If you are visiting Banff in winter or anytime between October and April, it’s very likely you’ll be seeing snow. Here in the Canadian Rockies, the snow typically starts to fly well before the official start of winter and that’s when all the Banff winter activities will start.
While waiting for more popular winter activities like skiing in Banff, the shoulder season in Banff National Park is the perfect time to do some of these winter hikes in Banff and the surrounding area.
Winter hiking in Banff, Canmore and Kananaskis is a great way to experience the area during the shoulder season, but the beauty of these hikes is that you can do them all winter long. They are popular enough that you can count on the trails to be packed down well enough to leave snowshoes behind. That is, of course, unless you are the first one on the trail after a big snowfall.
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Winter Hiking – Banff
These are all easy winter hikes in Banff National Park. Though none of these are epic hikes that will take up your whole day, they are fun, easy outings where you don’t have to worry about avalanche risk. As an added bonus winter hiking is one of the best free things to do in Banff in winter! Just be prepared for the winter weather – more tips on that below.
Johnson Lake
Distance: 3.1 km loop
Elevation: 70 m
Hiking around Johnson Lake is an easy winter hike in Banff National Park. You can make Johnson Lake a full day activity with winter hiking and outdoor skating in Banff National Park, if you are lucky enough to get there when the lake is frozen and not covered in snow. Even when the lake is snow covered, doing this easy snowshoe in Banff around Johnson Lake is still worth the effort.
The Johnson Lake winter hike can be done as a loop around the lake, with a portion along a forested trail. Alternatively, you can hike out to the end and turn back for nice views almost the entire time. There is the option to hike up along the ridge or lower down closer to the lake.
A recent App of the Year winner, AllTrails is also one of the best apps for visiting Banff! Enjoy map downloads and many more premium features with a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!
Tunnel Mountain
Distance: 4.6 km out & back
Elevation: 266 m
Tunnel Mountain (also known as Sleeping Buffalo) is a popular hike in Banff for tourists and locals alike. The Tunnel Mountain hike is popular enough that the trail will be packed down making it a good candidate for a Banff winter hike.
Tunnel Mountain is a great family hike too, especially if you are looking to accomplish that first summit! It’s just challenging enough for kids that they’ll feel like they’ve climbed a mountain. Meanwhile, you’ll appreciate the views!
Wildlife Safety
When hiking in Banff National Park, you are responsible for your own safety. Before hitting the hiking trails we highly recommend you read our 10 Essential Banff Hiking Tips for information about bear safety, trail conditions, wildlife warnings and possible closures.
Johnston Canyon
Distance: 5.0 km out & back (to the Upper Falls)
Elevation: 236 m
Easily one of the most popular attractions in Banff National Park, Johnston Canyon is also a winter activity in Banff that we highly recommend. For many years, we visited Johnston Canyon more in the winter than in the summer.
While hiking up Johnston Canyon to the Upper and Lower falls is certainly something spectacular to see in the spring and summer, seeing the frozen falls with ice climbers is one of the best things to do in Banff in the winter. It’s even more lovely without the summer crowds!
You can extend your day by doing a winter hike to the Ink Pots from Johnston Canyon for a total of 11.7 km out & back. This portion of the trail will be less traveled so you might want to consider bringing snowshoes, depending on the time of the latest snowfall.
If you’d prefer to have transportation, winter gear and a guide, you can enjoy the amazing Johnston Canyon Icewalk tour from Banff.
Read More
Find even more Banff Winter Activities for Non-Skiers here.
Hoodoos Viewpoint
Distance: 10 km out & back
Elevation: 305 m
While you can get to the Hoodoos Viewpoint by parking right at the viewpoint on Tunnel Mountain Road to see these impressive rock spires, doing it as a winter hike is worthwhile. The Surprise Corner to Hoodoos Trail is an easy hike that takes hikers to two of the best viewpoints in the Banff town site.
Starting at Surprise Corner, you’ll love the vantage point of the iconic Banff Springs Hotel. From there, you’ll meander through the forest with incredible views of the Bow River and Mount Rundle. After climbing on to the ridge along Tunnel Mountain Road, the views over the valley are equally impressive.
Banff: Winter Wildlife and Sightseeing Minibus Tour
Two Jack Lake
Distance: 3.2 km out & back
Elevation: 184 m
If Johnson Lake is too short of an outing, add Two Jack Lake to your list of winter hiking trails in Banff. This is a leisurely walk with stunning lake views. Start at the parking lot and walk along the lake shore. This path will take you along the wooded lakeshore, past the Two Jack Lakeside campground and to the outflow canal.
