Experiences

The Bow Valley Parkway is one of Banff’s most scenic drives and cycling routes, winding alongside the Bow River between Banff and Lake Louise through mountain landscapes rich with wildlife, viewpoints, trailheads, and forested valleys.

Seasonal vehicle restrictions create long stretches of quiet road ideal for cycling, with opportunities to spot bears, deer, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife along the way, while the gently rolling route makes for an unforgettable ride through the heart of Banff National Park.

Warning: this is a big, varied and throughly enjoyable day in the Rocky Mountains. Goat’s Creek is the backcountry trail behind Rundle Mountain between Banff and Canmore.

This wonderful half-day’s ride takes in four of Banff’s most scenic lakes along a road often teeming with wildlife. Rent your complimentary e-bikes from the Juniper and get directions from the Front Desk.

Just minutes above the Juniper (on e-bikes), this scenic lookout feels worlds away – a quiet vantage point often populated with one or two photographers and a herd of bighorn sheep!

The journey to Sundance Canyon is as much a part of the experience as the gorgeous canyon itself. Renting complimentary e-bikes from the Juniper will get you there in a 30-40 minute cycle plus time for photos.

Cycle from the the Juniper Hotel to Vermilion Lakes for one of Banff’s most scenic and peaceful rides. This easy route winds along quiet roads beneath towering mountain peaks, leading you to the still waters of Vermilion Lakes where views of Mount Rundle create postcard-worthy views in every season.

Skijoring is a thrilling winter sport that combines skiing and snowboarding with powerful horses. Highly skilled riders cheer the crowd as athletes are pulled over huge jumps along Banff Avenue. A uniquely exhilarating Banff adventure!

Banff Pride is a vibrant celebration of diversity, inclusion, and mountain culture, bringing together colourful events, live entertainment, outdoor adventures, and community connection in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The Juniper Hotel & Bistro often hosts events or features specials with donations to BanffPride – check our social media for this year’s participation!

Downtown Banff blends lively mountain-town energy with some of the most spectacular scenery in the Canadian Rockies. Banff Avenue is lined with cafés, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and outdoor gear shops, all framed by dramatic mountain peaks in every direction.

For more than ten thousand years, Cave and Basin National Historic Site has held deep significance for Indigenous Peoples – a connection that continues today. In 1883, railway workers Frank McCabe and brothers Tom McCardell and William McCardell discovered the thermal springs, setting in motion events that led to the creation of Banff National Park – Canada’s first national park.

The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies offers a quieter, more intimate way to experience Banff, exploring the art, history, and people that shaped life in the mountains.

Peyto Lake is one of the most iconic sights in the Canadian Rockies, famous for its vivid turquoise water and dramatic Icefields Parkway setting beneath towering mountain peaks.

While the main viewpoint is easily accessible, the very few continuing on to Bow Summit are rewarded with quieter trails and even more spectacular panoramic views stretching across alpine valleys, glaciers, and the endless wilderness of Banff National Park.

For experienced hikers looking for a true alpine adventure, this challenging loop delivers some of Banff’s most dramatic backcountry scenery, with steep climbs, narrow ridgelines, light scrambling, and sweeping views across the Bow Valley before descending into the wild, otherworldly landscape of Gargoyle Valley. Remote, rugged, and unforgettable, it’s a hike that rewards confidence, preparation, and a love of big mountain terrain.

You could easily spend a couple of summers exploring all the trails and activities available in Banff National Park, but if you’re looking for something further then we fortunately have another three National Parks and several Provincial Parks surrounding us.

There are several canyon hikes in and around Banff National Park, and Johnston Canyon is both the most spectacular (like really, really spectacular) and the most overcrowded. This easy 2-3hr hike is a favourite for every tour group coming through Banff, so you should try to go early in the morning or late afternoon.

Rockbound Lake is a challenging but unforgettable alpine hike behind Castle Mountain, leading through a dramatic limestone valley to two striking mountain lakes surrounded by towering cliffs and rugged peaks. Along the way, hikers are rewarded with sweeping Bow Valley views, quieter trails, hidden waterfalls, and opportunities to explore even further into the wild alpine landscape beyond the lakes.

Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain, also known as Tunnel Mountain, has one of Banff’s most accessible and rewarding hikes, offering panoramic views without requiring a full-day alpine trek.

The Bow Valley Parkway is one of Banff’s most scenic drives and cycling routes, winding alongside the Bow River between Banff and Lake Louise through mountain landscapes rich with wildlife, viewpoints, trailheads, and forested valleys.

Seasonal vehicle restrictions create long stretches of quiet road ideal for cycling, with opportunities to spot bears, deer, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife along the way, while the gently rolling route makes for an unforgettable ride through the heart of Banff National Park.

Warning: this is a big, varied and throughly enjoyable day in the Rocky Mountains. Goat’s Creek is the backcountry trail behind Rundle Mountain between Banff and Canmore.

This wonderful half-day’s ride takes in four of Banff’s most scenic lakes along a road often teeming with wildlife. Rent your complimentary e-bikes from the Juniper and get directions from the Front Desk.

