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 I chose the best time to visit Banff, which was the last week of June. It seemed liked the last week of the month had the best of both worlds: incredible weather and it wasn’t too crowded!
I will admit, I lucked out with incredible weather (arriving just after a huge snowstorm). And I wouldn’t have minded if it was a tad warmer at times, at least it was sunny and didn’t really rain once! I think going too early in June though, you risk a having worse weather. But of course, the weather is very unpredictable!
There also wasn’t an issue with too many (or too few) people. It definitely was busier than I expected for off season travel. You might have less crowds earlier in June, but you might also run into issues with closures and bad weather… So it’s all a trade off.
P.S. Plan the ultimate trip to Banff National Park with my Banff checklist, see of all the top attractions in one simple printout, so you don’t miss a must do in the park!
The End Of June Is The Best Time To Visit Banff…
As I mentioned, I think there is a best time to visit in June, and that’s towards the end of the month.
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 you want them to be at their best.
The ice on the lakes will melt by the end of May in Banff, so you don’t have to worry about them being frozen over in June.
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!
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 (during lower season) and attractions or restaurants are closed due to lack of tourism. Or if they’re open, you can be the only person and it’s a tad awkward…
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.
I Was Always Able To Find A Place To Eat
Despite the streets of Banff town being packed in June, I never had an issue finding a place to eat. The only exception was The Grizzly House, which is THE spot to eat in Banff. It was the only restaurant I weren’t able to get a reservation at a reasonable time (even when calling a few days in advance).
But in the end, they save room for walk ins so I just had to wait 15 minutes for a spot on the patio (luckily it was warm enough to sit outside that day!). If you are interested in eating, I recommend calling far in advance to make a reservation.
Lake Louise could have been a different story because there are limited options for restaurants in the area. But it also wasn’t an issue, in fact, it was even easier. I guess most people only visit for the day and go back to Banff town for dinner. So the restaurants were surprisingly on the emptier side in Lake Louise. P.S. See why I recommend actually staying in Lake Louise for at least one night.
All around, I was always able to get a reservation for the same night, or even walk in and sit down right away. At most, there was only ever a short wait time.
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. In June though, I was able to book my Banff Gondola tickets the day before. This was perfect because I were able to wait for the nicest weather to go up to the peak.
It’s always nice to have that flexibility when traveling!
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 (two months after I visited) they actually had to close Lake Louise due to overcrowding!
Even in June, the entire boardwalk was lined with people, 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 more of my tips for visiting Lake Louise.
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 I was alone in the forest. But as it turns out, I did not have to worry about being alone for even a second!
There were so many people on around that bears would have never come anywhere near the trail. 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 I made it to the top. I had a short wait in line, but was seated pretty quickly inside the teahouse (the line was actually a lot longer for take out!).
It Was Still Nice To Have People
I will admit that although there were 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… like scary deserted.
You’re already in the middle of nowhere so it’s a good feeling knowing there are people around and things will be open if something should go wrong!
Double Check Opening Hours In June!
As I’ve mentioned, 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 that’s another reason why 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 weather in the Canadian Rockies!
Let’s just say, I repacked my suitcase several times before leaving. And when we were there, I dressed in MANY 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 I 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 I left, the weather was a balmy 27°C (81°F). Then, a day before I left, it actually snowed in Lake Louise! So it went from summer to winter in the span of a day! Then the weather forecast for ,y dates was cold and rainy EVERYDAY!
In the end, I 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 I arrived, and then for a few minutes on my second to last day. So I barely saw any rain in the end!
The temperature did drop on my first few days to around 15°C (59°F), but rose to 25°C (77) by the time I left. So it kind of seems like you have to expect anything for the weather…
| 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 and my rain jacket/ windbreaker.
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 wear my leggings. Then, if I was out all day, I’d put my joggers back on in the evening (I 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 which also doubled as hiking boots. Use my printable packing guide to stay organized while packing for a trip to Banff.
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 most likely 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..
June is also worse than the summer months in Banff because it has of the longest days of the year because the summer solstice is on June 21.
P.S. Make sure to bring an eye mask to help yourself fall asleep in daylight!
Use The Longer Days To Your Advantage
Although it might be harder to fall asleep at night, 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 (like Lake Louise!).
With the sun staying out later, you also don’t have to worry about driving anywhere in the dark. So you can really 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 2025-02-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API