Banff on a Budget
Banff on a Budget
Parks Canada Fee
Dates: May 2018
$9.80 CAD/Daily | $67.70 CAD Annual Pass
If you're going to Banff National Park, you will need to pass through an entrance gate and purchase a Parks Canada Pass. There is no way around it, but it is reasonably priced and was definitely worth it to us to support this great parks system. Due to our length of stay, it made more sense financially to purchase the Parks Canada Discovery Pass ($67 CAD per person), which enables us to enter any National Park in Canada for an entire year.
Lodging
Average Price: $21.50 - $32.40 CAD/Night
There are so many campgrounds to choose from in Banff National Park. It is not permitted to park overnight on the side Park roads or at highway pull-offs. No outside firewood is allowed inside the park, so campgrounds offer unlimited firewood for an additional $8.80 CAD/night. Most campgrounds also have a free shuttle service available. All the campgrounds within Banff are run by Parks Canada, and are all very reasonably priced with varying amenities. We will start with the ones we stayed at and a few others. A full list can be found on the Parks Canada website.
We didn’t plan ahead, so we hopped around from site to site, staying at each for one to three nights each. To avoid this, we recommend pin pointing your stops that you want to make in Banff and plan your route geographically accordingly. Some of the campgrounds are first come first serve, but if you plan to come during the summer sites will book up quickly so be sure to book ahead or show up first thing in the morning to a FCFS site!
No Hookup Camping
- Tunnel Mountain Village I Campground ($27.40 CAD/night)
- Two Jack Lakeside Campground ($27.40 CAD/night)
- Two Jack Main Campground ($21.50 CAD/night)
- Castle Mountain Campground ($21.50 CAD/night)
- Johnston Canyon Campground ($21.50 CAD/night)
- Lake Louise Overflow Parking ($10.80 CAD/night)
Partial Hookup Camping
- Tunnel Mountain Village II Campground** ($32.30 CAD/night) **Electricity Only
- Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court* ($38.20 CAD/night) *Full Hookup
- Lake Louise Trailer Campground** ($32.30 CAD/night) **Electric Only
Hostels
Although we camped the entire time during our stay in Banff. We saw quite a few hostels between downtown Banff and the Lake Louise area. We spent a day in the HI Lake Louise Alpine Hostel which had free wifi and a small restaurant/cafe on the bottom floor. There is another HI Hostels location in Banff or you can try the new Banff International Hostel. Either way, there seems to be plenty of options in the $50-$60 CAD/night range.
Parks Canada Fee
Dates: May 2018
$9.80 CAD/Daily | $67.70 CAD Annual Pass
If you're going to Banff National Park, you will need to pass through an entrance gate and purchase a Parks Canada Pass. There is no way around it, but it is reasonably priced and was definitely worth it to us to support this great parks system. Due to our length of stay, it made more sense financially to purchase the Parks Canada Discovery Pass ($67 CAD per person), which enables us to enter any National Park in Canada for an entire year.
Lodging
Average Price: $21.50 - $32.40 CAD/Night
There are so many campgrounds to choose from in Banff National Park. It is not permitted to park overnight on the side Park roads or at highway pull-offs. No outside firewood is allowed inside the park, so campgrounds offer unlimited firewood for an additional $8.80 CAD/night. Most campgrounds also have a free shuttle service available. All the campgrounds within Banff are run by Parks Canada, and are all very reasonably priced with varying amenities. We will start with the ones we stayed at and a few others. A full list can be found on the Parks Canada website.
We didn’t plan ahead, so we hopped around from site to site, staying at each for one to three nights each. To avoid this, we recommend pin pointing your stops that you want to make in Banff and plan your route geographically accordingly. Some of the campgrounds are first come first serve, but if you plan to come during the summer sites will book up quickly so be sure to book ahead or show up first thing in the morning to a FCFS site!
No Hookup Camping
- Tunnel Mountain Village I Campground ($27.40 CAD/night)
- Two Jack Lakeside Campground ($27.40 CAD/night)
- Two Jack Main Campground ($21.50 CAD/night)
- Castle Mountain Campground ($21.50 CAD/night)
- Johnston Canyon Campground ($21.50 CAD/night)
- Lake Louise Overflow Parking ($10.80 CAD/night)
Partial Hookup Camping
- Tunnel Mountain Village II Campground** ($32.30 CAD/night) **Electricity Only
- Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court* ($38.20 CAD/night) *Full Hookup
- Lake Louise Trailer Campground** ($32.30 CAD/night) **Electric Only
Hostels
Although we camped the entire time during our stay in Banff. We saw quite a few hostels between downtown Banff and the Lake Louise area. We spent a day in the HI Lake Louise Alpine Hostel which had free wifi and a small restaurant/cafe on the bottom floor. There is another HI Hostels location in Banff or you can try the new Banff International Hostel. Either way, there seems to be plenty of options in the $50-$60 CAD/night range.
