Banff National Park is a wall of jagged peaks above impossibly turquoise glacial lakes — Louise, Moraine, Peyto — strung along the Icefields Parkway. Summer is hiking-and-canoeing; winter is world-class skiing; both are postcard-perfect.
Lake Louise & Moraine Lake
Icefields Parkway drive
Banff Gondola
Johnston Canyon
Driving to Moraine Lake on a whim — private vehicles are banned; you must pre-book a shuttle or it’s a guaranteed turnaround at the gate.
Midday parking attempts at Lake Louise in July; go at sunrise or take the shuttle, because the lots fill before breakfast.
The lakes only thaw to that glowing turquoise by mid-June; September adds golden larches; the famous viewpoints are frozen and snowbound the rest of the year.
Munduva is free for your whole group — pick the dates together, build the plan, and split the costs.
Start planning — it’s free