Upper Stoney Lookout
Distance: 4.3 km loop
Elevation: 239 m
Upper Stoney Lookout trail map
Upper Stoney Lookout is the perfect winter hike in Banff to get a good workout while still getting to appreciate the views over the valley. The hike up to the lookout is in the trees, which gives you a sense of being in a winter wonderland. Once at the top, the views of Cascade mountain and the valley are worth the climb. From there, it’s mostly downhill to return to the parking lot.
This trail is popular with winter hikers, snowshoers and fat bikers. You’ll often find the trail packed down enough that microspikes are sufficient, but sometimes snowshoes are the way to go. We’ve even snowshoed the Upper Stoney Loop while our kids attended the excellent ski school program at Mount Norquay.
We love the Kahtoola microspikes and have been using them for several years.
Lake Louise Lakeshore and Fairview Lookout
Distance: Lakeshore 4.7 km out & back / Fairview Lookout 2 km out & back
Elevation: Lakeshore 101 m / Fairview Lookout 165 m
Lake Louise Lakeshore trail map
We recommend making a full day of it when visiting Lake Louise in the winter. While the views are impressive right from the start, take a 4 km winter walk along the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail. At the end before turning back, you might spot a few ice climbers on the frozen waterfall.
See Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel from a different perspective by climbing up to the Fairview Lookout trail. The Fairview Lookout is 1 km each way on an out and back trail. Once you arrive at the lake from the parking lot, the trail leaves from the left (while looking at the lake).
Finally, don’t forget to bring your ice skates to join in the winter fun skating on Lake Louise!
You may enjoy this half-day Discover Lake Louise Tour from Banff, which includes snowshoes and plenty of free time to enjoy the amazing winter walks in Lake Louise.
Fenland Trail Loop
Distance: 1.9 km loop
Elevation: 49 m
Here are some winter walks in Banff where you can still experience the beauty of the Rocky Mountains without much elevation:
Walk along the 2km Fenland Trail loop. It’s an easy walk through the wooded marshland that you can access right from the town of Banff.
Vermilion Lakes Road
Distance: 4.4 km out & back
Elevation: N/A
Okay, this one is more of a walk than a hike, but the views are worth it! Walk the Vermilion Lakes Road, with impressive mountain views behind the three lakes that make up Vermilion Lakes. You can walk up to 4.4 km before turning back. Just be aware that this road is shared with vehicle traffic.
Sulphur Mountain (Moderate Banff Winter Hike)
Distance: 10.8 km out & back
Elevation: 755 m
If you are looking for a more moderate winter hike in Banff, you can hike up Sulphur Mountain instead of taking the Banff Gondola. At the top, you can grab a hot chocolate, check out the interpretive centre then walk along the 1 km interpretive boardwalk to the Cosmic Ray Station and Sanson’s Peak. Be prepared for some cold winds at the summit!
If you want to keep it easy, take the Banff Gondola up and just walk the boardwalk.
Taylor Lake (Moderate Banff Winter Hike)
Distance: 13.7 km out & back
Elevation: 797 m
Leaving right from the Taylor Lake parking lot along the Transcanada Highway, hike up the 13.7 km out and back trail to Taylor Lake. The forested trail is worth the view of the lake with panoramic mountain peaks surrounding it. Be prepared with a set of snowshoes, as you might find several feet of snow at the lake.
Winter Hiking – Canmore
Grassi Lakes
Distance: 4.0 km out & back
Elevation: 170 m
One of the most popular hikes in Canmore also makes a great winter hike. The Grassi Lakes hike is an easy 4 km hike. Even in the winter this is a hike that almost anyone will be able to do and is one of the best things to do in Canmore in the winter.
Given it’s popularity, you can expect the snow to be nicely packed. And the water color could arguably be even prettier surrounded with the white snow.
During the rest of the year there are two options to hike up to Grassi Lakes, but in the winter only the Grassi Lakes Upper trail is open. The more difficult route, Grassi Lake Interpretive Trail, is closed due to icy trail conditions.
