Banff 
New winter adventures are around every corner in Alberta. From north to south and east to west are unique, memorable, or exhilarating winter experiences.
Sunshine Village Ski Resort
Some include activities you may have already experienced, but in new and beautiful locations. Take, for example, ice skating. Across Alberta are frozen lakes and ponds that take the ice skating experience and place it on a whole new level with surrounding in places like Banff.
Some of these winter adventures may be all new, too! Experience a new activity to check off your bucket list like dog sledding followed by the Nordic Spa in Kananaskis or snowshoeing and ice walks in Nordegg.
We have 17 bucket list items to help get your winter adventure in Alberta started.
Downhill Mountain Skiing
Alberta’s Rockies, north to south, are filled with a variety of downhill ski resorts. Jasper and Banff National Park each offer hills to try, while Castle Provincial Park, south of Banff, also offers premier mountain skiing and snowboarding.
- Marmot Basin, Jasper’s large ski resort, have a wide variety of runs ranging from green, blue, to black diamond, and double black diamond. They also provide all ski and snowboard rentals like boards, boots, poles, or helmets, for all ages.
- Banff is home to an impressive number of downhill ski hills; these include Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise, and Sunshine Village.
- South of Banff is the Nakiska Ski Area in Kananaskis and the Evan-Thomas Provincial Recreation Area. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, the Ski Area also offers a snow tubing park.
- The Castle Mountain Resort in Castle Provincial Park and Alberta’s southern Rockies offers skiers and snowboarders a huge variety of terrain to explore. Plus, the resort offers snowshoe rentals for use on nearby trails, and all other ski or snowboard rentals.
Take an Ice Walk
Canada Post Stamp depicting Abraham Lake
What is an ice walk, anyway? Within Alberta’s mountains and foothills are gorgeous frozen landscapes which, despite their allure, are dangerous to hike or snowshoe to in the winter. These ice walk tours get you with an expert guide to visit frozen waterfalls up and down these mountains.
- Johnston Canyon Ice Walks, and Grotto Canyon Ice Walks in Banff, are both hosted by White Mountain Adventures. Tours include transportation from Banff hotels, ice cleats and poles, hot chocolate, and cookies.
- Jasper National Park’s Maligne Canyon Ice Walk tours, hosted by the SunDog Tour Co., take you into the park’s deepest of canyons, while educating you a bit on the natural history of the area. Tours include transportation from Jasper hotels and ice cleats. They also offer a special Ice Walk Wildlife Tour, Ice Walk Foodie Tour, and a Maligne Canyon at Night tour.
- Abraham Lake, known for its unique methane bubbles creating a polka-dotted ice surface, offers an Icewalk experience with potential wildlife sightings and stunning sunsets, complemented by Nordegg Adventures’ tours.
- Uplift Adventure host a unique ice walk tour in Crowsnest Pass. The Science Ice Walk Tours from Uplift focus on the science behind the frozen falls while conducting interactive experiments along the way. Hot chocolate and marshmallows are also included, along with a gift.
Natural Lake or Pond Skating
Credit: Canadian Tourism Commission
Alberta is home to a wonderfully large number of outdoor skating rinks, community rinks, iceways, and skating pathways. Plus, our winter deep-freeze makes skating on many different lakes and ponds a safe way to enjoy Alberta’s natural skating surfaces this winter.
- Lake Louise should be at the top of your bucket list for ice skating in Alberta. The Banff lake is surrounded by pristine winter beauty, offer ice skate rentals, places to dine, and lodging. Johnson Lake is a great option closer to the town of Banff. Johnson Lake is off Lake Minnewanka Road where three other Banff lakes are open to ice skating.
- A large part of Sylvan Lake is cleared for ice skating and pond hockey or shinney. The lake is in a conveniently central part of the province, making it a simple stop for many around Alberta.
- Up for more beautiful mountain scenery and natural skating surfaces? Jasper National Park’s Pyramid Lake & Lodge are open to skating, with the resort hosting other winter activities, skate rentals, sleigh rides, lodging, and a restaurant.
- The south shore and Poplar Bay areas of Pigeon Lake now boast 8km of Skateway trails on the lake. Along the shoreline are five access points, parking, and washrooms.
Fat Tire Biking through the Foothills
Fat tire bikes are essentially those equipped with winter bike tires. These fat bikes can traverse trails covered in snow and ice with much more ease than regular bikes could and give cyclists the opportunity to bike year-round. Alberta’s foothills are a great place to find some of the best fat biking trails in the province. Fat bike trails are usually grouped in multi-use trails along with snowshoeing and winter hiking trails.
- Kananaskis is filled with dozens of trails suited to fat tire biking. For those which stick more to the foothills, embark on the trails of West Bragg Creek, the Canmore Nordic Centre and surrounding area, or the east side of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
- Find several simple trails for exploring all of William A. Switzer Provincial Park in the foothills east of Jasper.
