When To Travel to the Canadian Rockies

Summer is famous for blue lakes and some of the best hiking in the world. July- September is when you want to come if you are into alpine hiking. The snow will be melted and all of the trails will be safe to hike on. You do need permits for some of the trails, so make sure to read through each destination.

Fall is full of amazing colours and draws people from all over to see the larches. Mid September to November is considered shoulder season, so there will be less crowds and everything will be a bit cheaper.

Winter might be my favourite season to visit. Winter is a magical time here in the Canadian Rockies. Banff has a population of 10,000, but in summer the number can swell to over 40,000 with visitors. In Winter the crowds are gone, the days are cold but sunny and clear, and everything is dusted in snow. There are some incredible ski resorts, hot springs, frozen waterfalls, dog sledding etc.

Spring is considered shoulder season and runs from late March to June. The snow is starting to melt and the lakes are dethawing. You can see the candle ice phenomenon during this time too! Wildflowers dot the trails, but many of the higher alpine hikes are still not doable at this time.