Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. There is so much to see and many different hikes and trails to explore. Here’s a list of my top 7 hikes in Banff National Park:

If you are planning a vacation to Banff and are looking for some easy/moderate hikes in the area, you have a lot to choose from. Banff National Park has many trails and hikes that provide breathtaking views and vibrant turquoise water.

BEST DAY HIKES IN BANFF

1 | Lake Agnes Tea House Hike

Starting at Lake Louise, the hike up to Lake Agnes is beautiful and moderate difficulty. It took us about an hour to hike up, stopping along the way for photos and a look at Mirror Lake. Once at the Tea House, you can stop and recharge; they serve tea and small bites. Be sure to bring cash as they don’t take cards there. We spent a while at the Tea House since it was busy but it was a fun experience right next to the beautiful Lake Agnes. It took us just under an hour to hike back down and by that time, the sun was really shining onto Lake Louise’s vibrant turquoise water.

2 | Sulfur Mountain

We took the Banff Gondola up to Sulfur Mountain where there are gorgeous views of Banff town. You could opt to hike up instead of the gondola (which would be less expensive), but it’s a challenging hike with lots of steep switchbacks. Once at the top, follow the boardwalk up for panoramic views at Sanson’s Peak. Make sure you go on a clear day for those  amazing 360 degree views.

Since we took the gondola up the mountain, this was one of the easiest hikes. The entire boardwalk is wide with stairs and hand railings. We stopped to take photos along the way and the walk to Sanson’s Peak was only 30 minutes.

3 |Fenland Trail

This trail was super quiet and relaxed with beautiful views along Bow River. The ground is mostly flat and well maintained. We walked past the Banff town city limit sign to this trail from our hotel and it was a great start to our trip. Very easy 2km hike through beautiful forests. Be mindful of mosquitos and bring repellant.

4 | Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail

Moraine Lake is so beautiful. If you only see one lake in Banff National Park, this has to be it. Moraine Lake has it all — snow-peaked mountains surrounding the most vibrant turquoise blue water and dense pine forests all around.

To get to that perfect view that you’ve most likely seen on social media, you have to climb the short and easy Rockpile Trail. The trail is only 1.4 km and is a very easy walk.

5 |Moraine Lake Lakeshore Trail

If you want to see more of Moraine Lake, you can take the Lakeshore Trail 1.4 km along the shoreline. You’ll pass the canon rental shop of nearby Moraine Lake Lodge as you enter the trail. The trail is wide with several little footbridges that cover the inflow streams feeding Moraine Lake. At the end of the trail, you cross a boardwalk to an observation platform where you can see the glacier water pouring into the late; it’s awesome.

6 | Johnston Canyon (Lower Falls/Upper Falls/Ink Pots)

Johnston Canyon is probably the most popular hiking destination in Banff. It’s very family friendly and easy which brings in a lot of crowds. Arrive early (by 7am) to ensure you get parking and time on the trails without so many people. Coming down from the hike at around 10:30am, there were tons of people and the pathways were crowded.

Trail to Lower Falls

After a short 1.1 km walk, you are at the Lower Falls. At the waterfall, you’ll see a small bridge which leads into a tunnel. This small space will give you up close views of the waterfall and you will definitely get wet here, so wear your rain jacket.

Trail to Upper Falls

After another 1.5 km, you are at the Upper Falls which has two beautiful viewpoints — the bottom of the waterfall and one from a viewing deck at the top of the waterfall. The rushing water was so powerful and, from the top of the viewing deck, we could see a rainbow.

Trail to Ink Pots

Not many people choose to continue the additional 3 km hike from the Lower/Upper Falls to the Ink Pots. The trail itself is no longer paved with guard rails, but rather just a dirt path up and into the mountain. This trail was my favorite and I had the most fun even though it was slightly challenging. The actual Ink Pots are pools of water with swirling circles of sand at the bottom. They weren’t that cool to me, but it was a beautiful day so we sat on a bench and ate our lunch there.

7 | Tunnel Mountain

We walked to the Tunnel Mountain trail head from our hotel in the afternoon. It was very warm that day which made it a little more challenging for me, but the views just get better the higher you go. From the top, you can see the entire town of Banff. I would say that this is a moderate hike but worth it for the views and how accessible it is from the Banff town center.

WHAT TO BRING ON YOUR HIKE

Definitely bring mosquito repellant; there are a lot of mosquitos on these hikes and you don’t want to get eaten alive. We visited Banff National Park in July, so the weather was mostly warm and sunny but some areas of the trail/mountains can be shaded and cold especially near the water so wear/bring lots of clothing layers. I brought a light rain jacket with me and that was really helpful on and off the hikes. Of course, you will want to bring a water bottle with you and possibly some snacks depending on how long you will be out. Having an insulated water bottle is the perfect addition to your summer hike so you can have cold, refreshing water with you at all times. I just threw everything into my backpack if I wasn’t using it which made it easy to hike and have my hands free.

GETTING TO BANFF NATIONAL PARK

All of these hikes are inside of Banff National Park so to get there, you will need to pay the park entry fee which grants you access to everything within the park.

ACCOMMODATION

All of these hikes are pretty spaced out. We stayed in the town of Banff which was a nice, central location with local attractions as well. Because it is a touristy destination, prices can be higher than average. I recommend starting your research and booking as early as possible if you are planning to visit during June through August, since hotels can book quickly in these popular months.

There is so much to do in Banff National Park. I will be posting my travel diary soon, so check back for more details and tips on traveling to Banff.