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Cat Skiing
Cat skiing, a form of downhill skiing and snowboarding, is a way for riders to get to untouched snow and away from busy hills or resorts. There is a resort in Alberta which exclusively offers cat skiing (and snowshoeing), and another which offers cat skiing along with a chairlift and hill for regular downhill sports. Cat simply refers to the vehicles used to transport guests to the snowy spots up the hills.
- Castle Mountain Ski Resort offer regular downhill skiing and snowboarding as well as cat skiing adventures.
- Fortress Mountain Resort is currently open exclusively for cat skiing and cat snowshoeing adventures.
Skijoring
This unique winter sport is perfect for Alberta’s landscape! Skijoring is like a mix between cross-country skiing and dogsledding where the human is on skis while a horse or dog tows the person across the snow. This winter sport is permitted in a handful of Alberta’s parks and ways to spectate the sport live.
- Take in a live skijoring race, with horses, at the Banff Snow Days.
- Those Alberta parks which permit skijoring include the Caribou Mountain Wildland PP, Chinchaga Wildland PP, Peace River Wildland PP, Lakeland PRA, Miquelon Lake PP, and Spray Valley PP.
Hiking to the Frozen Waterfalls
The landscapes of western Alberta give way to waterfalls all around the mountains, foothills, and their streams or rivers. When it comes to exploring these frozen wonders in the winter, take to Alberta’s mountain National Parks and the hiking, snowshoe, fat bike, or cross-country ski trails.
- Easily accessible frozen waterfalls to see in Banff include Bow Falls, Johnston Canyon’s upper and lower falls, or Panther & Bridal Veil Falls.
- Uncover the frozen beauty of the Maligne Canyon waterfalls, or the Athabasca Falls, both in Jasper National Park.
- Waterton Lakes National Park is home to two more easily accessible frozen sets of falls: Cameron Falls, and Bertha Falls.
Photo Credit: Canadian Tourism Commission
Snowshoe Tours
Snowshoeing offers adventurers and hikers a chance to get off the beaten path and onto fresh snow, new paths, and otherwise harder to explore areas. And, with the help of some expert guides, these snowshoe tours are a bit safer, easier, and more educational.
- Embark on a Snowshoe & Stargaze Tour under the dark sky preserve of Elk Island National Park. Tours are every Saturday for January and February
- Explore Lake Louise with the experienced guides at the Chateau Fairmont Lake Louise. They take guests on a 3-hour snowshoe adventure around the lake with a Night Owl Tour also offered.
- Nordegg Adventures offer incredible ways to enjoy the incredibly scenery of Abraham Lake and David Thompson Country. These include a few different snowshoe tour options like Heli Snowshoeing, a Moonlight Snowshoe Social, and other Ice Walk Tours over the lakes and waterfalls of the area.
- Tour Waterton Lakes with Uplift Adventures and their public snowshoe tours, or a private nighttime snowshoe tour.
- Explore many different parts of untouched snowy wilderness with the Castle Mountain Ski Resort’s Last Tracks Snowshoe Tours.
Cross-country Skiing through the Boreal Forest
Alberta is home to a huge number of groomed cross-country ski hills at varying challenge levels. The northern boreal forest offers cross-country skiers a happy medium! There are rolling hills, but not ones quite as large as the mountains and foothills would offer, and incredible winter scenery. Along the way, you may also spot a variety of wildlife and bird species.
- Tour the Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area on skis from the Shaw Lake Day Use Area. The extensive trails, which travel around and over the lake, are maintained by the Lac La Biche Nordic Ski Club.
- Fort McMurray’s Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club maintain over 10km of groomed trails in the city, most of which head at the Doug Barnes Cabin.
- Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, in north-central Alberta, offers a large series of winter multi-use trails, including a handful that are exclusively for skiing and snowshoeing which total over 18km.
- Winagami Lake Provincial Park in northern Alberta offers 5km of groomed trails, along with shelters, cook stoves, and firewood.
Snowtubing Alberta’s Ski Hills
Snow tubing is a unique, accessible, and fun way to spend time on the hill. Check this activity off your own and your kids’ winter adventure bucket lists.
- The Servus Tube Park at Winsport in west Calgary is one of the largest snow tube hills in Western Canada. They offer the snow tubing alongside downhill skiing and snowboarding, and a terrain park.
- The Canyon Ski Resort in Red Deer boasts the title of one of the largest river valley ski hills in Alberta, as well as their tube park!
- Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River Valley is home to so many ski hills with city snow tube parks: Rabbit Hill Snow Resort, Sunridge Ski Area, and the Edmonton Ski Club.
Ice Fishing
If you’re checking items off of a bucket list of winter activities in Alberta, then these are likely to be first-time-experiences. When it comes to ice fishing for the first few times, you can rely on the expertise of professional and experienced guides who know the best spots for ice fishing on a variety of lakes.
- Alberta Fishing Charters offer guided ice fishing east of Calgary, as well as hut and shack rentals.
- Banff Fishing Unlimited offer guided ice fishing on Spray Lake just south of Canmore.
