Visiting Lake Minnewanka In Banff National Park

Lake Minnewanka is one of the most beautiful lakes in Banff National Park and for that reason it features on Ambition Earth as a top destination for you to visit on your next trip to Alberta.

How to get to Lake Minnewanka from Banff

Time needed: 15 minutes

Getting to Lake Minnewanka from Banff is easy if you are planning to head there by car, requiring just a handful of roads and turnings. The total distance is around 10km.

  1. Head out of Banff on Banff Avenue towards the Trans Canada Highway

    To reach Lake Minnewanka head North out of Banff for around 5km on Banff Avenue until you reach the Trans Canada Highway.

  2. Cross the Trans Canada Highway until Banff Avenue becomes Range Road 115B

    Once you reach the Trans Canada Highway, cross over it on Banff Avenue where it will then become Range Road 115B (Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive).

  3. Follow Range Road 115B for 5km

    Continue along Range Road 115B for around 5km and it will take you straight to the Lake Minnewanka car park.

Parking at Lake Minnewanka

There is a generous Parking lot at Lake Minnewanka however parking can be a bit of a nightmare so you’ll need to be prepared for this. The lake is extremely popular with families and so trying to visit at peak times of the day is likely to leave you feeling frustrated as you won’t get a parking space.

It’s worth noting that if you are planning to arrive in an RV / camper there is a separate area that you can use which is just beyond the main car park as shown.

Once parked, the lake has a lot to offer visitors. There are public restrooms, cafes selling hot food, tourist information and watersports at the harbour if you fancy a bit of action. There are also lots of picnic benches and areas to sit and relax so you can also just while away a few hours here enjoying the landscape.

Black Anchor Snack Bar

From the car park you will follow the main path down towards the lake where you will meet the Black Anchor snack bar. This is a great place to briefly stop at for a small bite to eat or ice cream!

Hiking at Lake Minnewanka

There is also a hiking trail which runs all the way around the lake. This trail is a really easy one with even ground and next to no gradient so it is great for a leisurely walk. If walking a long way around the lake however we recommend carrying bear spray as the hikers very rapidly thin out the further you get which will leave you feeling quite exposed especially as there have been numerous bear sightings in the area.

Photos of Lake Minnewanka

Planning your trip to Banff

A trip to Banff can offer so much so be sure to plan your entire visit properly and find the best places to stay and best place places to visit.

Banff travel guides

A recently published travel guide for Banff is a great way to discover the best days out, places to eat and provide an indication of prices that you can simply keep in your pocket – valuable when in mountainous terrain and risk a lack of phone signal! Take a look at the latest Banff travel guides currently available on Amazon.

For the full range of travel guides for Banff and Banff National Park, head over to Amazon here.

Heading to Banff National Park is an amazing adventure but do be sure that you have packed all of the essential items for your visit. We recommend picking yourself up the following items: hiking shoes, hiking socks, hiking jacket, hiking poles a hiking bag and a hiking water bottle.

Latest accommodation deals in Banff

We’ve partnered with Booking.com to bring you the best prices and availability on accommodation in Banff. Take a look at the map below to find the perfect place to stay during your visit.

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We absolutely love Lake Minnewanka as it has so much to offer. The trails are easy and enjoyable, the views are incredible and it’s not so busy you feel couped up. If you are heading to Banff this year make sure to stop by and take a look.

Have you been to Lake Minnewanka and have any top tips? Let us know in the comments below.

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