The Best Guide to Banff National Park (November)

The Best Guide to Banff National Park (November):

Getting there

Accommodations

• Airbnb: This is the Airbnb that my family, boyfriend and I stayed in, we all loved it! In walking distance to downtown Canmore, close to the highway to explore other areas, very clean and has the most comfy beds. An Airbnb is nice because you have the option to cook at home as well as do laundry! Check out the Airbnb options before you book anything. There are dozens of mountain condos and houses of all different sizes and budgets.
• VRBO: Another great rental option!
• Resort: The coolest looking resort in town. Base Camp Resorts is in a great location, clean and has mountain views in all directions. We all commented how cool this place was every time we passed by.
• Hostel: If you are looking to save some money on accommodations, stay here! This hostel is in the perfect location within walking distance to town, has all the amenities you need and the shuttle stop is right next door. 

Rental car

Things to do

The adventures, activities and sightseeing are endless…Bundle up and get ready for days full of exploring!

Banff National Park

Drive the Bow Valley Parkway

Morant’s Curve

A viewpoint in the Canadian Rockies with a dramatic bend that a railroad bed follows along the river, making for the most picturesque photo when they train comes by. Absolutely stunning to see in person! People wait hours to get the shot. Make sure to pullover and check it out while in the area. If there are photographers around, ask them when the next train is coming!

We stopped at Morant’s Curve for some photos and met a photographer there who told us he’d been waiting over an hour for the train to come to get the perfect picture and another guy had been waiting for over three.

Just minutes after talking with him, we all heard the train coming off in the distance!! We were so lucky the timing worked out for us to see one of the most scenic views in Banff in all its glory.

Morant’s Curve is located on Bow Valley Parkway closer to the Lake Louise side. Enter: Morant’s Curve Viewpoint into your GPS so you don’t miss it!

Explore the town of Banff

Be sure to visit the iconic town of Banff!

The charming downtown with Sulphur Mountain sitting perfectly in the background. You can find lots of shopping, restaurants, breweries and bars downtown. Spend an afternoon here exploring the town center.

Ride the Banff Gondola

Take the gondola up Sulphur Mountain for some of the best views in Banff!

It costs $60 CAD for a ticket that brings you up and  back down. At the top you will see 360 mountain views! It’s breathtaking. At the summit there is dining as well as a museum.

You also have the option to hike up which is free! Just know in the winter you will need the proper gear, it’s a good size hike.

Roughly two hours total is a good amount of time to spend here. The ride up the gondola is a little under 10 minutes. There is a lot to explore at the top! Be sure to walk around the main lodge area for all the views then take the stairway/pathway up to the lookout point.

Visit on a clear day to get your money’s worth. I recommend going a little before sunset, the colors of the sky turn into oranges, pinks and purples with the mountains in all directions…it’s just amazing!

Visit Lake Minnewanka

A beautiful, giant, blue/green glacial lake located in the mountains with spectacular views.

Most lakes we visited in Banff were frozen over in November. Lake Minnewanka stood out to us when we were up on Sulphur Mountain, we realized it wasn’t 100% frozen over!

Once arriving down at the lake, we realized the first half was frozen. The further down we drove the lake eventually opened up with some really great views. Be sure to check it out!

Visit Cascades Ponds

Cascades ponds are a series of ponds that lie under Cascade Mountain.

You will find bridges that you can explore between the ponds. The views here are beautiful! There are places to setup a fire and have a picnic if you visit on a day that isn’t too cold. We saw some locals doing this and it looked like fun.

You can get to the ponds by driving to Lake Minnewanka, you will see signs for the ponds as you drive towards to the lake.

Go to the Banff Christmas Market

Ski at Lake Louise Ski Resort

If you like to ski/snowboard or want to try it out make sure to do so while in Banff!

Out of the Ski Big 3 mountains in Banff National Park, Lake Louise Ski Resort will probably have the most trails open in November. We spent a day here and had a blast!

Being from the East Coast, the early season conditions were a dream for us! We were able to explore a lot of the mountain and even found some powder.

Skiing in the early season means cheaper lift tickets. Depending on how many trails they have open will depend on the price. Usually this time of year they are significantly cheaper and still offer great terrain.

Need to rent some gear? Rent from Sports Experts in Canmore! Renting here will save you money compared to the resort’s prices. We paid $48 CAD per person for ski, boot, pole and helmet rentals for one day.

Hike Johnston Canyon

The perfect winter hike with the best reward! A 1.4 mile out and back hike that is rated easy with only 344 feet of elevation gain. Arrive early to beat the crowds, this area can get busy.

The lower falls are mostly frozen with a little water still coming through, making for the coolest sight to see.

You’ll hike on steel catwalks that are built into the canyon walls. This takes about an hour total. Dress warm!

