Visiting Banff in November 2024? Here’s ALL You Need to Know

November is Banff’s quietest month. The weather can be notorious as winter grips the mountains, and many attractions close the month before. It’s most definitely off-season in the resort town and national park. However, don’t let that deter you; there is never a bad time to visit. We like to say it may not be the best time.

November can be dreary with cold weather, dead foliage, grey skies, and icy conditions. It’s not the most scenic month, but Banff is never ugly, and the ski resorts open at the beginning of the month. Ski conditions can be surprisingly great with low crowds and prices. That’s true for everything, as November is a great time to visit Banff on a budget.

The other good news is that Christmas cheer will be in the air by the end of the month, and it’s full-on hot chocolate season! So, is it worth visiting Banff in November, and what can you expect? We’ll break down everything you need to know!

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What’s the Weather Like in November

November is a variable month with a mix of sunshine and snow, but generally, the temperatures are much cooler than they have been. Temps plummet to an average of 1-2°C during the day (-10°C at night), and fall most definitely becomes winter in November. Snow should be everywhere by mid to late November, which makes the mountain peaks much more beautiful.

Sometimes, the average temperatures can drop to -9°C, so bundle up and don’t forget a jacket or boots. The most exciting part about November in Banff is that it marks the start of the ski season in Banff. You’ll find SkiBig3 resorts open by the middle of the month. Few tourists are here in November, meaning no crowds and low prices on accommodation and car rentals.

You’ll be disappointed if you plan on seeing the beautiful blue lakes of Emerald Lake, Moraine Lake, and Lake Louise in their splendor. They are pretty much completely frozen by mid-November.

However, the lakes closer to the town of Banff (Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake) and in Canmore generally take longer to freeze as they are lower in elevation. It truly all depends on the year, though!

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What to Pack for a November Trip

Now that it’s November in Banff, it’s time to put away the sneakers. Get out the boots and jacket and bundle up. It’s pretty cold in Banff, and you’ll want a good coat, boots, hats, thermals, and gloves to stay warm outside. Bring your best sweaters and savor your time warming up by the fire in a cozy restaurant.

Don’t forget your ski pants and jacket if you plan to do early-season skiing or snowboarding. Some basic items that you’ll want to pack are:

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Can You Visit Lake Louise in November?

November at Lake Louise means it’s winter again, and you can expect to find Lake Louise completely frozen by mid to late November. If you’re lucky, and I mean really lucky, you might be able to ice skate on Lake Louise before the snow falls onto the frozen lake; it happens every few years. This means you’ll be skating on a frozen blue lake.

Lake Louise Ski Resort opens on November 5th, 2024, and plenty of early-season skiing fun will be had. The other good news? It’s the local season in Banff National Park. The summer tourists are long gone, and the holiday tourists have yet to arrive, so it’s a tranquil time to visit Lake Louise or Emerald Lake and go skiing at the resort.

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Can You Visit Moraine Lake in November?

Moraine Lake Road closes in mid-October, so if you want to visit in November, you’ll have to bike up the 14 km if there is no snow on the road (or use a fat bike), walk, snowshoe, or ski in. This is best reserved for those comfortable and confident in the Canadian Rockies, as it can be dangerous.

If you decide to make the trek, you must take precautions, as Moraine Lake Road crosses a few avalanche chutes that can become dangerous in the winter. Having an avalanche course, knowing how to assess avalanches, and being geared up with the right equipment (beacon, probe, shovel) are important for going to the Lake Moraine area in winter.

A cross-country ski track is set on Moraine Lake Road. It stops at a viewpoint of Consolation Valley and the Ten Peaks, a few km before Moraine Lake and before the avalanche paths. However, the track will unlikely be set in November as the snowpack needs to build up.

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Things to do in Banff in November

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Walk to Bow Falls

You can easily walk or drive to Bow Falls Viewpoint from the town center. If you walk, a path connects downtown Banff to Bow Falls, which is nice and quiet this time of year. Just make sure to dress warm! This scenic spot offers breathtaking views of the powerful waterfall and the surrounding landscape.

