Fall is a great time to visit Banff National Park. The air is cool and crisp, crowds have thinned out, and the golden larches ignite the mountain slopes. The elk rut also kicks off during the fall season. From mid September to mid October, in an attempt to win the hearts of the females in the herd, bull elk square off to prove their dominance. Locking antlers and using brute force they take turns forcing one another into submission.