Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours Review: 2025 Family Experience
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All photos in this post were taken by me during our trip. I love capturing real experiences to give you an authentic look at what to expect.
Dog sledding in Banff was a complete bucket list experience, and worth the cost for our family. We went with Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours in Canmore, and had a fantastic experience. They were so helpful from the moment we booked until the end of our tour.
As a mom, I was nervous about the high cost and the safety of driving our own dog sleds. Was this level of adventure for families like mine?
But after research, the thrill of the adventure, and my kids begging to go, we ended up booking the 2 hour tour. And I am SO GLAD we did.
It ended up being the highlight of the trip for our daughter, and five minutes into the sledding adventure we knew it had been worth the splurge.
So much so that if we ever find ourselves in Banff in the winter, we would 100% book with Snowy Owl Sled Dogs again, and we would book the longer tour this time!
Let’s go over why we chose Snowy Owl, what our day looked like, what our kids loved about the experiences, a few places where we had to pivot, what gear you’ll need, and how to book your own dog sledding adventure!
If you’re wondering whether dog sledding is safe for your kids and the right adventure for your family, this honest review breaks it all down for you.
👉 Planning a winter trip to Banff? Grab our FREE Family Packing List so you’re ready for the snow!
Why We Chose Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours
We booked the Powder Hound Express, Snowy Owl’s 2 hour introduction to dog sledding tour. It was the perfect first adventure for us. Short enough we weren’t exhausted or overwhelmed, but long enough to feel like we actually experienced dog sledding.
We ultimately chose them because you were able to drive your own sled, and 3 people could ride together (we had a total of 6 people sledding). The other company we looked into only 2 people could ride together and you were on an instructor driven sled.
We also loved that Snowy Owl was in Canmore where we were staying, and how it went through Kananaskis, an area we hadn’t explored much.
Responsible and kind care of animals is important to us, so the welfare of the sled dogs mattered a lot in our decision making.
Snowy Owl was very upfront about the welfare of their sled dogs before we even booked, so I felt confident that the dogs were well taken care of. They even let my kids help feed our sled teams after our run through the snow!
Whenever we plan trips with our kids, we always like to let them be a part of the research and itinerary planning. I do this with my daughter but my teenager sometimes researches on his own.
They’re both old enough now to understand what a reasonable excursion would be and to note the important things like price, age restrictions, and seasonality.
We make the decisions as a family, but we try to make sure each person has something from their wishlist on the itinerary. Being a part of the planning gives them ownership and gives them something specific to look forward to.
As soon as my daughter discovered dog sledding was possible, it became her top adventure to add to our 7 day trip to Banff. I had no idea it was even possible to dog sled in Banff National Park, let alone in Canmore, the town where we stayed.
We did some extra research into the different sled dog companies, watched a few youtube videos, and looked over our Banff budget to see if we could afford the splurge. We paid for a significant portion of the trip with points and miles, so we decided this bucket list adventure was worth the cost!
What to Expect on the Day of the Tour
Our day started at the Canmore office, signing waivers, and prepping our gear for the tour. They gave both of our kids a card to fill out when we got to the sledding area with the names of their sled dogs. The kids loved it, and it was a fun keepsake!
There are nice bathrooms at the office to use and they have gear to rent if you don’t have the proper attire or shoes! We’d recommend making use of the bathrooms because there are only port-a-potties available at the sledding area.
They also have a little gift shop in the office, so we of course brought home our very own huskie stuffy. My daughter opted to wait until after the tour to pick a stuffy that looked just like a dog from her sled team. It’s her favorite souvenir from the trip!
You’re able to have a small pack with you in the sled, so I filled my day pack with our nalgenes and extra gloves for the kids, and the cards they gave us.
We went with a large group on the 2 hour tour, and all rode together on their tour bus up the mountain. If you sit on the driver’s side of the bus, you’ll have beautiful views of the bow valley on the way up the mountain!
Once you arrive at the sledding area, you’ll get an introduction to dog sledding, safety information to know, how to interact with the dogs, and they’ll teach you the commands to use with your sled team.
You’ll get to meet your team, and decide who’s driving the sled first! Half way through the tour you’ll be able to switch drivers if you’d like to.
We split into smaller groups of 3-4 sleds and headed out on the trail with a guide. The scenery was breathtaking and the experience exhilarating! We could not get over just how incredible everything was!