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Visit Surprise Corner

The Surprise Corner view is one of the most accessible viewpoints in Banff. It’s an iconic scene of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – aka The Castle in the Rockies. If you’re into photography, it’s a perfect opportunity to capture breathtaking photos and appreciate the area’s natural beauty – especially if there has been recent snowfall.

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Climb Sulphur Mountain

A hike to the top of Sulphur Mountain is a classic experience. It’s a safe winter hike along a well-trodden trail, so you will not need to rent snowshoes to reach the top. The reward at the top is astonishing views over the Bow Valley. Those on a budget or after exercise will enjoy the winter hike. A pair of microspikes and some hiking poles will help you tackle the trail.

However, those not in the mood to climb a mountain can enjoy the scenic ride up the Banff Gondola. The ride to the top has been a highlight for many travelers for decades. It’s obviously not free, but it does save you time and energy. The top station features multiple restaurants, a cafe, a gift shop, viewing decks, interactive exhibits, and an extensive boardwalk.

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Banff Nightrise On The Banff Gondola

With short days, head up the Banff Gondola in the evening or night for a unique experience. The Banff Nightrise is an interactive experience created by multimedia studio Moment Factory in partnership with the Stoney Nakoda Nation. The immersive journey transforms the Banff Gondola after dark into a multimedia exhibit with lights, projections, and riveting soundscapes.

It allows visitors to “listen to the view,” and each level of the complex is transformed, with the viewing deck allowing visitors to view Banff in a new way. Nightrise is a beautiful and unique experience, especially since it is partnered with the Indigenous peoples who contribute music, words, and stories. In 2024, the Nightrise Experience is set to start on November 18th!

The Banff Nightrise Experience is included in the price of a Banff Gondola ticket.

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Head to Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake in Yoho is just over an hour’s drive from the Town of Banff and is a magical place to visit in November. Although it is one of the most popular lakes to see in the Rockies, come November, the lake is dead quiet, easily one of the most peaceful times of the year.

Seeing Wapta Mountain covered in snow is lovely, and November is a fantastic time to walk around the lake. If you have always wanted to stay at Emerald Lake Lodge, this would be a good time to catch a deal on room rates.

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Catch the Northern Lights

Visitors have the best chance to spot the beautiful Northern Lights during the winter months from October to May. November is an excellent time as the sky is dark for an extended period, and the nighttime temperatures won’t make you feel like you’re at the North Pole (yet).

Although the aurora is never guaranteed, and Banff isn’t as far north as Alaska, they occasionally appear in November. See our best tips for spotting the Northern Lights in Banff.

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Stroll Around Cascade Ponds

Cascade Ponds is an excellent place to head for a quick stroll. It is just a 5-minute drive from Banff. There are lovely pathways and a beautiful pedestrian bridge to enjoy the views.

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Ice Skate on a Wild Frozen Lake

November is among the best times to wild skate in the Canadian Rockies. Wild skating refers to skating on natural bodies of water (not maintained ice rinks). Ice skating on these lakes can happen any time in the winter, but the best season is typically in November and December.

This is when the lakes have frozen over enough to support a skaters weight, but the snow has yet to cover them. The result is something like ice skating on the smoothest ice cube ever! Natural ice is much harder and better than artificial ice rinks.

However, there is real risk involved with wild ice skating, and you should always check the thickness of the ice before skating (ice should be more than 15 cm thick). You can do this with an ice screw. You can read our post on Banff ice skating safety tips and destinations.

The key to skating on these lakes is to hit them right after the freeze but before the first snowfall covers the lake. For us, that date came on November 1st at Johnson Lake one year, and another year, it was at the end of November. Every year is completely different!

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Drive the Bow Valley Parkway

The Bow Valley Parkway (or the 1A) is a scenic road that every visitor to Banff National Park should drive on at least once. It’s a great alternative to the Trans-Canada when connecting Banff to Lake Louise.

