little to no crowds. It’s ideal for an outdoor adventure.
We try to go on a family hike with our kids at least once a week. And this, even in the winter. There are so many amazing Banff winter hikes to do, and there is something special about a frozen waterfall and snowy mountain views.
So, today, we will share our best winter hikes in Banff National Park that are perfect for all skill levels, including kids of all ages.
Our TOP 3 Winter Hikes in Banff
Below, we share a more exhaustive list of hikes to do in the winter in Banff National Park. Here are our TOP 3 hikes you shouldn’t miss this winter in Banff:
- Johnston Canyon (to the Upper Falls)
- Johnson Lake (to the Hermite Cabin)
- Lake Louise Lakefront Trail (one of the best stroller-friendly hikes in Banff)
1. Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon trail is one of the best winter hikes in Banff, but it’s also one of the busiest ones.
On a nice sunny winter day, it’s not rare to find the parking lot full. There are tons of safety rails which are good for the kids (and the parents). It’s well-secured for everyone’s safety making it a great family-friendly hike in Banff.
💡 PRO-TIP – This trail is often really icy, especially when hiking up to the Upper Falls. Make sure to bring your microspikes. You’ll need them.
This trail offers a beautiful Banff walk in winter, following the canyon. At the lower falls, you can wait in line to go into a cave and see the (frozen) waterfall. However when we went, it was really busy, so the line was a little too long for our kids’ patience (there’s not much “to do” while waiting).
From here, you can go back or walk less than 2 km to reach the upper falls. Whatever you decide, it will be a fun experience for everyone! But if you can make it to the Upper Falls, I highly recommend it.
🥾 Johnston Canyon Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 2.3 km out-and-back (to the Lower Falls)
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 105 m
🥾 Johnston Canyon Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 5.3 km out-and-back (to the Upper Falls)
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 270 m
2. Johnston Canyon Icewalk
This is a unique winter adventure if you don’t want to hike alone.
In this tour, you will join a professional guide to admire the lower and upper frozen waterfalls. You will also learn some geology and history about how this canyon was formed.
The reservation includes:
- round-trip transportation,
- ice cleats,
- hiking poles,
- a light snack and a hot chocolate to warm you up after walking in the cold!
▶️ Check this tour & look at the schedule.
3. Fenland Loop
Just outside Banff’s town is this lovely little trail hidden in the trees. You’ll walk along the Forty Mile Creek. It’s a quick and easy winter hike in Banff that is perfect for the kids. It’s also an excellent place to see wildlife.
⛔ Warning – Active wildlife in the area (wolves and coyotes). Take precautions like leaving food in the car and having bear spray. The chances of anything happening are SO rare (slim to none), but when hiking with kids, it’d be better to go viral for fighting off a wolf than for being eaten by one.
In the parking lot, there are a few picnic tables, and it’s a short walk to the Banff sign (perfect for posting on the ‘Gram). Fenland Trail also connects to Vermilion Lakes Road for a longer hike.
🥾 Fenland Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 1.8 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 55 m
4. Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail
This winter hike in Banff offers a beautiful view of the lake, the mountains, and the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel. If kids don’t feel like doing a proper hike, walking on the frozen lake can also be fun if the ice is thick enough.
Make sure also to check the waterfall at the end of the lake. You can walk straight across the frozen lake to the opposite end of the hotel to reach it. The frozen waterfall will be on your upper-right-hand side.
💡 PRO-TIP – If you can, bring (or rent) some ice skates! They have a fun natural skating rink where you’ll see lots of people spending the afternoon.
5. Fairview Lookout
Short and sweet, this trail is located in Lake Louise. You could do the Lakeshore and the Lookout at the same time!
This less popular trail offers a different view of the Chateau Lake Louise Hotel and Lake Louise. You will walk in a forested path until you reach an open area to look back at the lake and the hotel.
You can enjoy the views before heading back down.
