Ice skating in Banff on a frozen lake surrounded by mountains is the most Canadian thing ever. The ultimate winter adventure is a bucket list for everyone visiting the Canadian Rockies. Learn everything you need to know β where to skate, when the best time to head out is and more.
Michal and I have a long relationship with ice skating. We used to play ice hockey on frozen ponds back in Slovakia and bought ice skates just a few months after we moved to Canada. Itβs one of the most enjoyable activities for us, also because you can ice skate for about 4 months every winter season.
Our first ice skating session was on Christmas day when we bought each other skates and went out to test them. A huge lake in downtown Calgary was frozen and cleared of snow. It didnβt matter it was -20Β°C and no people anywhere on the streets. It was just us and the crackling noise of our skates.
We were hooked on wild ice skating again. And even though playing hockey on outdoor ice rinks around Calgary is fun, skating in the mountains on lakes is even better.
When the lake freezes and youβre able to ice skate on the crystal clear lake or a pond, let alone surrounded by mountains, the feeling of freedom and connection to nature is out of this world.
Itβs graciously called βWild ice skatingβ.
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Ice skating in Banff National Park
We haven’t been always lucky to skate on crystal clear frozen lakes. And trust me; you do need luck on your side. We have waited 5 years for the best ice skating in Banff ever.
There is a short weather window between the ice on lakes being thick enough for ice skating and being covered in snow. Itβs the time when you can skate on clear ice with unreal mirror reflections. Sometimes the weather window lasts a day, sometimes a week.
Luckily there are still some good souls who clear the snow from a part of the lake so you can skate but once itβs snowed, the mirror reflections are gone.
Ice skating in Banff, on clear or snow-covered lakes, is nonetheless amazing. Iβm going to show you where to skate in Banff National Park, what to expect, approximate times when you should go, safety tips, and more amazing winter trips (at the end of the post).
An important disclosure: Ice skating on a lake is never 100% safe. Itβs up to every individual to check if the ice is safe and have proper gear for ice skating. Donβt venture out by yourself on a lake where you donβt see any tracks, and try to skate in a group while carrying safety gear.
Johnson Lake
Only 10 km east of Banff, this lake is a popular one. It usually freezes in the middle of November, as in the case of 2018, it was ready for ice skating November 10th, perfect timing for a long weekend. The mirror reflections were incredible.
General rules say you can skate on a lake when the ice is about 10cm thick. Judging from the occasional cracks, we could see the thickness of the ice.
The best ice skating on Johnson Lake is in the morning when itβs the coldest. As the sun rose, we could hear occasional cracks echoing across the lake. The ice was incredibly smooth and ideal for playing ice hockey.
We even saw some people taking advantage of the rope on the tree and swinging on it. Although it may seem more of a summer activity when swinging and jumping into the lake, you can have fun in winter as well.
Johnson Lake is about 1km long so even when you donβt have a hockey stick, just doing loops is a great workout.
As you can see, ice skating in Banff is a real treat, and we’re just getting started!
Vermilion Lakes
A group of 3 lakes usually freeze in November as well. Because Banff gets a lot of snow very soon in the season, Vermilion Lakes get snow-covered.
Vermilion Lakes are a great option and closest to Banff. You can rent skates in Banff and walk to the lake.
When we visited Vermilion Lakes last year, the ice was quite milky and not as smooth as on Johnson Lake but if the cracking sounds make you nervous, Vermilion Lakes are ideal. Most of the surface is very shallow so even when an incident happens and the ice breaks, itβs only knee-deep.
Two Jack Lake
This must be the most popular lake close to Banff (15-minute drive) for year-round activities. Unlike Minnewanka, the water is usually calm and therefore great for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
In winter, it usually freezes between mid-November and December. 2018 was a really good season and you could skate here for several weeks before it got covered with a thick layer of snow.
Lake Minnewanka
The most popular lake in Banff for boat rides during the summertime is the last one to freeze due to its depth, usually late-December. 2019-2020 winter season was amazing and we had been lucky we were able to skate on Lake Minnewanka.
Because it freezes so late, it’s usually almost immediately covered by snow. And you really donβt want to ice skate on a lake when you donβt see any possible cracks or uneven surfaces underneath you.
Lake Minnewanka is 28 km in length so ice skating would be an awesome treat.
Is Lake Minnewanka frozen yet?
