If you’re visiting Banff and have an hour or two to spare, wander over to the historical Cascade of Time Gardens. This beautifully landscaped garden is more than what it seems and is often overlooked by visitors.
The mountainous landscape of Banff National Park is not known for manicured gardens. With its cooler climate, short growing season, and abundance of vegetation-consuming wildlife, gardens of any type are a high-maintenance commodity. The Cascade of Time Gardens is the largest (and only) public landscaped garden in Banff National Park. Unless you’re hiking to the high alpine meadows in the summer months, this is the place to visit to see mountain blooms.
TIP: If you’re interested in seeing high alpine flower meadows, but not up for an arduous mountain hike visit Sunshine Meadows via the Sunshine Ski Resort Gondola Sunshine Meadows.
Keep reading for helpful tips on how to best explore this Banff hidden gem.
The Cascade of Time Gardens is a historical garden with flagstone paths, flower beds, pavilions, and waterfall pools and ponds. Wandering the 4-acre garden, built in the 1930s, is like visiting a bit of history. The gardens were designed to educate and represent different geographical periods reflected in their mountain background.
The Cascade Gardens are located on the Parks Canada administration grounds – the majestic historical stone building in full view when crossing the Bow River Bridge. While the building is not hard to miss, the Gardens are because they are tucked in behind it.
There’s no correct directional way to explore the gardens, visitors are free to explore however they like.
The most prominent and popular garden feature is the large reflecting pond in front of the administrative building. Surrounded by flowers with a central waterfall it’s a great place to sit and enjoy the surroundings.
Behind the administration building and to the right is the Cambrian Pavilion and pool. The covered pavilion provides a covered place to shelter or keep cool.
Following the stone path to the right leads to the Devonian gazebo and pool, easily recognised by their conical shape.
Visiting Banff National Park and need a game plan? Check out our itinerary.
Continuing up the garden walkway brings connecting waterfalls and pools decorated with pine archways.
The flowers in the gardens are selected for their ability to survive in hard conditions. Expect to see pansies, snapdragons, calendula, and dahlias.
The gardens are a continual work in progress so there are areas that are under renovation that look unkept and wild.
Find out: How to Visit Banff National Park: A Beginner’s Guide
The best way to get to the Cascade Gardens is by walking, biking, or bus. Any of these methods will save you time and frustration, especially if you’re visiting during peak tourist season. The gardens are located across the Bow Bridge on the west end of Banff Avenue on Cave Avenue.
Walking is the easiest and best way to get to Cascade Gardens. It’s a 10-minute walk from Banff main street (~ the Banff High School transit hub area). Enter through the front gates located behind the traffic lights off the Bow River Bridge.
This most direct route and quickest walking route is to follow Banff Avenue across the Bow River Bridge (there’s a sidewalk) and then cross the road (Spray Avenue).
A more scenic walking route is to use the Bow River Trails system and use one of the multi-use bridges. This is my preferred method of getting to the gardens, it’s less than a kilometre (3/4 of a mile) and much nicer as it parallels the river.
Biking
Biking is another easy way to get to Cascade Gardens. The routes to get there are the same as walking, however, I recommend using the Bow River Trail system to avoid traffic (biking over the Bow River Bridge with all the traffic is sketchy and the sidewalks are full of pedestrians).
Bikes can be rented at several places in Banff and can be used to explore additional areas such as the Cave and Basin by crossing Cave Avenue and heading left on the Cave and Basin trail when exiting the Cascade Gardens. Rentals range from $20 to $80 depending on the type of bike and rental periods.
Bike Banff is located at the Banff Train Station (where all the free parking is) and has everything to outfit a family (yes, even toddlers).
Roam Bus
The Roam bus is the next best option to get to Cascade Gardens. A one-way bus fare is $2 for an adult and $1 for a youth. A day pass can be purchased for $5 and $2.50 respectively.
Roam bus route #1 is the main route to take but route #2 can also be used, as both have stops near the Cascade Gardens. The nearest bus stop is Glacier Drive on route #1, and Spray Avenue on route #2 both a 2-minute walk to the Gardens. To return to downtown Banff use the YWCA stop for either route.
Driving
Driving is an option but not recommended, not just for the hassle of finding parking but because of the nightmare traffic jams over the Bow River Bridge. It’s just so busy and easily 20+ minutes can be wasted sitting in traffic to get over the bridge (it is quicker to walk).
Traffic aside, driving to the Cascade Gardens is simple. Go over the Bow River Bridge, take a left onto Spray Avenue past the Parks Canada building. At the light turn right onto Mountain Avenue. The gates to the parking lot will be to your immediate right.