🥾 Fairview Lookout Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 2.3 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 156 m
6. Johnson Lake
If you are looking for one of the most fun and best winter hikes in Alberta for kids, Johnson Lake trail should be high on your list. This trail usually has hard-packed snow, making walking very easy and kid-friendly.
This easy loop trail has two exciting features for the kids.
- There’s a lake, Johnson Lake, and if the ice is thick enough (between 15 cm and 20 cm), it’s possible to walk or ice skate on it.
- There’s an old hermit cabin hidden in the woods. It’s not super well marked, but you’ll find it if you download the AllTrails map.
🥾 Johnson Lake Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 2.9 km loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 54 m
7. Two Lake Jack
This is another excellent winter hike in Banff that’s close in distance to Johnson Lake (though you still need to drive to reach the trailhead). This trail will keep kids entertained by the surrounding nature: trees, fallen trees, rocks, and wildlife.
Moreover, there are several viewpoints throughout this trail. You will mainly enjoy the views of:
- Mount Inglismaldie,
- Mount Girouard, and
- Mount Peechee.
Depending on where you are on the trail, you will be fascinated by the iconic Mount Rundle that roars and stands big and tall in the backdrop. You can have fun ice skating on the lake too.
⛔ Warning – Please avoid hazards if you do so, and check the Town of Banff’s website for the Parks’ recommendations regarding ice safety.
🥾 Two Jack Lake Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 4.8 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 87 m
8. Cascade Ponds
This trail is named after Cascade Mountain, the first mountain you see in Banff. Its prominent looks make it hard to miss!
💡 PRO-TIP – There are some small hills where kids can sled down, so bringing a sled or a toboggan is probably a good idea!
Cascade Ponds is an easy trail that kids will enjoy doing. Several bridges connect the ponds, making the hike much less technical than other trails. Easy peasy!
I would probably classify this as a “walk” rather than a hike. The day-use area has fire pits, picnic tables, and toilets.
🥾 Cascade Ponds Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 1.4 km loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 61 m
9. Bow Falls Viewpoint Trail
The Bow Falls Viewpoint trail starts in Banff, at the base of the pedestrian bridge. It follows the Bow River up to the Bow Falls.
This is a BUSY trail.
There are many beautiful viewpoints along the way, with benches to admire the mountain views. Then, you’ll have a great view of the waterfalls. Make sure to walk down the stairs and enjoy the views there, too.
⛔ Warning – The stairs are not maintained in the wintertime. They can be really icy in the winter. Use precaution. Make sure to bring your microspikes. You’ll need them.
🥾 Bow Falls Viewpoint Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 2.7 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 66 m
10. Tunnel Mountain
Located right in Banff, this beautiful winter hike is one of the perfect options for a weekend activity. Tunnel Mountain is one of the best options for kids because it is short and moderate. They will definitely feel accomplished for reaching a mountain summit!
Because this is a popular trail, the snow is packed, though it’s still slippery, so bring your spikes/crampons!
You will walk through a forested trail and will enjoy the views of the Bow River and Valley, the Banff Springs Hotel, the Town of Banff, and, my favorite, Mount Rundle.
🥾 Tunnel Mountain Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 4.3 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 262 m
11. Sulphur Mountain
This trail is probably the longest in this list with 10.8 km out-and-back to walk. However, here’s a tip for you: you can hike up and take the gondola down, or take the gondola up and hike down!
It is your choice, although I would recommend hiking up and taking the gondola to head back down for the sake of your knees.
The trail starts at the Banff Gondola parking lot and, for the most part, it has a gentle and steady incline with several switchbacks.
What we love the most about hiking this trail is that there’s an Interpretive Center that kids will enjoy while you warm up with a coffee or hot chocolate from Castle Mountain Coffee.
🥾 Sulphur Mountain Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 10.8 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation gain: 755 m
12. Peyto Lake Viewpoint
Peyto Lake Viewpoint is a unique place to visit in the winter, though it’s a bit farther from downtown Banff. This short trail is on the Icefields Parkway, about 30-40 minutes from Lake Louise, so a good 1h30 from Banff.