Free Lakes Galore
We were fortunate enough to have a vehicle with us to drive around to all the hikes and lakes our hearts desired. However, there is a shuttle service for only a few bucks that runs between sites and campgrounds. The lakes you have to see while you’re in Banff are the famous Lake Louise and Moraine Lake (obviously) but all glacial water is well worth a gaze. There are tons of lakes to see while driving through Banff. Although it's not listed, we also saw Two Jack Lake. While you're at it, you may as well go see Lake Minnewanka since those two are connected.
*Here's a tip: Go to these lakes at different times of day to see how the sun reflecting off the water changes the color. The fine glacial silt suspended in the water captures the blue/green light rays which give it such a crazy color.
1. Moraine Lake
2. Lake Louise
3. Peyto Lake
4. Vermillion Lakes
5. Bow Lake
Free Lakes Galore
We were fortunate enough to have a vehicle with us to drive around to all the hikes and lakes our hearts desired. However, there is a shuttle service for only a few bucks that runs between sites and campgrounds. The lakes you have to see while you’re in Banff are the famous Lake Louise and Moraine Lake (obviously) but all glacial water is well worth a gaze. There are tons of lakes to see while driving through Banff. Although it's not listed, we also saw Two Jack Lake. While you're at it, you may as well go see Lake Minnewanka since those two are connected.
*Here's a tip: Go to these lakes at different times of day to see how the sun reflecting off the water changes the color. The fine glacial silt suspended in the water captures the blue/green light rays which give it such a crazy color.
1. Moraine Lake
MORAINE LAKE
2. Lake Louise
LAKE LOUISE
3. Peyto Lake
4. Vermillion Lakes
5. Bow Lake
Hiking and Historic sites
Cost: Free!
Once again, if you have your transportation then hiking is at no cost to you once you're inside the park. But, there is also a cheap shuttle service that runs throughout the park, and even goes to downtown Banff. Our two most memorable hikes in Banff were Johnston’s Canyon Lower/Upper Falls and Lake Louise Big Beehive Trail. Both are fairly moderate day hikes.
Johnston Canyon Upper Falls
Length: 3.1 mi (out and back) With over one million visitors per year, Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Banff National Park. The lower falls is very powerful and can be approached via footbridge and pedestrian tunnel, while the upper falls are higher and can be reached by a platform at the base or top of the falls. Check out how to find the hidden cave here!
Lake Louise - Big Beehive Trail
Length: 6.4 - 8.1 mi (out and back)
The Beehive Circuit is an 8.4 mile circuit that includes the Big Beehive Trail plus a few additional overviews. The first half of the hike up to Mirror Lake was moderately trafficked. The second half toward the Big Beehive is more strenuous than the first, but well worth it.
We met a few people along the way to help ward off bears and cougars. Not as many people made it up to the top during May as there was still plenty of snow. With views of Lake Louise on one side, and Lake Agnes on the other, it is an incredible hike.
Cave and Basin Historic site
Cost: Free if you have the Parks Canada pass | Non pass holder: $3.90 CAD/adult
We’d recommend checking these out if you get the chance. At the historic site you have the opportunity to see the original natural hot springs in Banff's underground caves. From above, you can see the vibrant blue/green water combined with the algae. The exhibit is small but there is a short film which we found educational about the history of Banff and the First Nation's heritage that the park preserves.
Hiking and Historic sites
Cost: Free!
Once again, if you have your transportation then hiking is at no cost to you once you're inside the park. But, there is also a cheap shuttle service that runs throughout the park, and even goes to downtown Banff. Our two most memorable hikes in Banff were Johnston’s Canyon Lower/Upper Falls and Lake Louise Big Beehive Trail. Both are fairly moderate day hikes.
Johnston Canyon Upper Falls
Length: 3.1 mi (out and back) With over one million visitors per year, Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Banff National Park. The lower falls is very powerful and can be approached via footbridge and pedestrian tunnel, while the upper falls are higher and can be reached by a platform at the base or top of the falls. Check out how to find the hidden cave here!
Lake Louise - Big Beehive Trail
Length: 6.4 - 8.1 mi (out and back)
The Beehive Circuit is an 8.4 mile circuit that includes the Big Beehive Trail plus a few additional overviews. The first half of the hike up to Mirror Lake was moderately trafficked. The second half toward the Big Beehive is more strenuous than the first, but well worth it.
We met a few people along the way to help ward off bears and cougars. Not as many people made it up to the top during May as there was still plenty of snow. With views of Lake Louise on one side, and Lake Agnes on the other, it is an incredible hike.
Cave and Basin Historic site
Cost: Free if you have the Parks Canada pass | Non pass holder: $3.90 CAD/adult
We’d recommend checking these out if you get the chance. At the historic site you have the opportunity to see the original natural hot springs in Banff's underground caves. From above, you can see the vibrant blue/green water combined with the algae. The exhibit is small but there is a short film which we found educational about the history of Banff and the First Nation's heritage that the park preserves.
See how this fits into the North American Road Trip:
Banff on the Skinny
Banff on the Skinny
(24-48 hours in the park)