Don’t miss: Driving in Banff: 10 Things You Should Know
Parking
Parking at the Cascade Gardens is limited, however, if you go in the evening or morning hours there’s a good chance you’ll snag a spot, especially in the spring, fall, and winter seasons (not around the holiday season).
People don’t stay in the gardens long. If no spots are available, there is a paved road that circles the administration building that can be looped until one opens up (you may have to dodge pedestrian traffic).
Parking is free.
Public parking is available in the downtown parking lots, along Bow Avenue, or the Banff Train Station (best for large vehicles, RVs, and trailers) which is serviced by the Roam transit system.
TIP: My preference is to park on Bow Avenue. It’s free and can be accessed and exited easily. Bow Avenue is a one-way street. Save time by turning right at Caribou Street to avoid the traffic backups and congestion on Buffalo Street. There’s more likely to be parking after Caribou Street so if you drive to Buffalo Street chances are good you’ll end up doubling back.
Guide includes shuttle, bus, and tour options as well as reservation windows
The Cascade Gardens are open year-round but are best enjoyed in the summer months when lush with vegetation and flowing waters. People will have a different experience of the gardens depending on the season they visit.
The best time to see the Gardens in full bloom is from July to September. The planting season is short with most flowers not being able to be planted until late May. By the end of September, the majority of the flowers will be gone.
The quietest and least busy times to visit are in the morning and evening. Both are great for viewing the sunrise and sunset. The reflecting pool is a nice place to enjoy a morning coffee and watch the sunrise over the mountains.
TIP: Word is getting out about this hidden gem, and line-ups are forming at the entrance to the Gardens.
During the holiday season, the Gardens become an outdoor Christmas display and animal storytelling experience complete with sound effects. Animal figures illuminate the gardens throughout the winter.
The most boring time to visit the Cascade Gardens is from March to May when weather and conditions can be variable with ice, snow, mud, rain, and little vegetation. There’s not much to see or do at the gardens during this period.
Plan 30 minutes to an hour to visit the Cascade Gardens. The gardens are not that big, so 30 to 60 minutes gives plenty of time to explore the grounds.
Additional activities like reading a book, tossing a frisbee, having a picnic, taking a nap, sipping a hot coffee or cold drink, and watching a wedding (it’s a perfect location for the event) can add additional time – as can stopping to smell every flower as there are 50,000+ of them.
When I last visited the gardens, it took 80 minutes to:
There are a multitude of great places to take photos at the Cascade Gardens but the one you don’t want to miss and is often seen on postcards is from the front of the Parks Canada building with the wrought iron fence, facing east down Banff Avenue toward Cascade Mountain.
The other place is at the top of the reflecting pond facing Banff Avenue and Cascade Mountain.
Finally, there’s the photo in front of the Cascade Garden sign with the Parks Canada building in the background.
The photo spots are easily identifiable by the worn grass spots and the line of people waiting their turn for the perfect photo.
There is no charge to visit the Cascade Gardens. They are public gardens free to be enjoyed by everyone like any public park, making it a budget-friendly activity.
The Cascade Gardens has narrow, stepped, stone pathways that are not conducive for strollers, wheelchairs, or wagons. There is a paved road that circles the administrative building where some garden features like the reflecting pond and the pavilions can be seen.
There are public washrooms open to visitors from May long weekend to mid-September. Bring your own water as none is available on site. The water from the washroom taps is not for consumption. There is limited shelter from inclement weather.
Pets are not allowed in Cascade Gardens.
The Cascade Gardens is a wonderful play to hang out and just ‘be’. One of the more popular activities to do at the Gardens is to picnic. People also enjoy yoga, ball activities, and reading.
The Cascade Gardens is a historical site and should be treated as such. Feel free to enjoy the space but be respectful of the environment and the experience of others. This means:
Parents should watch their children, as there are natural hazards and the pools are not gated or fenced off.
While the Cascade Gardens is a public space be mindful of and respect the experience of others enjoying the area.
Most travelers want to visit the most popular sites and still avoid the crowds. We have a detailed itinerary that gives you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to the best places at the right times.
BANFF TRIP PLANNER: To read or watch all of our content about Banff National Park, check out our Banff Homepage
THINGS TO DO: Don’t miss all that Banff has to offer including Lake Louise, Banff Hot Springs, the Cave and Basin Historical Site, and shopping downtown
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Find out how to get to Banff and what reservations
you may need
WATCH: Enjoy videos of gorgeous Banff National Park while learning our best tips for visiting by watching our Banff YouTube Playlist
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