Free Things to Do in Banff: How to Save Money on a Trip to the Rockies

Planning a trip to Banff doesn't have to break the bank. Lucky for us, most of the best attractions are free!

By opting for free or low cost activities, you won't be missing out on any of the views or experiences. Some activities will require gear to do so that could be an added cost if you need to rent.

Free Entry to Banff with the Canada Strong Pass

From June 19-Sept 7, entry to Banff is completely free. If you are visiting outside of this time, you will need to purchase a parks pass to visit.

The Canada Strong Pass also includes free entry to Cave and Basin Historic Site and Banff Park Museum. This is a great way to get to know the history of Banff.

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1. Get Active!

The best way to save money is to use your own two feet to explore the mountains. You can spend an entire summer exploring and still have so many places to discover.

Bonus: the further you walk, the less crowds you'll encounter!

Hike:

• Tunnel Mountain - a 1-2 hour small summit hike only 15 minutes from downtown Banff

• Grassi Lakes - a 1-2 hour hike from Canmore with a waterfall and blue-green lakes

• Hike up a summit such as Ha Ling or Lady Macdonald!

Bike:

• Bike the 22km Legacy Trail from Canmore to Banff

• Try mountain biking on Tunnel Mountain or at Canmore's Nordic Centre (Kananaskis Pass required - $15)

• Bike along the riverside trail in Canmore or Banff

Swim:

• Spend a day at Johnson Lake, where all the locals hangout. The water is cold but warmer than most places in Banff!

• Lounge at the riverside in Banff by the pedestrian bridge

Run:

• Go for a trail run! We have some of the best trail networks and you'll be able to explore all over. Try the Montane or Horseshoe Trail in Canmore.

2. Sightsee!

If you're looking for a less active holiday, there are still incredible viewpoints you can access by car. While Moraine Lake and Lake Louise cost money to access, many lakes

are still entirely free!

Drive the Icefields Parkway:

Spend a whole day experiences one of the most scenic drives in the world.

• Bow Lake

• Peyto Lake

• Crowfoot Glacier

• Mistaya Canyon

• Waterfowl Lakes

• Big Bend Viewpoint

• Athabascia Glacier/Toe of the Glacier Hike

Visit Yoho National Park

• Takakkaw Falls

• Emerald Lake

• Natural Bridge

• Wapta Falls

Visit Kootenay National Park

• Marble Canyon

• Paint Pots

• Stanley Glacier

Tour around Banff Town

• Mt. Norquay Viewpoint

• Vermillion Lakes

• Lake Minnewanka

• Two Jack Lake

• Surprise Corner

• Hoodoos Viewpoint

• Bow Falls

Go for a drive:

Hop in the car and go for a scenic drive!

1. Kananaskis - explore a different and lesser known park. Stops include Nakiska Ski Resort and Upper/Lower Kananaskis Lakes. Drive carefully - there are often wildlife and even free roaming cows on the highway!

2. Tour around Banff - drive through wildlife cooridors such as Lake Minnewanka Loop or the Banff Golf Course

3. Bow Valley Parkway - one of the best known scenic drives in Banff! Scenic stops include Johnston Canyon, Storm Mountain Lookout and Morant's Curve. Obey all of the signs, there are some no stopping zones due to wildlife activity!

Have a picnic:

There is no shortage of stunning views in Banff, meaning there are tons of great places to have a picnic!

1. Cascade Ponds: just outside of Banff town, these quiet ponds have lots of picnic tables and trails to explore

2. Banff riverside park: with a gazebo, pedestrian bridge and tons of green space, you'll see lots of people picnicking here

3. Canmore riverside park: a local favourite with lots of picnic tables and a perfect view of Ha Ling and the Three Sisters.

Wander around Town:

You could spend a day just wandering around both Banff and Canmore.

Banff: Walk the riverside trail to Bow Falls and enjoy a forest full of art installations, wander Cascade Gardens and capture a photo of the iconic Cascade Mountain, stroll across the pedestrian bridges, walk up to Surprise Corner or through the shops downtown

Canmore: take the boardwalk through Policeman's creek, enjoy a pedestrian-only downtown area with a ton of new art installations or walk the riverside trail to the Engine Bridge

Free Parking:

Banff: Free 9-hour parking at the Banff Train Station, a 5-10 minute walk from downtown

Canmore: Free parking behind Save-on-Foods, 5-minute walk to downtown. Free parking at the old Visitor Centre for easy access to the Legacy Trail (30 min walk to downtown)

This is just an into to all of the free things you can do while you're here. While all of the attractions are enticing, you can have a fully incredible vacation without breaking the bank.

As we think of more things to add, we will keep updating! For now, happy exploring.