Thursday, September 13, 2018

The BEST of Autumn in the Canadian Rockies - updated 2026

Continuing with my "Gotta do THIS" seasonal series, here is my "BEST of Autumn Guide" for the Canadian Rockies (and beyond.) I encourage you to save this post because I will be updating it annually.

Hiking through a golden larch forest in the Canadian Rockies

Autumn is an exciting time for us because it means we get to enjoy all of our favourite sports and outdoor activities in the same season! We'll seize the warm fall days to get out for some final biking, hiking, or climbing days, we'll wrap up the season with one or two final camping trips, and we'll get the skis and skates out for our first cold weather adventures! And maybe we'll even squeeze in one more backcountry trip or river paddling day.

As with my other guides, this list is in no particular order (though I did try to go from warm to cold.) Follow the links to read stories I've already written on each topic.



The BEST of Autumn in the Canadian Rockies 



1. Enjoy one last picnic, day trip, or hike in the mountains



Read: Fall Hiking Super Guide to the Best Hikes in Kananaskis

Fall is a beautiful time to hike in Kananaskis


Get more inspiration from my Best Day Trips and Picnic Sites page.

Also get more inspiration from my Spring and Fall Hiking page. 

Quarry Lake, Canmore 


2. Take one last camping trip 


Get more inspiration from my Camping Super Guide Page.

And if you want a nice warm camping destination, check out the Red Streak Campground in the sunny Columbia Valley. We camp here for Thanksgiving each year. We also love fall camping at the Fairmont Hot Springs RV Campground.

For a campground close to Calgary, we love camping in Bow Valley Provincial Park each spring or fall.

Read: Why We Love Camping at Red Streak, Radium Hot Springs, BC. 

 Read: 5 Reasons to Love Camping at the Bow Valley Campground, Kananaskis 

Read: Autumn Family Fun at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort 


We love camping in Bow Valley Provincial Park near Calgary


3. Go for a fall color hike or bike ride in Calgary


Top Picks for us include Bowmont and Bowness Parks on the west end of Calgary, Nose Hill Park in the north, and Fish Creek Provincial Park in the south. Find more suggestions here on my Calgary Urban Hikes Page.

Golden fall colors on Nose Hill, Calgary


4. Take a hike in the mountains to see the golden larch trees


Everything you need to know is in my brand new story below.





Golden larch trees at Pocaterra Cirque, Kananaskis

And if you have young children, or just don't want to hike very far, Sunshine Village is your ticket to autumn magic with very little hiking. Ride the gondola up to the village, load the Standish Chair, and voila, you'll be looking down on Rock Isle Lake surrounded by golden larch trees.

Sunshine Village is open for the summer season until September 20th. And if you're a Canadian resident, you'll get discounted passes for the gondola. No reservations are required. Just show up.

Autumn colors at Sunshine Village, Banff 

OR, if you don't want to hike, or have a family member who can't hike, Toby Creek Adventures outside Invermere, BC runs guided ATV tours on their property, and in September you can take a "Larches in Paradise" Tour where you'll visit the historic Paradise Cabin overlooking a beautiful golden basin of larch trees! Afterwards you get to drive around the basin reveling in the oranges and yellows all around you - with no hiking required!! The tour even includes a BBQ lunch at the cabin. And for those not comfortable driving an ATV, they also offer side x side vehicles that you can use instead on your tour. Each vehicle holds four people and is perfect for families with kids.


The Paradise Cabin above the Paradise Basin (full of larch trees!)

5. Climb one last mountain as a family before winter arrives 


There are so many beautiful choices for a fall summit. Check out all of the family-friendly mountains we've climbed in this popular story below.

Read: First Summits for Families in the Canadian Rockies 


Prairie Mountain is a great fall hike!

6. Take a fall road trip 


We love to go to the Columbia Valley each fall for Thanksgiving. The weather is always warm until late October and you can still enjoy mountain biking, hiking, swimming at heated hot springs pools, and paddling on the Columbia River. 

 A couple of years ago we also took a weekend trip to Jasper in mid-September and really enjoyed biking the quiet trails around town. The tourists had long gone home for the season and the town was back to being the peaceful place I remembered from my childhood.


Fall biking in the Columbia Valley, BC 

7. Go for a family bike ride


September is a great time to plan a family biking day with cooler temperatures and beautiful fall colors.

Read some of the stories below for inspiration:








Fall biking in beautiful Drumheller, Alberta

And Bike the closed Highway 1A in Banff!

The Highway 1A is closed to cars between the Town of Banff and Johnston Canyon, allowing for great family biking!

