We visited Banff with a road trip up to Jasper this past May. We tend to travel in the offseason partially because it is more affordable but also because it is less busy that the high season. But offseason travel comes with its own challenges especially in the Mountains. So is May a good time to visit Banff? Well that is complicated. I will share why down below.
Is May a good time to visit Banff?
When I booked our flights I really had done no research on what the weather would be like in Banff during the month of May. I had just assumed that since winter had passed in Ontario that it would be fine. Which is silly since southern Ontario has a totally different climate to Alberta in the Mountains.
Spring in the Mountains comes later than Southern Ontario and chances are later than wherever you are travelling from as well. I would say that Alberta was at a minimum a few weeks to a month behind Southern Ontario weather wise.
So why does that matter? Well it means that there is a good chance that there will still be snow in May especially in the higher elevation areas. It also means that lakes could still be frozen.
Banff and Lake Louise is known for these iconic lakes with the piercing turquoise waters. But the lakes often don’t fully thaw until mid June! The photo above is of Peyto Lake which is another famous higher elevation lake and you can see that it was still frozen in mid May. In fact the trail to Peyto Lake was still fully covered in snow and ice. It was the most difficult hike of the trip because it was so icy.
We ended up choosing not to visit Lake Louise because it was still frozen. And we couldn’t access Moraine Lake because the road isn’t open to access this lake until the beginning of June. So if you have your heart set on experiencing Lake Louise or Moraine Lake I would recommend waiting until at least early June to make your trip.
However I wouldn’t hold yourself back from visiting the Banff area because of a few frozen lakes. Because there are so many lakes! Emerald Lake was thawed and was an amazing sight to behold. We were able to cruise Lake Minnewanka. Two Jack Lake and the Vermillion Lakes and Malign Lake were all gorgeous.
Our experience was the lower elevation areas were thawed and the waterfalls were powerful. Our hike through Johnston Canyon was mostly clear on the hiking path and there was no ice on the waterfalls.
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The higher elevation areas which includes Lake Louise and Moraine Lake were still frozen. But this also allowed us to see snow covered mountains and some fully and partially frozen lakes. If you are flexible then May is still an absolutely beautiful time to visit.
Another thing to be aware of if you are visiting Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper in May is that it is very early in the season. The lakes might not the the only things that aren’t quite ready for you. Tourist attractions might not be open and available to book yet.
I mentioned above that the road to Moraine Lake is closed until early June. We also went to the Lake Minnewanka cruise on opening day. We actually had the cruise booked for May 10th and it was pushed back one day. Thankfully with deciding not to pay for parking to see Lake Louise a frozen slushy mess we could pivot to doing our cruise the next day and head to Emerald Lake afterwards.
I also mentioned that the trails might not be passable or as easy to hike because of snow and ice. We had no issue with the Johnston Canyon hike but the hike to the Peyto Lake view point was extra difficult. The Maligne Lake cruise was not open yet while we were there.
I would recommend that if you are visiting Banff and Jasper in May you need to be watching the socials of any attractions you have booked in case there are last minute changes to availability.
So while it may seem like I am trying to say stay away from Banff and Jasper in May I actually think it was a gorgeous time to go.
The Icefields Parkway was clear and easy to drive. There was very little traffic and we knew any time we did slow down it was more for a wildlife sighting than anything. And it wasn’t any sort of epic line it was just a quick slowdown that you could choose to stop or just keep going.
Banff town was honestly busier than I thought it would be but not terribly so. I can only imagine how busy it must be in high season? I was more surprised by how many Brits and Australians there are working in Banff! We didn’t have to worry about making reservations and could just walk into restaurants.
So what is the verdict? Is May a good time to visit Banff? Yes and No. Yes as this beautiful area will offer majestic views no matter the time. Yes because it is less busy than high season. Yes because accommodation and flights are cheaper. Yes if you are willing to be more flexible as to what you see and the conditions in which you see it. No if you have your heart set on certain sights and attractions that open later in the season.
Have you visited Banff and Jasper? What time of year did you travel?