Heart Creek
Distance: 4.7 km out & back
Elevation: 302 m
Just east of Canmore, Heart Creek is a favorite family hike, and for good reason. It’s a flat easy hike that ends at a hidden waterfall. Heart Creek makes for an easy winter hike near Canmore. With very little elevation and bridges crossing the creek, it’s a great way to spend a weekend morning.
Another fun outing in the area is hiking to the Heart Creek Bunker. It’s an easy 4.0 km hike along the TransCanada Trail that will take you to an abandoned cold war bunker. It leaves from the opposite side of the parking lot from the Heart Creek trail.
Easy Canmore Walking Trails
Canmore has an extensive pathway system that is perfect for a winter walk. Enjoy the quiet along Policeman’s Creek in the early morning or walk the pathways along the Bow River to the Engine Bridge.
A short walk along the shores of Quarry Lake is also bound to impress. There plenty of great walking trails in Canmore!
Ha Ling Peak (Moderate Canmore Winter Hike)
Distance: 7.4 km out & back
Elevation: 755 m
There’s something truly magical about the snow capped Canadian Rocky Mountains contrasted with the green pine trees and blue sky. While summer in Canmore and Banff is the busiest time, our favorite time to see the mountains is in the winter. There’s no better way to get to see this from up high than doing a winter hike in Canmore up to Ha Ling peak.
Hiking Ha Ling Peak is a popular activity, so you shouldn’t need anything more on your feet than winter hiking boots and microspikes to get up to the peak. Be aware that Ha Ling crosses an avalanche zone and there can be snow cornices at the edge.
Check the avalanche forecast before going, stay far away from the edge and be prepared for changes in weather. High winds and snow can quickly cause a loss of visibility.
Winter Hiking – Kananaskis
Troll Falls
Distance: 3.4 km
Elevation: 151 m
One of the most popular trails in Kananaskis, especially for families, is the Troll Falls hiking trail. Whether you’re planning to hike this in the summer or add this to your winter hiking in Kananaskis, we are certain you will love this trail. It’s an easy hiking trail, which is really more like a walk, with a fun reward at the end. Troll Falls is beautiful and impressive in the winter time.
Every once in a while, troll dolls get hidden along this trail. Kids will literally run the length of this trail looking for those troll dolls. Unfortunately, then tend to start disappearing over time leaving kids disappointed when they are gone.
Grotto Canyon
Distance: 7.1 km out & back
Elevation: 390 m
With plenty of snow on the ground, Grotto Canyon is an easy winter hike in the canyon. Approximately 3.5 km in you’ll come to a waterfall. This is typically the point where we turn back.
Once shoulder season hits in the spring, the snow gives way to ice that freezes and thaws several times over. This is also a great time to try ice walking in Grotto Canyon, though we don’t recommend doing it unless you have your own microspikes or take the Grotto Canyon Icewalk tour.
Rawson Lake
Distance: 8.9 km out & back
Elevation: 607 m
For a bit more of a challenge than the rest of the Kananaskis winter hikes on this list, Rawson Lake is a beautiful winter hike. Rawson Lake begins at the parking lot for Upper Kananaskis Lake. You’ll follow the Upper Kananaskis Lake trail until shortly after Sarrail Creek, where you’ll make a left up to Rawson Lake. It’s well marked and easy to find.
Rawson Lake is predominately in the trees, but the view of the lake is definitely worthwhile!
Do not hike the lakeshore trail in the winter. Walking along the lakeshore trail of Rawson Lake will take you into dangerous avalanche terrain.
Once the snow starts to accumulate, give snowshoeing a try! Rawson Lake is also a great trail to snowshoe! Here are other recommended easy snowshoes in Kananaskis.
Watridge Lake to Karst Springs Trail
Distance: 9.0km out & back
Elevation: 302 m
Watridge Lake to Karst Springs Map
The Watridge Lake Trail is a popular multi-sport trail in the Mt. Shark Day Use Area. The Watridge Lake Trail is likely most popular with cross-country skiers, but it is also widely used by winter hikers, snowshoers and people fat biking in Kananaskis.
The trail to Watridge Lake is 3.8km one way and is very flat. This popular Kananaskis winter trail is groomed, so you likely won’t need snowshoes or microspikes to enjoy it.
As enjoyable as the Watridge Lake Trail, the real highlights of this trail come when you leave the shores of Watridge Lake and start the very short, but steep Karst Spring Trail. It is a decent workout, but it’s only 0.5km along an incredible cascading waterfall to a viewing platform at the top.
