Thinking of visiting Banff in April, it's one of the most underrated times of year. fewer crowds, spring skiing, waking wildlife, and yes, you might still need your winter jacket. Let's talk about why April in Banff might just surprise you. Welcome to the Banff Travel Podcast. I'm your host, Selim Brewer, a local Canmore resident living the mountain life all year long.
When I'm not hiking to a new viewpoint, hitting the local mountain bike trails or skating on frozen lakes in the winter, I'm helping travelers like you plan unforgettable trips to Banff National Park. As co-founder of Banff Travel Planning and Travel Banff Canada and a fellow traveler who spent years exploring the world with my husband and two kids, I know what it takes to plan a trip.
smooth and stress-free and full of those wow moments. Today we're diving into what it's really like to visit Banff in April. What's open, what's not, what to pack and how to make the most of this in-between season. Let's get into it. i was sitting at my desk this morning just finishing up some work before my kids got up and had breakfast and i spotted out the corner of my eye through the window this absolutely spectacular sunrise It was purple and pink.
and it really reminded me of the two things I love about Banff in April. First, obviously, the sunrises and sunsets. They happen at such reasonable hours, so it's easy to catch both of them without needing to be up at 4 a.m. you know that morning glow over the mountains it's just so nice to catch that on even a daily basis when you're here Then the other thing is along with our bright longer days
we get those snow-covered mountain peaks still. So you get that bluebird sky and the contrast between the white snow and the deep blue. It's not something you get to see in the summer so it's really special here in April and even May. So what else can you expect weather-wise in April? You know you're probably going to expect a little bit of everything. Daytime highs typically range around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius. Overnight lows can be below freezing.
Sometimes you'll get days full of beautiful spring sunshine and other days, you know, you might get a giant snowfall.
so we'll see the trails at lower elevations starting to thaw but you're often going to be walking on a mix of ice know slush later in the day lots of mud and you're still gonna see plenty of snow around and the lakes are still frozen cold mornings changing conditions throughout the day so it really can be quite a mix That being said, I do run a fairly large Facebook group for Banff travelers, so I get to see firsthand the feedback from people who visit at all times of the year.
And I have to say, I've never heard a single complaint about people visiting Banff in April. In fact, people are usually surprised by how much they love it. They talk about how peaceful it is, how nice it is to explore without the crowds. And really just how beautiful the mountains look. It's a pretty beautiful sight with that fresh snow still on the peaks and the bright blue sky behind it.
Now, is it the time for some serious hiking? No, it's not. But if you're coming for sightseeing, some relaxing, hoping for some wildlife viewing, and even some spring skiing, April might just be perfect for you. That is if seeing those turquoise blue lakes isn't a deal breaker. It can be a pretty special time to visit.
For some reason our family always ends up doing most of our skiing in the spring. The snow hasn't been great November or December for the past few years and then holidays roll around and we're traveling quite a bit in December. and even into February. April comes and we... have time to get out and go skiing. You know, we don't have to worry about those frozen fingers or toes. The chairlift rides are sunny. Lunch on the patio, top of the mountain. It's just really a great time.
And all three ski hills are still open, especially in the beginning part of April, so whether you want to hit Sunshine, Lake Louise, or Norquay, and usually have some pretty excellent spring skiing conditions.
sunshine actually stays open well into may so if you only come at the end there's still opportunities for that spring skiing getting that soft snow and the patio lunches out in the sun Even if you're not a skier, there's still so much to do in Banff in April as long as you're ready for a mix of winter and spring activities and winter and spring temperatures. So here's a few of my go-to suggestions.
Easy walks, lower elevation hikes are ideal for this time of year. Tunnel Mountain is one of the best early season hikes. It's got some really impressive views. If you're in the town of Banff, you can go for the Finland Trail, a nice peaceful forest loop just outside downtown Banff. Grassy lakes in Canmore is great on a warm day, especially when the sun's shining and you can see that beautiful green color of the lake.
johnson canyon especially early april you're still going to get the frozen waterfalls which are always something i love to go and see and then you know some of the lake shoreline trails like lake minnewanca lake louise johnson lake are beautiful even if the lakes aren't thawed yet If you're going to do any hikes, micro spikes are almost always a must. You're still going to find lots of ice, especially early in the morning.
Other things besides those hikes is biking. A lot of times the pathways are cleared and ready. You know, Banff and Canmore both have a great pathway system that allows for some great biking. There's the Legacy Trail that runs between Canmore and Banff. It's usually cleared around mid-April, so if you're coming in the later part, that's definitely a great bike ride that you can get out and enjoy.
