Best Time to Visit Banff National Park

June to August, December to March

Months to avoid: November (shoulder season, many things closed, roads icy, no ski yet)

Recommended stay: 3-5 days

Plan Banff National Park for June to August, December to March. Give it 3-5 days. The window to avoid is November (shoulder season, many things closed, roads icy, no ski yet).

What the season gets you

• Moraine Lake at 7am before the buses arrive, the colour is almost violent, and you'll have 10 minutes of quiet
• The Icefields Parkway is 230km of glaciers, waterfalls, and pullouts where you just stand there with your mouth open
• Wildlife is not hypothetical, elk in town, bears on trails, mountain goats on ridgelines. You will see something.