Read more on the Parks Canada website. It is closed from September 1st through October 6th.



Bike the Highway 1A in Banff this fall!

8. Plan an outdoor Halloween party and costume hike 


This has been one of our favourite things to do in October each year! We plan a ginormous outdoor Halloween party complete with a costume hike, pinatas, a bonfire, hot dogs and marshmallows. Add candy, snacks, and everything else that arrives for the pot luck affair and it's a great afternoon spent in Kananaskis. 


Halloween Costume Hike 

9. Hike to the top of the Banff Gondola


Save some $$ by hiking to the top of Sulphur Mountain, enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate on top, have lunch if you want to splurge, and enjoy the views from the scenic boardwalk.

And then you can either pay a discounted rate to ride down, or hike back down again.

Note that the trail to the upper gondola station could be covered in snow/ice and that you should have appropriate hiking gear suitable for winter conditions. Ice cleats or micro spikes are very useful for this steep trail as well. 

Read more about the Sulphur Mountain Hiking Trail here. 

Read more about the Banff Gondola here.

Note parking fees have been implemented as of 2026 from May 15 to October 12th. A daily fee of $17.50 applies to the Sulphur Mountain lots (managed by Parks Canada) between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Save money by taking the public roam bus or do this hike after October 12th.

Banff Gondola (in September!)


10. Seek out early season snow at Highwood Pass, Kananaskis 


Kids LOVE hiking through snow because it means they can throw snowballs, build snowmen, and make snow angels. Just don't expect to get too far quickly.





Note that the road to Highwood Pass closes on December 1st. Also, there could be avalanche risk for trails in this area by November so check with a visitor centre before you head out after October.


Also note that there is a construction area closure for Pocaterra Ridge and Pocaterra Cirque for the 2026 season.
There will be NO ACCESS TO THE POCATERRA CIRQUE TRAIL this year.


Early season snowball fight in September at Highwood Pass 

11. Celebrate Christmas in November in Banff 


The Banff Christmas Market starts in November and the Banff Gondola always has a Christmas event as well with visits from Santa Claus on top of the mountain beginning late November.

The "In Search of Christmas Spirit" event at Cascade Gardens also returns in November, and tickets are free! They must be purchased in advance though. Watch on the Banff Lake Louise Tourism website beginning in November.

Visit the Banff Lake Louise Tourism website for all Christmas events in Banff. 


Christmas in Banff at the Banff Gondola

In Search of Christmas Spirit, Banff 

12. Become a wild mountain skater!



We often get a brief window mid to late November where some mountain lakes have frozen (thick enough to skate on) without being snow covered yet. We call this Wild Mountain Skating!


Early season skating on Lake Louise

13. Enjoy November snowshoeing at Highwood Pass, Kananaskis 


We love visiting Highwood Pass in November because it's one of the first places where we can go snowshoeing (and by November we are more than ready for winter sports.)


Read: Family Snowshoeing Adventures - Elbow Lake 

Read: November Hiking and Backcountry Sledding at Highwood Pass 


Note that the road to Highwood Pass closes on December 1st. Also, there could be avalanche risk for trails in this area by November so check with a visitor centre before you head out after October.


November snowshoeing on the Elbow Lake Trail

14. Get the skis out for early season snow


This might actually be the biggest reason I love November. My skis FINALLY come up from the basement. My goal is to get out every year in late October as soon as there's an early dump of snow (early November at the latest!)


Early Season skiing at West Bragg Creek (in October!)


And for downhill skiing, we are usually out at Nakiska Ski Area for opening day each November. And while there might not be a "lot" of snow, there's still enough to ski off the gold chair at the top of the mountain. We go out for a few runs and then switch to cross country skiing at the village in the afternoon.

Nakiska usually has 3-4 preview weekends starting early November with an official opening day at the end of the month.


Opening day at Nakiska 2018


15. Plan a Pre-Christmas Getaway in the Mountains 


We often plan a weekend trip away as a family in late November or early to mid December. We seek out a good spot for our annual Christmas card photo and we enjoy time playing in the snow together.


Read: Christmas Getaway at the HI Castle Mountain Hostel

Read: Christmas Getaway at the HI Mosquito Creek Hostel




November weekend at Mount Engadine Lodge, Kananaskis 

16. Make plans for an outdoor Christmas 


I know Christmas isn't exactly "autumn" in the Canadian Rockies, but my "Best of Winter" story doesn't specifically cover the months of November or December.


Hiking Johnston Canyon  in December 






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