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The yearly Discovery Pass is valid for all National parks in Canada. You can purchase it at the gate when you enter the national park, in the Visitor’s Centre or online here. Yes, the Lake Minnewanka Cruise is family-friendly and suitable for visitors of all ages. The serene and informative cruise is an ideal way to introduce children to the natural wonders of the Canadian Rockies while providing a relaxing experience for adults. Although it’s usually chilly by the lake in the mornings, the boat is heated with comfortable seating (but no washrooms on the boat).
Visiting Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park
If you mountain bike the Lake Minnewanka trail during the permitted periods in spring and fall, target early morning, weekday departures to get the best experience. Another consideration before mountain biking the Lake Minnewanka Trail is what a popular Banff hiking trail this is. In fact, the Lake Minnewanka Trail is so popular with hikers, that mountain biking is prohibited between early July and mid-September every year. People who wish to enjoy Lake Minnewanka fishing must adhere to a host of national park regulations. Rather than paraphrase the rules for fishing in Banff, we encourage you to read them on the Parks Canada fishing information page. Well, if you want a good chance of outsmarting them and actually catching some fish on Lake Minnewanka, consider hiring a fishing charter.
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In the winter, visitors flock here to ice skate, snowshoe, and marvel at the towering peaks nearby, like Mount Almyer and Mount Inglismaldie. Lake Minnewanka has two massive parking lots – one for regular cars and one for RVs and trailers. If you want to increase your odds of getting a parking spot at Lake Minnewanka, arrive early in the day and avoid the peak mid-day hours if possible. It’s so beautiful at Lake Minnewanka in winter, when the lake is frozen and surrounded by snow-covered trees and icy mountain peaks. If you visit Banff in the winter, we highly recommend you try wild ice skating at Lake Minnewanka. Lake Minnewanka is one of Banff’s most popular attractions, not only because of its beauty, but for the wide variety of activities available.
Camping options near Lake Minnewanka
Black Anchor Snack Shop is the only eatery in the area and is only open in the summer – they serve basic snacks, ice cream, and coffee. If you’re going to recreate in Banff, it’s crucial to Leave No Trace, dispose of your garbage properly, and never leave trash behind. There are plenty of bear-proof dumpsters at Lake Minnewanka, so there is no excuse to litter.
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You may have to drive around and wait for someone to leave to get a parking spot. People are always coming and going as they leave after their boat cruise. Take a one hour journey on an interpretive boat cruise with breathtaking Rocky Mountain views with glimpses of wildlife from the shoreline. Visitors love the native stories of the area—the submerged village of Minnewanka Landing, and visiting the glacial path of the Devil’s Gap. The closest front country campgrounds to Lake Minnewanka are Two Jack Lake Main Campground and Two Jack Lake Lakeside Campground.
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Canada Day at Lake Minnewanka is always when I see the most trash thrown about. You can also mountain bike on the Minnewanka Lakeside Trail, but this option typically closes to bikes around July 10th until mid-September. It’s a moderate mountain bike trail with many challenging ups and downs but nothing too technical. There are also three more called Mount Costigan Campground (Lm20), The Narrows (Lm22), and Ghost Lakes (Lm31). You must have camping reservations even for backcountry sites.
How long are the tours?
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Although you can use public transport, on some occasions, it means your trip will not only require more time but more planning. It is ONLY the best value if you are traveling alone and only plan to visit a national park for a couple of days. Prices start at $47 CAD, and if you’re on a tight budget in Banff, you’ll want to book this option ahead of time! You can check availability and book the Samesun Banff either on Hostelworld or Booking.com. The location is peacefully located on Tunnel Mountain, yet only a 5-minute drive from Banff town. You can check availability and book Banff Rocky Mountain Resort online here.
To hike to the Alymer Lookout, first you must hike or bike (in spring and fall) the first 8 km of the Lake Minnewanka trail. Most people who enjoy the Lake Minnewanka Trail go a much shorter distance. A popular iteration of the Lake Minnewanka Trail is to hike 8km to the Alymer Lookout trail junction.
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Is the Lake Minnewanka Cruise family-friendly?
You can take simple strolls along the lake, summit nearby Mt. Alymer (scramble), head up the Mt. Alymer Lookout, or make a multiday backpacking trip out of it. The boat launch managed by Pursuit also rents small motorboats as Minnewanka is the only lake in the park that allows motor-powered boats in addition to kayaks and double kayaks. All rentals come with the necessary equipment, which includes gas with the motorboat rental.
And to be fair, the development of Lake Minnewanka’s shores didn’t exactly do much to change anyone’s mind about this. In 1886, the first beach house was built on the original lakeshore, and by the early 1900s, the tourist village of Minnewanka Landing was thriving. Now, we live in Canmore and spend as much time exploring and hiking around Banff as possible.
Due to the near-freezing water temperature, the risk of hypothermia is significant. Always wear a flotation device and if possible, don’t go alone. The Alymer Lookout is 500m above the water at the point where Lake Minnewanka bends 90 degrees to the south-east. From the Alymer Lookout, you can look southwest and see all the way across Lake Minnewanka, to the town of Banff and beyond. Looking southeast from Alymer Lookout, you can see the beautiful Rocky Mountains hugging the shores of Lake Minnewanka for at least another 10 km.
The longer cruises head to Devil’s Gap at the end of Lake Minnewanka and then makes a return. Our most popular cruise on the lake invites you to discover the story of Minnewanka Landing as you tour the beautiful valley landscape of Canada’s oldest National Park. I went on this cruise multiple times in the past 10 years but my recent visit has been my favourite so far! They were super super fun and knowledgeable and the tour was very informative and interactive. The distinctive turquoise colored Lake Minnewanka cruise boats have large windows enabling everyone on board to get an excellent view of the surrounding Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Wild ice skating is a hugely popular thing to do in Banff in winter. Due to its size, Lake Minnewanka is often the last lake in Banff to freeze over, which often gives skaters one last chance to go wild ice skating each year. If the conditions are just right, for a few magical weeks in early winter the lakes in Banff freeze over before they are covered with snow. Once the ice is thick enough, it creates a rare opportunity to go wild ice skating in Banff National Park. Parks Canada has placed iconic red chairs at incredibly scenic national park locations across Canada. As you’d expect, there are many locations to find red chairs in Banff, including Lake Minnewanka.
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