- Hiking
Dogs are allowed on all trails in Banff National Park in the summer! They must be on a leash everywhere in the park, including on trails for the safety of the dog and the wildlife. It was nice to have no limitations on which trails I could do and Max enjoyed them all.
2. Swimming
Banff National Park has ample opportunities for your dog to swim considering all the trails with lakes, waterfalls, and rivers. See my blog “7 Dog-Friendly Lakes in Banff National Park” for more information on the lakes we went to. The two most famous lakes in Banff are Lake Luis and Moraine Lake. Both of these lakes are dog-friendly and have lakeshore trails, but unfortunately the canoe rentals are not so you will have to stick to the trails.
3. Shopping and Eating
Downtown Banff is extremely dog-friendly. You can spend hours walking around the shops and restaurants. Many of the stores and restaurants leave water bowls outside for the dogs and Max was not denied entry anywhere we went. We ate lunch at Nourish, where they allowed Max to sit either out on the patio or inside. Finding parking can be tough midday, so I recommend getting there before noon. Everyone I met downtown was so kind to Max and he was loving all the attention he got from the Disney-like crowds of people. We did cross paths with many other dogs, so if your dog isn’t good in crowds or with other dogs this would not be a good option.
4. A Dog-Friendly Shuttle
Fairview Limousine is the only dog-friendly shuttle bus in Banff National Park and for that we thank them! Because of Fairview, you can access Moraine Lake, which no longer allows cars entry. They also offer connecting shuttle buses to Lake Luis, which does allow cars but the parking lot fills up so quickly it really isn’t worth it. Max was welcomed on the sunrise shuttle to Moraine Lake by the friendly bus driver. There was one other dog also on our bus. Though waiting for the bus to pick you up isn’t as convenient as hopping in your car, it is worth it to be able to access these two famous lakes.