We stopped halfway for a photo op in the snowy woods, and to switch drivers. The guide offered to take a family photo of us all together, and it’s one of my favorites from the trip.
We finished the second half of the tour with just as beautiful scenery. At the end our kids got to feed and water the sled dogs, and have several minutes to hug and give the dogs affection! We all loved this part.
We then got to have a baked treat, hot cider, and a fire to warm up after we finished the tour! We took some more pictures with the incredible mountain backdrop, and also bought the professional ones taken while we were on the sled.
We ended the day with a bus ride back to the office where we bought a stuffy and some cute sunglasses to remember the day, and then headed to a restaurant in Canmore for dinner.
It was a day we’ll remember for a long time, and a family adventure that I’ll treasure forever.
Is Dog Sledding Safe for Kids?
The entire experience was really smooth from the moment we booked our tickets to the actual sledding experience. We felt really safe the whole time, which I was so thankful for.
The guides were great with our kids, and made sure we knew all that we needed for the sled run. The dogs were very well behaved and excited to do the run. They listened to our commands and I felt capable while driving the sled for the first time.
The sled dogs had color coded collars to help us know their personalities at a glance, like which were calm and which were more excited. It gave our kids confidence to snuggle and love on the dogs before and after our tour.
The sleds are comfortable with high sides, so we weren’t afraid of falling off. They helped us climb in and out of the sleds, and they even had blankets so our kids were warm the entire time.
What Our Kids Loved Most
Our kids are ages 9 and 13, and they both loved this experience. It definitely lived up to the hype! Their favorite parts were meeting the pups and flying through the snow on the sled.
Our son (13) was fascinated by the dogs and their excitement to do the job. He loved on them before, during, and after the sled run. He especially loved getting to help take care of them when the sledding was over.
Our daughter (9) really enjoyed riding on the sled. She loved seeing the puppies running so fast, and the beautiful scenery as we flew through the woods.
We honestly all loved every minute. Our kids are older but there were other families there with babies and toddlers. We’d say this excursion is great for families of all ages.
What to Wear Dog Sledding in Banff
Appropriate winter gear is required to participate in the sled dog tours. The weather is usually cold and windy, so dressing warmly is very important!
You’ll need insulated and waterproof layers including:
- Snow Pants
- Winter Jacket
- Waterproof Gloves
- Waterproof/winter Boots
- Warm hat
- Scarf
- Goggles or Sunglasses
Leggings, jeans, and tennis shoes are not allowed. You can see a full list of appropriate gear on their website!
Not sure what to pack? Here’s what worked for us:
– Our teen’s favorite waterproof jacket
– Insulated pants that actually stayed dry
– Our top-rated ski goggles that fit over kids’ glasses
How to Book Your Snowy Owl Sled Tour
Booking in advance is required and there are no same-day booking options available online. They have several time slots available during the day, and their typical season runs from January – March. They sometimes have availability in December and April depending on snow conditions.
I would recommend booking your tour spot as soon as you know your trip dates! If you’re visiting towards the end of the season, book this excursion as early in your trip as possible.
To purchase your tickets, book directly through their website. You’ll start by selecting your date and time. The site will walk you through adding your participants and choosing the sled type and number of sleds you’ll need.
Book Your Dog Sledding Tour with Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours
We visited Banff for Spring break so our dates were firmly in shoulder season. Our trip was at the end of March to the beginning of April, so the weather was very unpredictable.
The tours require a solid base of snow, and won’t run if conditions are poor. They don’t even accept payments in advance for the tours at the end of the season in case the weather warms up too much and the season ends early.
We had originally planned to do the dog sledding tour during the middle of our trip. Once we got close to our dates and saw how the weather was warming up, we called to transfer our tour to the very first morning of our trip.
We were so thankful we moved our date because by mid-week all the snow was gone, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it!
Bucket List Adventures in Banff
There are so many incredible things to do in Banff with your family, dog sledding being one of them! If you’re looking for a great place to go dog sledding, we would 100% recommend going with Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours and doing the self-drive sled tour!
We felt like we had a bucket list experience almost every day of our trip. We saw the northern lights, went snowboarding at Sunshine Village, and took a gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain.
If you’re headed to Banff this winter or early spring, talk with your kids about what they’d enjoy the most on your snowy adventure in the Canadian Rockies! If you need a few ideas, we’ve put together our top family adventures in Banff!