It’s excellent to drive year-round, but I love it after a fresh snowfall in the winter. There are plenty of stops to make, and it’s one of the best places in Banff to spot some wildlife. Stop off at Morant’s Curve and wait for a train to pass with a hot cocoa in hand!

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Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon is one of the most accessible hikes in Banff, and because of this, it can really attract a crowd. If you’re allergic to crowds, November is one of the best times to enjoy this stunning waterfall hike. As the trail can get slippery this time of year, we recommend having microspikes. If you don’t have a vehicle, consider booking a Johnston Canyon ice walk tour.

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Marvel at Bow Lake

Drive a little bit of the Icefields Parkway and stop at Bow Lake, which is a busy stop in the summer but absolutely serene in the winter. Bow Lake is a beautiful glacial-fed lake that radiates blue in the summer. It’s covered in snow in the winter, and you stand a good chance of getting a glorious winter sunset from here. Remember that you need winter tires to drive the Icefields Parkway in November, which we’ll discuss below.

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Warm Up in a Brewery

The Canadian Rockies boast some amazing mountain breweries. In Canmore, there are multiple breweries to check out. Grizzly Paw is a familiar favorite with tourists as it’s located on Main Street, while Canmore Brewing and Sheepdog Brewing are a bit more of local gems.

Our favorite brewery in Banff is the Three Bears Brewery on Bear Street, although Banff Ave Brewing is the OG and located right off Banff Avenue. If you happen to be in Jasper in November, you have to visit Jasper Brewing after a day out in the cold.

All of the above have cozy atmospheres perfect for warming up with friends and family.

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Keep Your Eye Out for Wildlife

November is a great time to spot some wildlife in the Rockies. The crowds have departed, and the wildlife are back without all the human disturbances. We see elk almost daily, as well as frequent spotting of sheep driving along Spray Lakes Road and near Two Jack Lake. If you are lucky, you can also spot coyotes, mountain goats, and perhaps even a lynx (super rare!) We recommend booking a wildlife tour if you want to try your chances with the professionals.

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Ski/Snowboard Big Mountain Terrain

The ski culture in North America has its roots in the Canadian Rockies, with Skoki Lodge – the first ski hut in North America located here. Now, there are three ski resorts in the Banff National Park and one in the neighboring Provincial Park, Kananaskis, along with a bunch of other great mountains within a couple hours drive. The region has it all in terms of ski, whether that’s groomer, big mountain resorts, backcountry, and even heli-skiing.

The resorts within Banff comprise a group called the SkiBig3. In that you have Lake Louise, Banff Sunshine Village, and Mt. Norquay, all fantastic and unique ski resorts. Skiing or snowboarding here is one of the best things to do in Banff in the winter, and they are open up by mid-November!

• Lake Louise Open Date: November 8, 2024
• Banff Sunshine Open Date: November 8, 2024
• Mt Norquay Opening Date: November 1, 2024

*Opening dates are tentative*

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Hike Tunnel Mountain

Tunnel Mountain is right in the heart of Banff, one of the park’s best winter hikes. It’s beloved by locals for its accessibility, and you can hike it year-round. Tunnel may be one of the smallest mountains in Banff National Park, but it still offers tremendous views of the surrounding valleys and Mount Rundle.

The hike moves slowly up the mountain through several switchbacks and offers various viewpoints out into the Bow and Spray Valleys. It’s great for sunrise or sunset, and it rarely disappoints.

The best part is it’s only a 4.5 km round trip hike and shouldn’t take more than one hour up. It’s one of the most accessible winter hikes you can do with only 266 meters of elevation gain, perfect for November!

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Snowshoe

A great thing to do for families visiting Banff in the winter is snowshoe! Just because there is snow on the ground doesn’t mean you can’t leave the well-trodden path. You might not be able to walk through the snow on foot, but a quality pair of snowshoes allows you to float across the snow.

