The Canadian Rockies are full of incredible scenery and are a photographers paradise! We spent a couple of weeks during Winter looking for the best spots to take photos near Banff, Canmore, Yoho National Park and along the Icefields Parkway. Here are our favourite top 5 Winter photography spots in the Canadian Rockies!
Things to Consider Before Exploring the Canadian Rockies in Winter
- Bring along Micro spikes to stop you from slipping and falling. Ours are from Black Diamond and Kahtoola.
- If you plan on doing exploring and taking photos at sunrise or sunset, remember to bring along your headlamps. Ours are from Nitecore and they are awesome! We use them on every hike we do in the dark.
- Be prepared for COLD weather and dress appropriately. Don’t forget to wear warm gloves because taking photos without gloves will make your hands feel like they are going to drop off!
Top 5 Photography Locations in the Canadian Rockies
1. Surprise Corner
Surprise Corner is only a 5 minute drive or a 20 minute walk from Banff town centre. Once you have arrived, there is a small parking lot next to a set of stairs leading to a viewpoint. You can take this up to a wooden platform, or choose to go on a bit of a walk down through the forest to reach the view in this photo. If you choose to go this way, please be careful as the drop off is extremely steep and dangerous.
The view at Surprise Corner overlooks the beautiful Fairmont Hotel which people often mistake for a castle.
2. Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park
Emerald Lake Lodge is an absolutely gorgeous place to stay, and it makes for a beautiful photo. It’s about a half an hour drive from Lake Louise and is located in Yoho National Park. Please note that you will need a National Parks Pass for this park.
There are two great photography spots, from either side of the bridge pictured. You can also walk all the way around the lake for different views of the lodge.
3. Two Jack Lake
Two Jack Lake is a place for sunsets and sunrises. Our pictures are from sunset but we have it on our list to go back at sunrise in Summer.
Two Jack Lake is a 15 minute drive from Banff Town Centre and has a parking lot and a toilet. There are also these cute Muskoka chairs which we also took some fun photos on!
4. Three Sisters
The Three Sisters are 3 mountains peaks in Canmore and are very popular to photograph at sunrise or sunset.
There is a carpark on the main road where you will then need to cross the road and walk about a km to reach the viewpoint. We can highly suggest bring micro spikes if you plan on going in Winter as there is a bit of water around that turns into ice and can be quite slippery.
5. Peyto Lake Lookout
Peyto Lake Lookout is along the Icefields Parkway, about 1 hrs drive from Banff and is around a 2.5km loop. We just wore our hiking boots in the snow but saw a lot of cross country skiers and snow shoers on the trail.