- Reel Angling Adventures provide guided charter ice fishing trips in the Athabasca region with overnight packages, too.
- Where to Go For Guided Ice Fishing Trips in Alberta
Dogsled Tours
Did you know that Alberta has seven ifferent tour operators who provide dog sled tours? This is a memorable way to see a variety of different parts of the province, and learning about the traditional transportation method, as well as the pups!
- Howling Dog Tours bring your adventures to the breathtaking scenery of Kananaskis and the Spray Valley.
- The Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours bring the adventure to the wilderness surrounding Canmore and east of Banff.
- Elevation Sled Dogs will begin taking bookings for their sled dog tours in Grand Prairie as soon as there is enough snow- which should be soon enough!
- SunDog Tours give Jasper guests a choice between a variety of winter tours, including sled dog tours around Whiskey Creek.
- Explore the Lake Louise scenery with the Kingmik dogs and Dog Sled Tours.
- The Boundary Ranch Dog Sled Tours take place in the gorgeous Kananaskis Valley.
Snowkiting, Ice Sailing & Ice Driving
Ghost Lake Ice Sailing Club
Alberta’s vast expanse of frozen lakes offers unique activities like driving on frozen lakes, sailing boats during windy days and snowkiting.
- In the picturesque Calgary mountain/foothill area, Kite Alberta offers exciting snowkiting lessons, a globally popular winter sport, perfect for open, windy spaces like frozen lakes and snowy fields.
- Ice boats, designed with skis or runners for gliding over ice, thrive in strong winds, reaching speeds over 60 mph. Ghost Lake’s consistent winds in the Rocky Mountain foothills make it ideal for exhilarating ice sailing and racing. Ghost Lake Ice Sailing Club regularly sails during winter season weekends at the Lake.
- Venturing onto ice for driving is an adventurous activity (if the lake has a recommended thickness of more than 30 inches). Enthusiasts can choose between Ghost Lake, McGregor Lake, and Lac La Biche (site of Festival of Speed). For a guided experience, the Calgary Sports Car Club offers comprehensive classes in Calgary, culminating in ‘Ice Dice‘ events where drivers race against time on frozen lakes.
Hot Springs & Spas
Credit: Noel Hendrickson
A quintessential winter experience is taking a soothingly hot outdoor soak while the snow falls or the temperatures dip below zero. These spa and hot spring experiences are especially handy after a day of outdoor adventures.
- The Banff Upper Hot Springs are up on Sulphur Mountain and offer incredibly views of the valley during your outdoor soak in the pool.
- The Kananaskis Nordic Spa is a more man-made mountain spa experience than the hot springs. The Nordic Spa offers outdoor soak opportunities, saunas, firepits, massage add-ons, and more.
Snowmobiling the Golden Triangle Trails
The Alberta Golden Triangle is an extensive network of snowmobile trails in the province’s northwest. The trails connect Fox Creek, Whitecourt, and Swan Hills, to create the triangular trail system. And within this area are groups of looping trails to create shorter snowmobile rides.
- Rent snowmobiles and other off-highway vehicles with Pioneer Offroad Rentals from one of their locations in Edmonton, Grand Prairie, Bonnyville, or Fort McMurray.
- Snowmobiles are also available with Ron’s Rentals and their locations in Edmonton, Edson, or Fort Saskatchewan.
Winter Camping
Alberta offers a variety of winter camping options, whether you want to stay in geodesic domes with views of the starry skies, comfort cabins in parks or good old tents for those hardy winter souls.
- Métis Crossing offers a romantic getaway in their luxury Sky Watching Domes, with transparent ceilings for stargazing, mirroring the guiding practices of Métis ancestors.
- Cypress Hills Provincial Park has winter activities abound to enjoy while staying in their winter cabins. These include downhill skiing, romantic walks through Elkwater or the Cypress Hills, ice skating, or stargazing.
- Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park offers a mild winter camping experience amidst stunning snow-covered hills and badlands, with scenic trails along the Milk River leading to breathtaking coulee and hoodoo views.
Family Day Festivals & Fun
Silver Skate Festival
Family Day Long Weekend, at the end of February, is a busy time in towns and cities across Alberta. This is a popular date for town winter festivals, sporting events, family day festivals, and more. Many of these events involve embracing the best of the Canadian outdoors in winter.
- Visit Sundre for their annual WinterFest on the long weekend. The festival will feature live entertainment, fat biking lessons, medicine walk tours, Bannock tasting, and much more.
- The Alberta Beach SnoMo Days are an annual race and festival on Lac St. Anne set to feature other spectacles like live entertainment, a parade, and fireworks.
- The annual Silver Skate Festival in Edmonton is a 10-day long festival celebrating everything to do with winter including sports, food, drink, music, cinema, bonfires, and ice sculpting. The 2024 Silver Skate Festival will be held at Sir Wilfred Laurier Park.
- Cold Lake’s Snow Fever Festival will include multiple venues like the Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort, and the Cold Lake Energy Centre.
