Wondering when to visit Banff National Park?
June is one of the best times to visit the National Park in my mind. But there are a few things to consider before booking a trip to Banff in June.
I visited Banff during the second to last week of June (the 20th to 26th) and it couldn’t have been better. But we arrived just in time, right after a big snowfall causing closures throughout the park!
I’ll go over my experience traveling to Banff in June, give some tips on what to pack, and whether it really is the best time to visit Banff National Park in Alberta!
Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!
When To Visit Banff In June?
I think we chose the best time to visit Banff, which was the last week of June. The last week of the month gave us the best of both worlds: incredible weather, and it wasn’t too crowded!
We lucked out with incredible weather, even though it would have been nice if it were just a tad warmer at times!
We didn’t have issues with too many (or too few) people. But it definitely was busier than I expected for off season travel.
But as I said, we just barely missed a huge snowstorm that could have affected our trip. So make sure not to visit too early in June!
Although there will be fewer crowds the earlier you visit in June, you might also run into issues with closures and bad weather… So it’s all a trade off.
The End Of June Is The Best Time To Visit Banff…
The Lakes Reach Peak Colour in June
Let’s be real, we’re all heading to Banff National Park to see the famous lakes (Lake Louise and Moraine Lake). So we want them to be at their best.
Most lakes ice will melt by the end of May in Banff National Park, so you don’t have to worry about them being frozen over.
And! June is also when the lakes reach their best colours! By the end of June, Moraine Lake will be a rich blue and Lake Louise will be a beautiful teal! Both will look unreal!
P.S. You might be interested in reading my Banff National Park lake guides…
It Was Probably Less Crowded… But It Was Still Very Busy!
What shocked me the most when visiting Banff in June is that it really wasn’t deserted at all – which was really nice!
Sometimes you travel in June and things are closed due to lack of tourism. Or you feel odd when you’re the only person in an entire museum!
Even though this is still technically low season in Banff (high season is July and August), it was far from empty. In fact, Banff in June was the opposite – it was pretty packed..
If I didn’t know any better I’d have thought this was high season. So I don’t even want to think about what it’s like in the summer in Banff.
We Were Always Able To Find A Place To Eat
Despite the streets of Banff being packed, we never really had an issue finding food. We were mostly concerned about finding a place to eat for dinners, especially in Lake Louise, with limited options.
Typically, we were always able to get a reservation for the same night, or even walk in and sit down right away. At most, there was only a short wait time.
The only exception was The Grizzly House, which is THE spot to eat in Banff. It was the only restaurant where we weren’t able to get a reservation at a reasonable time (even when calling a few days in advance).
In the end, we were able to eat there with only a 15 minute wait for a spot on the patio. Luckily it was warm enough outside that day! I would recommend calling far in advance if you’re interested in eating at The Grizzly House.
Somehow, Lake Louise was even easier for restaurants for dinner, likely because most people only come for the day. P.S. See why I recommend actually staying in Lake Louise for at least one night.
You Don’t Have To Plan As Far In Advance
Another perk about visiting Banff in June is that you don’t have to overly plan your trip too much in advance. You can take it day by day.
There are a few attractions (like the Banff Gondola) that might sell out, or become insanely expensive the longer you wait to book tickets.
When we visited Banff in June, we booked our tickets the day before. This was perfect because we were able to wait until the nicest day to go up to the peak.
It’s always nice to have that flexibility when traveling!
P.S. Read my guide to the Banff Gondola, and if it’s even worth it!
Lake Louise Was Still Packed But Nowhere Near Summer Levels!
I was shocked by how busy Lake Louise was during the day in Banff in June. I don’t want to think about what July and August are like, because it could only get worse.
(And it did! In August 2023 they actually had to close Lake Louise due to overcrowding! Don’t believe me? Read the article. )
Even in June, the entire boardwalk was lined with people the entire way. The boathouse was packed, and you could barely even see the lake from behind the crowds! But by walking just a bit further, there was always an opening by the water.
But the real trick is to visit in the early morning, or late evening… see how we did that in my Lake Louise guide.
I was also worried about doing the Lake Agnes Teahouse hike, a very popular trail at Lake Louise. At first, I was very concerned about encountering bears if we were alone in the forest.
But as it turns out, there were so many people on around that bears would have never come anywhere near the area. Really I should have been more concerned that the tea house would be overcrowded…
Thankfully, there were no bears, and it wasn’t too crowded once we made it to the top. We had a short wait in line, but were seated pretty quickly inside the teahouse (the line was a lot longer for take out!).
Read my full Lake Agnes Tea House guide!
Double Check Opening Hours In June!
It Was Still Nice To Have People
I will admit that although there were still too many people at times, it was always nice that there were people.
Sometimes you visit these parks during low season and they’re EMPTY. You’re already in the middle of nowhere so it’s a good feeling knowing there are people around and things will be open (which brings me to my next point)!
Banff in June is still very much low season, so there are things that might not be open yet.
For example, I noticed a lot of restaurants only opened in mid-June. So as I’ve mentioned, you don’t want to visit too early in the month.