Visit Lake Louise

Make it a point to see Lake Louise! You are so close coming from the Banff/Canmore area you have got to check out this beautiful area as well.

Lake Louise (even in the winter) is another breathtaking sight. The cool thing about Lake Louise in the winter is you can walk, ice skate or sometimes even cross country ski right on it!

Look for wildlife

While in Banff and the surrounding areas, especially outside of the towns keep an eye out for wildlife! You could potentially see elk, deer, moose, big horn sheep, wolves and coyotes.

During our time there we saw a bighorn sheep who was giant and got pretty close to us! We saw some beautiful birds that were unique to us and a very large buck. All so exciting to see!

Your highest chances of seeing any wildlife will occur on the Bow Valley Parkway.

Get views of Mount Rundle

Mount Rundle is a mountain in Canada’s Banff National Park overlooking the towns of Banff and Canmore. You get the best views of Rundle at sunrise and sunset. 

The best spots to see this from are:

Vermilion Lake: Enter Vermilion Lake into your GPS. You will drive down a long bumpy remote road and eventually arrive at a dock with some signs about the lake with Mt. Rundle in the background and a little room to park along the side of the road. In the winter it will most likely be quiet and you shouldn’t have trouble finding room to park. Head down to the lake and get some beautiful shots of the lake at sunrise!

Mount Norquay lookout: Enter Mount Norquay lookout into your GPS. You will head up the road to Mt. Norquay Ski Resort.

It’s a switchback style road so just be careful driving if it’s ice/snowy out. There will be a few lookout points on the drive up but go until your GPS tells you, the main lookout spot is the best! There’s room to pull over off the road, get out of the car and check out the views! Being so high up on the mountain gives you really cool views of Mt. Rundle!

I recommend doing both if you have time! It’s cool to see Mt. Rundle from both viewpoints because they are very different. Start out at Vermilion Lake, give yourself a little time for pictures then head just ten minutes away to the Mount Norquay lookout!

Go on a helicopter tour of the mountains

One of my favorite if not my #1 favorite thing I did on this trip was going on a helicopter tour of the mountains. Seeing the Canadian Rocky Mountains covered in snow by helicopter was absolutely unbelievable.

Being in a helicopter up over the Rockies gives you a sense of how vast they truly are. Along this loop the pilot flies you above the steep and rugged mountains, over to a glacier where you can see the deep blue ice and later buzzing high above the Continental Divide giving you an experience that you will never forget. He is very knowledgeable about the area and can answer any questions you have.

We did the 35 minute Mt Assiniboine & Glaciers Tour and were very happy with it! I highly recommend doing this one.

This is a more expensive activity but so worth the money!! Call or stop by Alpine Helicopters in Canmore on your first day. They will tell you what days look best during your trip to fly depending on weather and you can plan your flight then.

How long should you stay?

At least four full days. 

There is so much to do and see, you want at least four days to fit it all in. A week is better if you have the time to take off. The amount of fun activities and sights to see in Banff and the surrounding areas are endless. 

If you are traveling from far away, give yourself two full days for travel, one at the beginning and one at the end so they don’t interfere with your actual vacation days. 

Weather

Bundle up!! Bring all your warmest clothes because it gets COLD in Banff in November! Sunny days and snowy cloudy days are both common. During my time in Banff  we had a mix of about half sunny half cloudy days. 

In November, be prepared for it to dump snow! 

Temps can get very very low, a lot of the activities you do are outdoors so just be prepared. 

Restaurants, cafes, bars, breweries

Tips to know before you go

• Exchange currency with your local bank so you have some CAD cash before you leave (save $$ than doing so in the airport) it’s nice to have a little cash on you. 
• Everyone speaks english. 
• Most people are not from Banff, we never met anyone that told us they were actually from there. Everyone we met was from either Eastern Canada or another country, a lot of Australians. 
• In November the sun rises at 8:15am and sets at 4:40pm
• Wear winter boots everywhere! 
• Cannabis is legal and there are a lot of shops. 
• Drinking age is 18.
• You can’t buy beer, wine or alcohol at grocery stores only at liquor stores.

All and all…Banff is the coolest place ever! You should book a trip here ASAP. It’s an outdoor lovers dream destination offering endless adventure in the Canadian Rockies. Winter time is especially awesome, I highly recommend booking your trip to Banff in November. You are guaranteed an awesome time in Western Canada.

Have you visited Banff or do you have a trip planned? What time of year did you go or plan to go? Tell me in the comments below and please ask any questions you have about Banff! Also follow along with me on Instagram to see all my travel and adventure photos.

Thanks for being here! I hope this Best Guide to Banff National Park was helpful for you. If you are headed off to Banff soon, you are going to have the best time!!

Happy travels!

Check out my post: How to Pack for Banff in the Winter next!