In summer, it’s one of the most impressive mountain waterfalls anywhere and it’s especially pretty in the winter. Be sure to wear snowshoes or microspikes for traction and use trekking poles for balance as this steep trail can get slippery.
Black Prince Cirque Interpretive Trail
Distance: 4.8 km loop
Elevation: 178 m
From the Black Prince Day Use parking lot, you can access two hikes. The first is the Black Prince Cirque Interpretive Trail, which leaves directly from the parking lot. The other is the Black Shale Suspension Bridge via Black Prince, which starts across the Smith-Dorrien highway (more on this below).
The Black Prince Cinque Interpretive Trail, though it isn’t all that long, will still give you a workout. The trail starts along the creek, across the bridge then it starts to climb.
We first did this one in just our winter boots and while it was doable, we were wishing we had brought our snowshoes to climb in the deep snow. We did our best to avoid walking over the ski trails as well, which often had us trudging through some deep snow.
Once the trail levels off, the trail is much narrower and will take you along a loop through a boulder field and past Warspite Lake. Make sure not to venture past the lake in the winter, since this will put you in dangerous avalanche terrain. Instead, download the AllTrails map and follow the trail to keep you on the loop and back down the hill to the parking lot.
A recent App of the Year winner, AllTrails is also one of the best apps for visiting Banff! Enjoy map downloads and many more premium features with a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!
Black Shale Suspension Bridge
Distance: 6.1 km out & back
Elevation: 333 m
The Black Shale Suspension Bridge is accessed from the High Rockies Trail, across the Smith-Dorrien highway from the Black Prince day use parking lot. This undulating trail is mostly in the forest, making it a good choice for a windy day. Once at the bridge, you can continue along the High Rockies trail as long as you want, or turn back to complete the Black Shale Suspension Bridge hike.
The suspension bridge over Blackshale Creek is closed in the winter, so Alberta Parks built a bypass trail allowing you to continue along the High Rockies Trail without using the bridge.
Kananaskis Village Trails (Easiest)
The Village Rim Trail is a 1.3 km easy loop that leaves from the Kananaskis Village. It’s a paved trail with five viewpoints over the Kananaskis Valley. There are other trails around Kananaskis Village that can be walked as well.
Chester Lake (Moderate Kananaskis Winter Hike)
Distance: 7.4 km out & back
Elevation: 380 m
Hiking to Chester Lake is a beautiful hike that is worth it any time of year. This trail is typically busy enough that microspikes on boots should be sufficient, although snowshoes are a good idea if you arrive shortly after a large snowfall.
Essential Tips for Winter Hiking
The most important thing about winter hiking is to know the terrain, stay safe and be prepared for the elements.
Always check the weather forecast and be prepared to turn back if the weather changes. The weather can change quickly in the mountains and blowing snow can cause zero visibility.
Be aware of the terrain you are hiking into and only venture into avalanche terrain if you know what you are doing. Learn the avalanche basics from Avalanche Canada.
What to wear for winter hiking in Banff
As you can imagine, dressing properly for winter hiking in Banff is imperative for your comfort and safety. If you plan on spending much time outside in Banff in winter we recommend you read the following:
We discuss all your winter clothing options in our post on Banff winter essentials.
As you’ve seen above, you’ll likely need some traction devices (like micro spikes or snowshoes) to enjoy many of these easy winter hikes in Banff. There are different kinds for different purposes, so before you go, be sure to read our post on traction devices for winter hiking in Banff.
Winter Hiking with Kids
Keeping kids warm and dry is the key to successfully hiking in the winter with kids. For even more great tips on winter hiking with kids, head over to our Family Can Travel blog where we share all our tips!
The winter is an exceptional time to visit Banff and the surrounding area, just be prepared with the right hiking gear for winter! When you are looking for things to do in winter in Banff other than snowshoeing or skiing, add winter hiking in Banff to your itinerary.
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Dan Brewer, a life-long Alberta resident, calls Canmore home along with his wife and two kids. He is the co-owner of Travel Banff Canada, where he gets to share his passion for the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Dan, along with his family, love being outdoors doing one of the many activities they enjoy in the mountains: hiking, mountain biking, paddleboarding, skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
When he's not in Canmore enjoying one of his favourite local hikes, you can find him hoping on a plane to explore a new country with his family or working on one of their other two travel sites: Family Can Travel and Baby Can Travel.