The path is short, but can be slippery, so you need good boots and microspikes. It’s also colder and windier than in downtown, so wear warm clothes.
Not too many people go in winter, so it’s very quiet (compared to the summertime). You may not see the mesmerizing blue of the lake, but it’s still worth it.
🥾 Peyto Lake Viewpoint Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 1.3 km out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 70 m
13. BONUS: Marble Canyon, Kootenay National Park Winter Hikes
Marble Canyon is one of the prettiest hikes our family has taken in the past year. It’s personally one of my favorite hikes of all time. It’s not long and it’s super easy, but the views are incredible. Plus, the history of Marble Canyon is really cool, and the kids can use some sections to slide down on their butt (if they have snow pants on).
🥾 Marble Canyon Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 1.4 km (0.9 miles) out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 246 m
Be Prepared for Your Banff Winter Hikes
Here are a few things to know when planning winter hiking in Banff National Park, AB.
📱 Download a few apps to help you plan your hiking activity
AllTrails is our go-to app to look at trial reports and see if the trial is kid-friendly. You’ll also find recent information about the status of the trail. A couple of options to know if a trail has a closure or restriction is to visit the Trail Conditions website from Parks Canada or the bulletins website from the Government of Canada. Always check the trail conditions before heading out.
🥾 Pack the right gear
Pack your backpack (such as the Osprey or the Decathlon hiking backpacks) with hiking shoes, a bottle of water, snacks, and hiking poles. Kids do not need much to enjoy hiking. They can bring as little or as much as they’d like. Usually, a little hiking backpack for them is more than enough.
Furthermore, always bring layers and be prepared for sudden mountain weather changes. It can sometimes be warmer when you start the trail, but it can be snowing, raining, or freezing when you reach the summit. Good base layers (such as the Wool Love or Iksplore base layers) are essential.
Spikes or Crampons and Hiking Poles are highly recommended in the winter as the trails get super icy and slippery.
🐻 Bring bear spray
There is always the possibility of encountering wildlife in Banff and the Canadian Rockies – even if it’s winter and bears are hibernating. Most animals avoid human contact as much as possible. However, Banff and the surrounding areas are bear country; therefore, it’s essential to bring bear spray and know how to use it. I recommend watching this video from Parks Canada to learn how to use it.
Also, keep your children at a safe distance from you when on the trails. You want to see them at all times.
👶 Bring a quality baby/hiking carrier
A good baby/hiking carrier is a must when hiking and walking with toddlers. Clearly, there’s nothing worse than getting midway through a trail only for your little one to decide they aren’t taking another step.
There are so many great hiking carriers for toddlers to choose from. We loved our Ergobaby carrier and our Tula carrier. Although we’ve never been big fans of the big hiking carriers, some families love the Osprey hiking backpack and the Deuter hiking backpack.
🩹 Don’t forget a First Aid Kit
It is always a great idea to take a travel first aid kit with you when traveling with toddlers. Make sure it is well-stocked, especially with bite/sting cream and band-aids – you never know when unsteady little legs might take a tumble. Keep your travel first aid kit somewhere accessible.
Final Thoughts: Which Is the BEST Winter Hike in Banff?
This is a personal preference and will depend on your kids’ ages and your love for hiking.
Emilie and I are both fairly active, but we don’t try to push our 2 and 4 y/o beyond their limits.
So for us, the most pleasant hike near Banff was Marble Canyon, in Kootenay National Park. Johnson Lake is also pretty cool because of the Hermit cabin.
These may be the shortest and easiest hikes on the list, yet they still offered great teaching experiences for kids to learn about natural erosion, how water can flow under the ice, and where exactly water goes (and where it comes from).
You may have a different experience, but we highly recommend doing these on the list if you have young kids.
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