It’s not hard to find a fantastic viewpoint in Banff. Almost everywhere you look in the park yields a pretty impressive natural spectacle. Many visitors think they must hike 10 km up a mountain to reach an astonishing vista, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Here are 13 impressive Banff viewpoints that don’t require any hiking at all!
Hike-Free Banff Viewpoints
Banff Avenue
Perhaps the easiest Banff viewpoint you can possibly get is right down Banff Avenue. Anyone staying in Banff will instantly see the famous view of Cascade Mountain just by stepping out of their hotel room.
Surprise Corner
The Surprise Corner Viewpoint is right off Tunnel Mountain Drive in Banff and doesn’t require any hiking to see an astonishing view. Just a short 2-minute walk from the small parking area will give you a great view of The Castle of the Rockies. However, the parking area does fill up quickly in the summer months, and buses often take over what feels like the entire small lot, so walking here from Banff Avenue might be a worthwhile way to see the view.
Banff Pedestrian Bridge
The Banff Pedestrian Bridge crosses over the Bow River just outside of Downtown Banff. Those exploring the area on foot will inevitably find themselves walking across it. From the pedestrian bridge, you can get great views of Mount Rundle. Continue walking to the Bow Falls Trail along the Bow River to the Bow Falls Viewpoint.
Bow Falls
Bow Falls are some of the most easily accessible waterfalls in Banff and are a great viewpoint to head to if you are visiting Banff without a car. They are located right outside of town on the Bow River near the Banff Springs Hotel. You can walk to them from Banff Ave along the Bow Falls Trail in under 20 minutes, though there is a small parking area nearby, where you can park, hop out and get a great view of the falls.
Morant’s Curve
Morant’s Curve is a major photo hot spot in the Rockies along the Bow Valley Parkway (the 1A). The parking area is just across the road from the viewpoint, making it very accessible. At Morant’s Curve, you can see Canadian trains coming around the mountain—literally.
Stop here any time of day as the view is great without a train. However, if you happen to time your visit as a train passes by, it’s a magical sight and photograph! We particularly love seeing this viewpoint in the winter, then the whole scene is covered in snow – it’s truly like the inside of a snow globe.
If you’re visiting around Christmas, check the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train schedule, as once a season, a bright red holiday train passes through Morant’s Curve, creating an absolutely snow globe-worthy picture.
Castle Cliffs Viewpoint
Also along the Bow Valley Parkway, before Morant’s Curve if coming from Banff, is this quick lookout that many people miss. It’s just past Castle Mountain Junction and comes up quickly on your right when driving from Banff to Lake Louise, right after Castle Mountain Chalets. Here there’s a small elevated path looking out to Castle Mountain, with information and amazing views of the Castle Cliffs.
Mount Norquay Lookout
The Mt Norquay Viewpoint offers exceptional views over the Town of Banff and Mount Rundle. Parks Canada has even placed a few of its iconic red Adirondack chairs there for visitors to sit and marvel at the view. You’ll need to drive up Mt. Norquay Road for about 4.8 km until you reach a pull-off point on your right-hand side, where you can get out and take a short stroll to admire the view.
Lake Minnewanka Shoreline
Lake Minnewanka is the largest lake in Banff and one of the most stunning lakes in the Canadian Rockies. You don’t have to work too hard to see it, as you can easily see it from your car while driving Lake Minnewanka Scenic Road.
At Lake Minnewanka there is a very large parking area where you can park. In less than a 5-minute walk, you can be at the shoreline of Lake Minnewanka, taking in the views of Mount Inglismaldie in front of you. If you want a little activity there is a nice 6 km (roundtrip) path around the lake to walk, with the highlight being a bridge over Stewart Canyon.
Two Jack Lake Overlook/Shoreline
Two Jack Lake isn’t far from Lake Minnewanka, and it’s a nice place to stop and get out on the water if you have a stand-up paddleboard or kayak. Even if you don’t have a watercraft, it’s a lovely place to stop and enjoy the Mount Rundle views. There’s a nice overlook from Lake Minnewanka Scenic Road, though it’s also a nice view right from the shoreline. There are two perfectly positioned Parks Canada chairs here for you to relax.
Up the Banff Gondola
Heading up the Banff Gondola is perhaps the most popular thing to do in Banff, and it’s easy to see why, seeing as it gets you to the top of the mountain in just eight minutes. Climbing 698 meters very quickly, once at the top, you’ll have panoramic views of the Bow Valley and down toward the town of Banff.
Once at the top, there’s no need to hike at all to get one of my favorite views of Cascade Mountain. However, we do encourage gondola riders to walk along the elevated boardwalk to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station. At the top of the gondola station, there’s a coffee shop up here and the Sky Bistro, one of the most sought-after scenic restaurants in Banff.
Lake Louise View from the Gondola
From the top of Lake Louise’s Sightseeing Gondola, you can get some astonishing views of Lake Louise, with Mount Fairview and Mount Victoria rising behind her. From up here, you can take a short walk to the Whitehorn Bistro, which is one of the most scenic restaurants in Banff.
Bow Lake Pull-Off
Bow Lake is one of the many lakes that line the Icefields Parkway and a popular stop when driving between Banff and Jasper. If you don’t know it’s coming, you’ll be in for a real surprise as you drive the Icefields Parkway, and this bright blue wonder pops up out of nowhere.
While it’s not a large lake in the scope of the world, it is big for the Canadian Rockies. In the summer months, when the lake thaws, it turns a dizzying blue from the glacier melt of the Crowfoot Glacier and Wapta Icefield. The sheer rock wall of Crowfoot Mountain, the hanging glacier, and the expansive Wapta Icefield provide have an innate way of humbling all who gaze on the landscape. There’s a nice viewpoint right from the road, but a large parking area allows visitors to park and get out of their car to walk around the lakeshore.
If you’re feeling peckish, The Lodge has a small cafe operating here during the summer.
Vermilion Lakes
Vermilion Lakes reflect the iconic Mount Rundle and are the ultimate Banff photography spot. These three small lakes can be seen from right off the Tran-Canada, but you’ll need to stop to grab an epic photo to appreciate them.
Please do not just pull off on the side of the highway (we see this happen all the time). There is an actual pull-off point to grab a photo and overlook the view from the highway. To get the best angle and viewpoint of Vermilion Lakes with Mount Rundle in the background, take the exit off the highway and onto Mt. Norquay Road and then onto Vermilion Lakes Road. Drive slow, as there are always lots of bikers on this road.
You’ll find the lakes on your left-hand side and plenty of pull-off points. There are three docks along the road that are a fantastic place to watch the sun rise or set.
Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Recommended Experiences: There are so many things to do in the Rockies, but our top recommended experiences include the Banff Gondola, taking a cruise on Lake Minnewanka, and enjoying a cruise on Maligne Lake out to Spirit Island in Jasper. If you are looking for a stress free way to get to Moraine Lake, we highly recommend looking into Moraine Lake Bus Company.
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get to Banff or Canmore Without a Car: The Banff Airporter provides fantastic service connecting you from the Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Banff or Canmore.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. Or embark on an epic campervan trip, we like to compare camper prices on Outdoorsy.
- Cheaper Airfare: We also use Going to watch for cheap airfare deals and like to use travel credit cards to hack our way into free flights and hotels! Our favorite cards are the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire, which both work well in Canada and have no foreign transaction fees.
- Hop On, Hop Off: This tour is taking Banff by storm. It’s exactly what it sounds like, hop on and off a bus bound for all the best attractions at your own pace!