They’re super easy to get the hang of, and you’ll be moving along in no time. Two popular snowshoe hikes are to the Paint Pots or Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park, but you’re free to explore the wilderness on your own if you rent a pair from Snowtips Backtrax in Downtown Banff.

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Banff Christmas Market

If you are visiting in November and are sad you’ll miss out on the Banff Christmas fun, don’t worry! The Banff Christmas Market is a super fun event held the last two weeks of November before the holiday craze really starts. This year, it’s located at the Banff Train Station (327 Railway Ave), which is very close to the center of downtown Banff.

Yes, you read that right. The Banff Christmas Market takes place in late November instead of in December, as the town of Banff and the beautiful horses get too busy to hold the market during the peak holiday season.

Because of the timing, the event has a much more “local” feel. So if you are in town, make sure to stop by! Expect Santa, his reindeer, plenty of horses to take photos with, food vendors, drink vendors, and boutique artisan pop-up shops.

Entry is $15 a person, and events take place on November 14-17, 22-24, November 29th to December 1st, and December 6-8th, 2024. Tickets must be pre-purchased.

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November Festivals in Banff

• Taste for Adventure (October 24 – November 7, 2024): Try all the different restaurants in Banff as they create a special menu for the off season, and offer steep discounts on food,
• Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival (October 26 – November 3, 2024): Featuring films and stories of adventure from around the world.
• Banff Christmas Market (Nov. 14 – 17, 22 – 24, November 29 – December 1, and December 6 – 8, 2024): Christmas comes early in Banff! Head to Banff Train Station and enjoy the cheer!
• In Search of Christmas Spirit (Nov 15 – Dec 31, 2024): Stroll through Cascade Gardens and listen to a special tale about the true Spirit of Christmas in Banff.
• Santa Claus Celebration of Lights (November 16th and 17th, 2024 – Saturday 12 pm – 7 pm | Sunday 9 am – 2 pm) : Watch Downtown Banff come alive with a day of festive holiday activities and entertainment. There’s no parade this year, but instead a full day of celebrations all along Banff Avenue.
• Banff Craft Beer Festival (November 21-23, 2024): Dubbed “The most beautiful beer festival in the world,” the Craft Beer Fest is a yearly event where you can try all of Alberta’s unique craft beers. Tickets start at $68 at Alberta Beer Festivals.

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Is There Snow in November?

Yes, you should definitely plan for snow in the Rockies in November, and the later in the month, the more snow will fall. Come prepared with a warm winter jacket, a hat, gloves, scarf, and shoes with good tread to handle snowy and icy conditions. Microspikes will be handy if you plan on getting out on some winter hikes.

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Can You Ski/Snowboard in November?

Yes, you can ski in November in Banff, and although the resorts are just gearing up for the ski season, there is still good riding to be had. Mt Norquay is typically the first Banff ski resort to open for the season followed by Lake Louise and Banff Sunshine, which both open towards the middle of the month (weather dependent).

While you’ll probably want your rock skis, and you likely won’t be going off a groomer until December, November is still a fantastic time to get some turns in. It’s also a quiet time at the ski resorts, and the only other people around will be locals. Don’t like lift lines? Now is your time!

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Are There Any Fall Colors Left?

Some places out east and further south in the US still have great fall colors in November. This is not the case in Banff. Don’t arrive in November expecting any fall colors. The golden larch tree needles fell to the ground before October 15th, and while the last remaining fall colors may have hung on until the end of October, they will most certainly be gone by November 1st.

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Are the Mountain Lakes Frozen in November?

Almost all the lakes in the Rockies are on their way to freezing over come November. Higher elevation lakes like Peyto Lake, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and Emerald Lake are frozen or nearly frozen by early November. While lower-elevation lakes like Johnson Lake, Two Jack, Lake Minnewanka, and Vermilion take a bit longer to freeze.

By December 1st, many of them are a hard sheet of ice. As mentioned above, we were ice skating on Johnson Lake on November 1st a few years ago, but it all just depends on the year and conditions. One thing is for sure though, don’t arrive to the Rockies in November expecting to see the brilliantly blue water that Banff is famous for, or you will be disappointed.