And it's just a great activity for this time of year, especially in the afternoon when it warms up a little bit. The mornings might still be a little bit chilly. if you're looking for some more indoor or relaxing options you can hit the Banff upper hot springs what a great time of year to go and take in some mountain views sitting in that hot water the cave and basin any time of year is a great experience you know learning about the national park system here in canada and then also having some
indoor activity that you can do. Of course, the museums in the town of Banff are great. And you know what? Even just sitting in a coffee shop, getting those mountain views is a great way to spend a few hours.
wildlife viewing so the bears are starting to emerge from their dens in April obviously our elk are still around and active so keep an eye out for those and now is really a time to be more diligent with your bear spray obviously we want to carry it all year long There's other wildlife that we need to be concerned about and the bears aren't always sleeping all through the winter.
If you're here very early April you may be lucky enough, though not this year, to still ice skate on Lake Louise or going on some snowshoe tours. Unfortunately, this year, Lake Louise is already done for skating. It's just been far too warm. Other things you can do is scenic drives. What a great time for that. Whether you want to drive the Bow Valley Parkway or the Icefields Parkway.
great options for looking for wildlife and enjoying those scenic views so whether you're skiing hiking soaking in the hot springs or just enjoying the quiet scenery April has plenty to keep you busy it's a great time to visit for all of those activities If you want a full list of ideas and a few extra tips about visiting in April, I've written a detailed guide on our website, which I will link in the show notes for you.
The other important part about it is what you can't do. So let's talk about the part that might be a little bit more disappointing. So you can't come to Banff in April and expect to see the blue water of those lakes. Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, they're still going to be completely frozen and snow covered. Moraine Lake isn't even accessible until June 1st.
You may, towards the end of the month, see lakes like Johnson Lake starting to thaw. But again, this time of year, everything's hit or miss depending on the spring and the weather conditions we have. Other things you need to be aware of is avalanche danger. April is still very much high risk in many areas and especially those high elevation hikes which you're going to want to be able to do your own research and making sure they're safe.
And yes, this includes places like Lake Agnes Tea House Trail and the Big and Little Beehives. You do cross through avalanche terrain to get to those, so you want to make sure that you're not venturing into dangerous avalanche terrain when you're hiking. If you're not trained in avalanche safety and don't have the right equipment, it's just not the time for those heights.
Obviously there's a ton of lower elevation trails and Parks Canada Trail Reports are a great place to start looking for hiking. to do this time of year. let's talk about packing for april this can be a little bit harder time to pack for you need to be prepared for that changing weather and honestly feeling like four seasons in one day it can start out
bright blue sky and sunny and end up snowing by the end of the day. Or you can have a series of really warm sunny days and then end your trip with a big snowfall. So here's what I recommend you pack. You're going to want some warm layers. You're going to probably want some type of warm insulated jacket and a rain jacket or some type of waterproof shell is also really important in case you get a rainy day or some of that really wet snow.
you don't necessarily need winter boots for this time of year but i definitely would say a waterproof hiking boot is the way to go it's going to help you with those muddy trails it's still going to work well in case it does snow
And then obviously some type of traction device, some micro spikes. I love the Cthulhu micro spikes. Those are great for those icy trails, especially in the morning. I've seen people slipping and sliding all over trails. And to be honest, it's not really fun when you're doing that hiking. Don't forget, you probably still want a warm hat, a toque, some gloves, and maybe even a scarf or a buff to keep you warm, especially if you have a really windy day.
The usual sunglasses sunscreen and of course bear spray which you can buy or rent in any of the town So I know that sounds like a lot, but layers are going to be your best friend and a day bag so you can put them in when you get too hot and take them back out when you stop for lunch and you start getting cool. Alright. Let's wrap this up with the listener question of the week. So this one came from my Friday Q&A that I do in the Facebook group.
And I thought it was such a good question that I wanted to share it here as well. And the question was, what is one splurge you'd make while visiting Bound? My answer to that question, what is the one big splurge I would make while visiting Banff and the Canadian Rockies? It would be a helicopter ride. What a breathtaking way to see these mountains from a different perspective. It just gives you an entirely new appreciation and for the scale of this. So that is what I added to the list.
I also went through the answers for all the people in the group who chimed in on what they thought was their best splurge and they came up with some pretty good ones. So afternoon tea at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, obviously that's always a win. Dinner at the Sky Bistro, along with your MAF gondola ride. In the winter, dog sledding. In the summer, horseback riding. All great suggestions. the spa either at the Fairmont or the Kananaskis Nordic Spa.
Those are great. And then obviously we have some overnight stays that are worth the slurge for some people, whether it's Moraine Lake Lodge in the summer or one of the Fairmont hotels like Chateau Lake Louise or the Banff Springs Hotel. Keep in mind, you don't need to spend a fortune to have an amazing trip here, but if you are going to make a big splurge, those are some pretty memorable ways to do it.
Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the BAMP Travel Podcast. If you found it helpful, I'd love if you hit subscribe and left a quick review. It really helps other travelers find the show. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future episode, head to banftravelplanning.com forward slash podcast and send it in.
You can find more planning tips, tools, free resources on both of my sites, Travel Banff Canada and BanffTravelPlanning.com. Until next time, happy travel planning and I'll see you out on the trails.