Parking and winter access
The small lot beside the falls can fill at busy times, though availability varies. The upper clifftop section closes in winter, so don't count on that elevated route then.
Overview
About Bow Falls
Why stop
- Wide, powerful whitewater close to Banff.
Heads up
- The drop is broad and low, not a tall plunge.
Bow Falls is a broad, low waterfall on the Bow River just above its junction with the Spray River, below Banff Springs. It's an easy road stop near town or a short river walk from Banff. Expect width and a deep roar more than a towering drop; it's a good pause if you want to feel the Bow River up close.
Parkwolf’s verdictWorth a stop?Map
Where it is
Loading the Banff map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
Parking and winter access
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Bow Falls, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this place
Bow Falls: A Wide River Cascade0:00 / 0:24
“You're coming up on Bow Falls, a broad, roaring cascade close to town. I'd stop here for fifteen or twenty minutes if you want a good look at the river without a long walk.”
Plays as you drive up to Bow Falls in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Surprise Corner: The Hotel View
- Fairmont Banff Springs: Architecture and Afternoon Tea
- Spray River West: A Valley Walk to the Bridge
- Tunnel Mountain: A Summit Above Town
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Guide
More about Bow Falls
Walk in from BanffFrom the Bow River pedestrian bridge, the route is about 1.
From the Bow River pedestrian bridge, the route is about 1.2 km each way, and takes about 20–25 minutes to walk. The south-bank path passes rapids before stairs climb to the upper views. Pedestrians and cyclists have separate trails, bikes can't continue onto the clifftop section, and dogs must be leashed.
Get above the waterThe closest viewpoint puts you beside the whitewater.
The closest viewpoint puts you beside the whitewater. Take the stairs to the clifftop for a wider look across the river valley; from some angles, Banff Springs sits beyond the falls. For a photo, the higher view gives the cascade more context than a tight shot of the water alone.
A wide, low cascadeThe falls drop about 9 m across roughly 30 m of river.
The falls drop about 9 m across roughly 30 m of river. That broad ledge, rather than height, is what makes the water feel powerful. Bow Falls sits on the Bow River just before it meets the Spray River.
A little Hollywood historyBow Falls has a small screen-history footnote: 1950s films showed stars being swept over it,…
Bow Falls has a small screen-history footnote: 1950s films showed stars being swept over it, including Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum and Son of Lassie. It's a fun bit of movie fiction to remember while looking at a real drop that's only about 9 m high.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