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Can You See the Northern Lights in November?

While it’s possible to see the aurora in Banff throughout the year, your best chance at spotting them is during the winter months. This is when we get the most amount of darkness. The average sunrise time is around 8-8:30 a.m. in November, and the sun sets between 4:30-6:00 p.m. depending on the time of the month. We are getting into very short days here in the Rockies, with the shortest days on their way in December.

That means there is a lot of nighttime, and nighttime mixed with clear skies and a strong aurora forecast means you could be in luck. Though we would never plan a trip to Banff just to see the northern lights, it is a perk of visiting in the winter.

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Is it Safe to Drive in November?

Anyone visiting Banff between November and April needs to be prepared for winter road conditions. This is especially true when driving the TransCanada, the Bow Valley Parkway, and the Icefields Parkway.

Alberta roads can become treacherous in the winter, and at the very least, you need to have all season or winter tires on your car. If you rent a car for your trip to Banff, ensure that the vehicle is equipped with winter tires. Just because you rent a car in Calgary in the winter, does not mean it automatically comes with the proper tires. Make sure to check with your rental agency if you have them.

Experience driving in snow is a huge plus if you are going to rent a car. Snowstorms and blizzards are common during this time, so it’s essential to pay attention to the weather and stay off the road if there are snowfall warnings. You can check 5.11 Alberta for road conditions.

Snow tires or chains are required by law for travel on Hwy #93N / Icefields Parkway and Hwy #93S / Banff-Windermere Highway (Banff National Park) between November 1 and March 31, as well as if you plan to drive into British Columbia.

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Pros and Cons of Visiting Banff in November

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Is November a Good Time to Visit Banff?

I would never encourage anyone who doesn’t like the cold to visit Banff in November, because, without a doubt, it will feel more like winter than you might think at this time. That being said, if you:

• Are looking to visit Banff on a budget.
• Don’t care for large crowds strolling Banff Avenue next to you.
• Don’t plan on hiking much.
• Want to be one of the first of your friends to ski or snowboard for the winter.
• Want to enjoy Christmas festivities a month early.
• Don’t mind the cold weather and are looking for an excuse to get cozy.
• Just want to stare at pretty mountains all day long with a hot cocoa in hand.

Then you should consider visiting in November!

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Canadian Rockies Travel Tips

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Consider Renting a Car

Being in North America, your options for transport are limited. Most visitors to Banff will rent a car in Calgary, which is the easiest way to get around. Renting a car in Canada ensures that you can get to where you want to go on your own schedule.

Depending on the season of your travel, car rentals in Calgary can be pretty affordable. We’ve rented with Enterprise for less than 30 CAD a day in the winter, and November will yield super low prices.

In the winter, you need a car with winter tires, so make sure to check with your car rental agency. If you do decide to drive from Alberta into BC these winter tires are mandatory! You can see road conditions here, which are super helpful between November and late April.

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Other Transport Options

You may not feel comfortable driving in Canada, and that’s okay! There are other options to get to and from Banff and around the town. However, they are limited, so keep that in mind. To get from YYC to Banff, the Banff Airporter is a good option and costs around $150 round trip.

Once in Banff, there is the Roam bus system to get around town, and in the summer, it runs to Lake Louise, while in the winter, it will easily get you to Lake Louise Ski Resort and Banff Sunshine Ski Resort.

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Dress for the Mountains

If I had a dollar for every time I saw a visitor wearing skimpy mountain clothes, I would have, like, $500. Come to the Canadian Rockies in November dressed for mountain weather. That means packable down jackets, boots, and hats. It gets colder than you think it will!

The weather here can change at a moment’s notice and you don’t want to be underdressed. It’s essential to pack layers, thermals, and good boots.

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Where to Stay in November

For a small mountain town, Banff has a plethora of accommodation options. Some of our favorites are:

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