Banff Travel Forum

I have booked a week touring in Banff, Jasper, lake Louise in May but on looking everything up it seems quite a few things are not open until June. Can anyone reassure me that I've not made a mistake. We are thengoing on Rocky Mountaineer and then Alaska Cruise for a week. A real trip of a lifetime (at least thats how long it will take to clear the credit card bill)

Any tips, places not to miss, very welcome

Hello Paul,

The time of year you are going might not be the most ideal time, but you will still be able to enjoy the beautiful sights without too much being closed. It won't be as busy in the summer, so that's a big advantage!

Indeed some places might not be accessible due to snow in the area, but on the other hand they might be open...it all depends on the weather. Moraine Lake is such a place you don't want to miss if possible (it's located near Lake Louise), but weather permitting the road to this lake might be open or not. Definitely check it out, you never know...your best bet is to ask in the Visitor Centres, they will have the latest infor on what's closed and what is not closed.

There are not too many places that are closed at this time of the year...you might have to miss out on the Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park, Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper National Park and Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. But for the rest everything should be accessible. The snow on the mountains has its charm as well and some lakes might still be frozen. There are so many beautiful things to see and I am sure you will enjoy these beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains. These places are beautiful any time of the year!

Enjoy your trip...and if you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask.
All the best,
Ann

One thing to consider is that the lakes, like Lake Louise, will not be thawed until mid-late June, so they will not have their turquoise colour.

We were there in late May( Victoria Day Weekend ) a number of years ago.
Cool but one windy day it was quite cold.The last day was actuallty hot. Elk , Moose , mountain sheep and goats were out. No bears. The Moraine road gates open on Victoria weekend. We were able to drive to the lake. It was like being in Antartica. Upper trails were snowed in but we saw most everything . If the weather( ie. sunshine) is on your side you should be fine . It's better in late June before the crowds descend on the area.

Are you too soon? - well, it depends on whether you will be there in early May or during the last week of May. The temperatures get gradually warmer (in general) from the beginning to the end of the month. As well, much depends on the type of spring we have. If it is cool and cloudy, the snow and ice will hang around longer. If it is warm and sunny, the melting will be faster and by the end of the month many lakes will have open water (ice mainly in shady places). There was a lot of snow this winter, so it'll take longer to melt even with warm spring temperatures.

You won't find snow in the valleys though - the towns of Banff and Jasper will be fairly dry and snow-less by May. Daytime temperatures can vary widely, everything from single digit temps to the mid-20's (°C).

Most roads (although not all) and other attractions etc usually open on the May long weekend (Victoria Day), which this year (2007) is May 19th to 21st, it's the start of the "summer" tourist season (as least, in terms of rates for accommodation).

Personally I think that the mountains are beautiful anytime of the year, and will use just about any excuse to visit, and actually have visited - every month of the year!!