As of December 14th, 2021, Lake Minnewanka is completely open water and not ready for ice skating.
All pictures below from Lake Minnewanka have been taken in December and January 2019/2020. You can still see some open water in the first picture below but 10-20 cm thick ice covers more than 1 kilometer and there was enough space for anyone visiting.
The biggest wild ice rink!
Ice skating in Banff doesn’t get any better than this! Lake Minnewanka is the ultimate wild ice skating rink of the Canadian Rockies.
Carrot Creek
Carrot Creek is between Banff and Canmore along Trans-Canada Highway. If you’re driving from Calgary, it’s 2.5 km past the Banff National Park gates when you make a U-turn and park beside the road. The trail heading down to the creek is on the eastward side of the highway (direction towards Calgary). You will pass through the wildlife gate and follow a path down.
It’s a very picturesque spot as you get to see all the mountain peaks you usually see on a Legacy Trail bike ride. Truly breathtaking. On the other hand, the noise from the highway is quite disturbing, at least for me.
Lake Louise
Most of the time, you can only ice skate on Lake Louise on a patch of ice that has been cleared of snow. There are sections of ice cleared of snow and maintained throughout winter.
If you visit at the end of January, check out the ice sculptures which are made during the annual Ice Magic Festival (the next one is January 19-30, 2022).
You can skate around an ice castle in the valley surrounded by mountain peaks and Victoria Glacier in the far end. How amazing does that sound?
Lake Louise has two maintained skating rinks – one is for family skating and the other for playing ice hockey. They are lit 5 pm-10 pm daily and skate rentals are available at Chateau Ski & Snow located inside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
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For current ice rink conditions in Lake Louise, check out their webcam.
In 2019 though, a very rare event occurred when the temperatures dropped rapidly for several days in a row and the lake froze. Very few people took the chance to skate on it. First of all, there was still some open water and second of all, most people were keeping close to the shore.
Beware
I know of one local guy who is a big ice skating enthusiast who ventured much further but he was wearing a dry suit, PFD (personal flotation device) and had a pick to get himself out of the water if he was to break through the ice. He did break the ice at the end but it wasn’t a big deal since he was skilled and experienced enough to know what to do.
Unfortunately, then there are people who try their luck without really knowing the real dangers. At least one other person broke through the ice here and even though he was wearing a PFD, he had trouble getting back on ice because the PFD was inflatable and was getting in the way.
Lesson learnt: if you’re unsure, wear a PFD, rope and skate with at least one person.
We had a throw bag with a rope a few times with us but never wore PFDs while ice skating as we didn’t go on very thin ice. What you’re wearing depends on the level of your comfort and confidence. If you’re anxious about ice but would like to try it out, wear whatever makes you feel safe!
Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake is not a usual spot for ice skating, mostly because it freezes after the road is closed (mid-October every year) and not many people are willing to bike in 10 km just to check conditions.
But, in October 2019 a true miracle happened when the lake froze before the road was closed. I’ve heard the last time the same happened was 10 years ago (so don’t get your hopes high if you’re visiting ;-))
Ice skating in Banff
Bow River
Iβve heard of an oval on the river cleared of snow in winter for ice skating but havenβt been able to skate there yet
An outdoor rink near The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
It’s a maintained rink located below the Waldhaus Restaurant, has a comfortable heated shelter AND a bonfire. We bought some sausages before we went and made a nice lunch after ice skating. The best spot in Banff.
Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre
The indoor & outdoor rink with on-site skate rentals is open for the public and costs 6,50CAD, check their schedule here. The Fenlands Outdoor Meadows Rink is open from 8 am to 8 pm since December 2021. There are washrooms, warming areas, and skate rentals.
Train station outdoor skating rink – NEW in 2022
A new outdoor rink located by the Queenβs Willows is open from 10 am to 9 pm since January 2022. There are warming huts, benches, and washrooms.
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Check out our post 100 things to do in Banff National Park for more winter (and summer) activities.
Ice skating in Canmore & Kananaskis Country
Canmore
The town of Canmore has 3 outdoor rinks:
- Natural skating pond close to downtown (7 Ave & 11 St) is maintained daily, lit by 10 pm, with benches and thermal heating.
- Cougar Creek ice rink is a man-made & regularly maintained skating rink (Elk Run Blvd. & Canyon Road), lit by 10 pm with a portable washroom.
