3 Days In Banff National Park

I recently decided to visit Banff National Park Canada again for 3 days and thought I would let you know what I did and what you should do when you visit as well. Here is everything we did for 3 days in Banff National Park that you can use for your itinerary.

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Barrier Lake

Our first day in Banff National Park we spent the morning driving there. We live in Edmonton Alberta so we drove through Calgary to Banff. During our vacation it actually turned out to be a heat warning the entire time we were in Banff National Park. Because of this we decided to spend most of our first day at Barrier Lake. This lake is only 44 minutes outside Banff on the way from Calgary and 29 minutes outside of Canmore which is where we stayed. Quick tip Canmore is just outside Banff National Park but is way cheaper in hotel costs so try staying there instead to save yourself some money.

Barrier Lake is an amazing lake that I would for sure go back to again. The water is a little cold but totally worth it for the views and the relaxation. One thing I really liked about this lake is that it has a lot of sandy areas to sit at and enjoy your day. Not all lakes have sand so it was a huge plus for me that Barrier Lake did. This is a perfect spot if you want to do some kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding. We went to this lake with our paddle boards and put our stuff on them and paddle over to a more secluded spot. I would definitely recommend doing this so you don’t have to walk it.

After we were finished at the lake we checked into our airbnb in Canmore got cleaned up and went into town in Banff (use this link to get a discount on your first booking with airbnb). There are so many great restaurants in Banff National Park so we decided to eat at the Elk and Oarsman on their rooftop patio. I’ve eaten here before and loved it last time. They also had a deal on their sangria at this visit and I would definitely recommend you try it.

Grassi Lakes Trail, and Johnson Lake

On our second day we decided to start the morning with a hike at Grassi Lake Trail. Upon arriving I saw a sign that said since July 17th 2020 there were bears in the area. Because there was high traffic I really didn’t think we’d see any but not even 5 minutes into the hike we saw 2 cubs just off the trail! They were black bears and didn’t seem to care too much that we were there. However, we didn’t see the mom so we left pretty quick in case she came around. I’m not sure how long the bear will be in that area but as long as you stay clear of them you will be fine.

The hike itself was only about 4.3km there and back. On this hike you go up to the top to a gorgeous lake. Up there we also saw some people rock climbing a mountain. On the way down we went just off the trail to get closer to a waterfall. The only downfall of this hike is in some parts you can see some power lines. Overall this was a great hike and I would recommend it.

After the hike we decided to go to Johnson Lake because there was still a heat warning. Johnson Lake does have a small sand area but there were quite a few people there so we decided to get on our paddle boards and go to a more private spot again. We found a nice grassy area to sit at and go in the lake. This lake was slightly warmer than Barrier Lake and still had amazing views as well. This lake is another great spot for kayaking, canoeing or paddle boarding.

In the evening we got our engagement photos done at Lake Minnewanka in Banff. This lake has amazing views and I would suggest it all year round! This is the first time I’ve ever been here in the summer. I’ve been to this lake a few time sin the winter and it’s amazing then too.

Bow Lake

On our last day before we drove home we decided to check out Bow Lake. This is a gorgeous glacier fed lake so you can swim in it but it would be very cold. There’s a great 8km trail around the lake that leads to a waterfall. Unfortunately we couldn’t do it because I got the worst blisters I’ve ever had. Keep in mind that you will need bug spray if you go on this hike because the mosquito’s can be bad if there’s no wind.

On our drive back there are tons of lakes still in the mountains you can just drive off the side of the road onto. There were actually a lot of people camping in these areas. The one we checked out was Hoodoo Creek. The views are incredible and the lakes are such gorgeous colors you just can’t stop looking as them.

And that is the end of this 3 days in Banff National Park travel guide post. I hope you found it helpful and can make an itinerary out of this post. Other related posts you may like: Banff Travel Guide, Banff Hotel Review. If you are wondering where to stay in the Banff area check out Brewster’s Mountain Lodge. I’ve stayed there and loved it and also wrote a review on it.

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