Specifically, you should check opening dates for Lake Agnes Teahouse and Whitehorn Bistro at the top of the Lake Louise Gondola.
The Weather In Banff In June Can Be Risky
From what I could tell, the weather in Banff in June is unpredictable, but to be honest, that’s no different than the rest of the year. That’s just the weather in the Canadian Rockies!
Let’s just say, I repacked my suitcase several times before leaving. And when we were there, we dressed in layers. Which I would take on and off throughout the day.
The Weather Changes Quickly In June
When I travel, I typically start checking the weather the week before we leave so I can get a better idea of what it will be like when I’m there. This time, it didn’t exactly help… The weather did a complete 180!
The week before we left, the weather was a balmy 27°C (81°F). Then, a day before we left, it actually snowed in Lake Louise! So it went from summer to winter in the span of a day!
The weather forecast for our dates was cold and rainy EVERYDAY!
In the end, we had BEAUTIFUL weather. It wasn’t the warmest it could have been in June, but I’m not complaining either. It rained in Calgary on the first day we arrived, and then for a few minutes on our second to last day. So we barely saw any rain in the end!
The temperature did drop on our first few days to around 15°C (59°F), but rose to 25°C (77) by the time we left.
So it kind of seems like you should expect anything for the weather in Banff in June…
| High (C/F) | Low (C/F) | Precipitation | |
| June Averages | 19°C / 66°F | 5°C/ 41°F | 9 Days |
What To Pack For Banff In June
It should come as no surprise then that with unpredictable weather in Banff in June, packing can be a challenge. You need to be prepared with clothes for both warmer and colder temperatures (along with rain!).
I managed to fit 8 days of clothes in a carryon (see my tips for packing in a carryon!).
The key is to bring thin and packable layers. My two most worn jackets in Banff in June were my packable puffer jacket (see it on Amazon) and my rain jacket/ windbreaker (like this one on Amazon).
You might also be interested in…
My digital and printable packing guide on Etsy. Filled with packing planning prompts for your next trip!
P.S. Get an additional discount on my Etsy shop with my code ATRLOVE!
I also double-layered my pants. I wore my Lululemon leggings underneath my forever favourite Lululemon on the fly pants (that are now discontinued, but see current pants from Lululemon).
By the time it warmed up in the afternoon, I could take off my joggers and just be in my leggings. Then, if we were out all day, I’d put my joggers back on in the evening (we also woke up for sunrise, and it was cold!)
I also packed both a beanie and a sun hat, along with a light scarf and even light gloves. And I wore it ALL!
Make sure to pack a waterproof pair of shoes. I packed my Columbia Newtons (see them on Amazon), which also doubled as hiking boots.
My Banff National Park Amazon Must Haves
Summer In Banff Biggest Shock: Sunset Is Really Late
One of the biggest shocks to visiting Banff in June is that the sun sets extremely late!
By the end of June in Banff, the sun would set around 10:00 P.M. and it really only got dark around midnight.
So you’re going to bed when it’s still light outside, which my body did not understand. It would feel like it was 5:00 P.M. when it was really 9:00 P.M..
Keep in mind, June is worse than the summer in Banff because the longest day of the year is the summer solstice, on June 21.
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Use The Longer Days To Your Advantage
Although it might be harder to fall asleep, try to use these extremely long days in Banff in June to your advantage…
You can stay out later, or wake up early for sunrise to catch the popular sights before the crowds arrive.
With the sun staying out later, you also don’t have to worry about driving anywhere in the dark. So you can enjoy the days to their fullest!
Need A Place To Stay In Banff? Hotel Recommendations
You have to book your hotels EARLY in Banff. We booked the Buffalo Mountain Lodge for June back in February… and most hotels were already fully booked at that point.
The place to stay is at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – but that will cost you. We opted to just visit the Banff Springs instead, but you can check rates and availability on Booking.com.
We stayed at the much more affordable Buffalo Mountain Lodge. They have some renovated rooms, which I recommend booking. It was more of a resort hotel, with a cozy room and balcony to enjoy! Breakfast is also included which is a great way to start the day of hiking! It is a 15 minute walk to the town of Banff though. Check availability and room rates on Booking.com.
If you’re looking for a more reasonable priced hotel, in the town of Banff, we really wanted to book the Mount Royal Hotel (see it on Booking.com). Although the rooms are a lot smaller, there’s a fun jacuzzi on the roof, and you cannot beat the location on Banff Avenue – you can’t get a better location than that! Check availability and room rates on Booking.com.
Check Out My Banff Digital Download To Print
You might be interested in my downloadable mini travel guide for Banff National Park! Includes basic information, tips & advice, and a checklist of all the top things to do!
My Banff National Park Amazon Must Haves
Read More Related Posts
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- Lake Agnes Tea House: It’s Harder Than You Think (What To Expect!)
- Do You Need To Visit Lake Louise (& When Is The Best Time To Visit?)
- How To Drive The Icefields Parkway & The Best Places To Stop
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Last update on 2024-12-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API