- Larch ice rink (1200 17th Street) is maintained regularly, lit by 10 pm with a portable washroom.
We’ve only driven by the skating pond as it was very busy during the weekend.
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15 Best winter activities in Canmore
Wedge Pond
This one is a bit “out of the way” with 60 km from Canmore along Kananaskis Trail. When we went cross country skiing in Kananaskis, we stopped by the Wedge Pond on the way back to Calgary. The conditions were good enough and we couldn’t just let the opportunity pass by.
Gap Lake
34 km from Banff and only 10 km from Canmore, you can find Gap Lake along the Bow Valley Trail. This one froze early in 2019 but then the sudden (and usual) change of weather caused open water again.
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Once the lake freezes, it doesn’t mean the conditions are good from that time onwards. Always check the thickness and open water before you go out, especially if the weather was warmer the past few days.
Good to know before you go
- All the outdoor rinks mentioned above are free to use.
- Ice skates rentals are available at Bactraxor Ultimate Sports in Banff or the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre has affordable prices, check here for more options in Calgary. I recommend buying a used pair from 2nd Chance Sports (in Calgary).
Safety tips for ice skating in Banff
- Recommended minimum ice thickness (for new clear ice): 7cm or less β stay off, 10cm β walking, xc skiing, ice skating, 12cm β one snowmobile or ATV.
- Black ice is usually better for skating (as you see on the Johnson Lake picture above), white (milky) ice (as you see on the Vermilion Lakes picture) has air or snow in it and should be considered with caution.
- It might be a good idea to carry a throw bag with rope in your pocket and watch the self-rescue video if an incident happens.
- Personal note: I like to go skating anywhere where I can see recent tracks or people skating. It gives me peace of mind.
“Building” a snowman on ice. Can you see it?
Winter trips in the Canadian Rockies
Cross country skiing in Banff National Park
8 Awesome winter hikes in Canmore
Mountain biking & fat biking in Canmore
Who’s ready for ice skating in Banff National Park? Share your experience with us below.
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Hi Thanks for creating this post – very helpful! My sister and I are traveling to Banff the week of December 16th and I was wondering if you can give an update on current ice conditions. We’re worried we’ll arrive late and everything will be covered in snow π
I know Lake Louise is reliable since they clear a section of it. But we were really hoping to skate on more wild ice.
Thanks!
Hi Marijoy, currently only Lake Louise is good to go. All other lakes are snow covered. Two Jack Lake is quite good with a small cleared section but I assume that will be covered soon as well. All skaters hope they will be able to catch a window on Lake Minnewanka (I updated the post with current picture), it’s not frozen yet though so fingers crossed π
Hi! Thank you so much for the update! Really disappointed but at least thereβs Lake Louise. Happy Holidays!
Itβs a bit of a stretch… but do you happen to know if Abraham Lake in Jasper is frozen over and clear of snow?
I know it was frozen for ice skating several weeks ago but don’t know about the current situation. The FB group I recommend in the post is the best place for updates from plenty of locals.
do you have any availability January first through 3rd for wild ice skating for 2 people , both are accomplished ice skaters one in figure skating and one in ice hocky and both can go fairly long distances
During that time only Lake Louise might be available for ice skating as it’s regularly maintained and cleared of snow. The only lake that is not frozen yet is Lake Minnewanka, follow the Facebook group I suggested for updates.
do you have any vailability for an ice skating tour starting in baniff and for 2 people who are good at ice skating, one a hockey player and one a fiqure skater J anuary 1 thorugh 3rd 2020
Do you have any tours starting in Baniff duriong the time period 1//1/20 to /1 /3/20
Thank you for the resource! Intend to get married soon at Two-Jack and was hoping/intending to stand further out on the ice with the five of us…Parks Canada “Sara” told me she wouldn’t trust Two Jack past five feet from the shore.
What do you think?
Honestly, I wouldn’t trust it either right now. One thing is that Two Jack Lake is completely covered in snow and the other is that it’s basically a channel with constant flow and someone fell through the ice last month.
Thanks for this post Maya.
I have an upcoming trip Nov 11-15th…just wondering – do you know what conditions are like now, and if anything has frozen yet?
Johnson Lake is ready for ice skating π The upcoming week will be very cold so I expect more lakes to be frozen within the next week.