Spring tourism growing in Banff National Park. Here's what it means for business and wildlife

Around 10 a.m. on a chilly April morning, the parking lot at Johnston Canyon is quiet but starting to fill up. 

It's a far cry from the busyness of the peak summer season — when the lot could be jam-packed already — but shows that even during off-peak months, the attraction still reliably draws visitors from all over the world. 

Among them was Nelson Brentlinger, in town from Colorado with his wife on an extended golf vacation, and Chris Knihnitski, visiting from Saskatoon with his young family. 

"We're loving it," said Brentlinger, even if it's "more snowy than we anticipated."

"So far it's excellent," said Knihnitski. "It's nice and quiet, lots to do."

Shoulder season visitors like Brentlinger and Knihnitski are becoming more common in Banff National Park, at least according to the latest park management plan, released last year. 

Visits to the park have gone up about 30 per cent in the last decade, the report said, and the park now welcomes more than four million people a year.

While the park is getting busier all year round, "the most significant visitation increases are in spring and fall, with daytime visitors taking in key attractions accessible by vehicle," the report said.

Year-round demand a goal for tourism industry

Summer remains by far the busiest time of year, said Nancy DaDalt with Banff Lake Louise Tourism, with other bumps during ski season, especially around Christmas and March break. 

But she, too, has noticed an uptick in shoulder season visits — something her group hopes to encourage. Building more year-round demand is priority No. 1 in its latest business plan. 

"We specifically do work towards building more sustainable demand, so we don't have peaks and valleys," she said. 

Evening out demand throughout the year makes life easier on both tourism operators and employees, said DaDalt. If someone hopes to build a life in Banff, she said it's difficult when they're run off their feet in the summer and at Christmas, but don't have enough work the rest of the year. 

"We want to look at … how can we level that off, so that people have year-round employment, we have a good levels of service for the visitor and then we have a greater community overall as well?" said DaDalt.

Considerations for wildlife

Another Johnston Canyon visitor, Basti Brandt, was in town this month during a break in his studies at the University of Victoria. 

"I hope to see some wildlife here, especially the bears," said Brandt, an exchange student from Germany. 

The good and bad news for springtime visitors is that seeing a bear — or other critters — is a real possibility. The park confirmed its first bear sighting of the year on March 27. 

While spring may be a good time to visit the park during a less-busy time of year, it's also a critical season for wildlife to emerge from hibernation, to establish nesting sites and to bear their young, said Kim Fisher, the park's interpretation co-ordinator. 

"It's important for us to give those animals the space they need to survive and thrive and establish those critical patterns early in the season," said Fisher. 

As visitation ramps up, Fisher said it's important for springtime visitors to keep their food secure, to give wildlife plenty of space and to respect seasonal restrictions, such as a nighttime closure of a stretch of the Bow Valley Parkway intended to "give animals the space they need to thrive during the spring."

As for Knihnitski, he says his family's spring visit to Banff won't likely be their last. 

"[There's a] good chance we'll come in the summer, too, because we like traveling out west from Saskatoon," said Knihnitski. "But we'll definitely keep an eye on these shoulder seasons, because it's a little bit more pleasant."