Just minutes above the Juniper (on e-bikes), this scenic lookout feels worlds away – a quiet vantage point often populated with one or two photographers and a herd of bighorn sheep!

The journey to Sundance Canyon is as much a part of the experience as the gorgeous canyon itself. Renting complimentary e-bikes from the Juniper will get you there in a 30-40 minute cycle plus time for photos.

Cycle from the the Juniper Hotel to Vermilion Lakes for one of Banff’s most scenic and peaceful rides. This easy route winds along quiet roads beneath towering mountain peaks, leading you to the still waters of Vermilion Lakes where views of Mount Rundle create postcard-worthy views in every season.

Possibly even more famous and almost as iconic is the lakeshore of Lake Louise. Those turquoise waters, stretching into the distance, tall mountains flanking either side and the glaciers forming a bowl at the end of the lake. Unmissable, truly.

Lake Minnewanka is a vast lake just outside of Banff easily accessed via public transit or bike.

Arguably Canada’s greatest landmark and one of the most recognisable images on the planet, a trip to Moraine Lake is for many a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and trust us; it lives up to the hype.

Closer to Banff and only 5 minutes cycle from the Juniper to the Canoe Club dock, this unforgettable experience is easy to do yet easily missed.

Skijoring is a thrilling winter sport that combines skiing and snowboarding with powerful horses. Highly skilled riders cheer the crowd as athletes are pulled over huge jumps along Banff Avenue. A uniquely exhilarating Banff adventure!

Banff Pride is a vibrant celebration of diversity, inclusion, and mountain culture, bringing together colourful events, live entertainment, outdoor adventures, and community connection in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The Juniper Hotel & Bistro often hosts events or features specials with donations to BanffPride – check our social media for this year’s participation!

Downtown Banff blends lively mountain-town energy with some of the most spectacular scenery in the Canadian Rockies. Banff Avenue is lined with cafés, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and outdoor gear shops, all framed by dramatic mountain peaks in every direction.

For more than ten thousand years, Cave and Basin National Historic Site has held deep significance for Indigenous Peoples – a connection that continues today. In 1883, railway workers Frank McCabe and brothers Tom McCardell and William McCardell discovered the thermal springs, setting in motion events that led to the creation of Banff National Park – Canada’s first national park.

The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies offers a quieter, more intimate way to experience Banff, exploring the art, history, and people that shaped life in the mountains.

The Bow Valley Parkway is one of Banff’s most scenic drives and cycling routes, winding alongside the Bow River between Banff and Lake Louise through mountain landscapes rich with wildlife, viewpoints, trailheads, and forested valleys.

Seasonal vehicle restrictions create long stretches of quiet road ideal for cycling, with opportunities to spot bears, deer, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife along the way, while the gently rolling route makes for an unforgettable ride through the heart of Banff National Park.

Warning: this is a big, varied and throughly enjoyable day in the Rocky Mountains. Goat’s Creek is the backcountry trail behind Rundle Mountain between Banff and Canmore.

This wonderful half-day’s ride takes in four of Banff’s most scenic lakes along a road often teeming with wildlife. Rent your complimentary e-bikes from the Juniper and get directions from the Front Desk.

Just minutes above the Juniper (on e-bikes), this scenic lookout feels worlds away – a quiet vantage point often populated with one or two photographers and a herd of bighorn sheep!

The journey to Sundance Canyon is as much a part of the experience as the gorgeous canyon itself. Renting complimentary e-bikes from the Juniper will get you there in a 30-40 minute cycle plus time for photos.

Cycle from the the Juniper Hotel to Vermilion Lakes for one of Banff’s most scenic and peaceful rides. This easy route winds along quiet roads beneath towering mountain peaks, leading you to the still waters of Vermilion Lakes where views of Mount Rundle create postcard-worthy views in every season.

Most visitors spend around an hour at each lake, taking the famous photo at each lake, perhaps strolling along the paths beside the lake – lovely. But for those craving more, these two lakes have some of our favourite hikes in the area right above them.

Skijoring is a thrilling winter sport that combines skiing and snowboarding with powerful horses. Highly skilled riders cheer the crowd as athletes are pulled over huge jumps along Banff Avenue. A uniquely exhilarating Banff adventure!

Banff Pride is a vibrant celebration of diversity, inclusion, and mountain culture, bringing together colourful events, live entertainment, outdoor adventures, and community connection in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The Juniper Hotel & Bistro often hosts events or features specials with donations to BanffPride – check our social media for this year’s participation!

Downtown Banff blends lively mountain-town energy with some of the most spectacular scenery in the Canadian Rockies. Banff Avenue is lined with cafés, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and outdoor gear shops, all framed by dramatic mountain peaks in every direction.

For more than ten thousand years, Cave and Basin National Historic Site has held deep significance for Indigenous Peoples – a connection that continues today. In 1883, railway workers Frank McCabe and brothers Tom McCardell and William McCardell discovered the thermal springs, setting in motion events that led to the creation of Banff National Park – Canada’s first national park.

The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies offers a quieter, more intimate way to experience Banff, exploring the art, history, and people that shaped life in the mountains.