The Best Hikes in Banff National Park From Bow Hut there are a few short side treks which you can take including Polaris Peak which offers fine views of Canada’s finest mountains making this on of the best Banff hiking trails that this amazing place has to offer. Everything you need to know to discover the best Banff hikes in our ultimate trekking guide! It’s long, has a lot of elevation gain, and there are a few hands-on scrambling points throughout the hike. You get unparalleled views over Peyto Lake and the Icefields Parkway, however there are some intimidating scramble sections that require experience scrambling in the Rockies. It’s a great hike for those driving the Icefields Parkway as it only requires a few hours and gives a chance to stretch the legs. Follow the trail around the amphitheater and up for about 45 more minutes until you reach the rock wall. 20.9km 705m 5-6h The Rockpile trail brings you to the aptly named “Twenty Dollar View” because it is the scene used on the former twenty dollar bill and shot by almost every photographer. The start of the hike is pretty boring as it trails along a ski-out road until you reach the Larch side of Lake Louise. It’s far less popular than nearby Moraine Lake or Lake Louise. At the end of the hike is a boardwalk near the waters flowing down from Wenkchemna pass. Wear a sturdy pair of shoes. Banff.com has assembled some hiking descriptions of some popular hikes in and around Banff and Lake Louise in the Canadian Rocky Mountains!. Required fields are marked *. Your email address will not be published. Mount Bourgeau is a 2,931-metre (9,616 ft) tall mountain in the heart of Banff National Park promises some extraordinary views. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Ranging from walks and easy hikes to multi-day backcountry epics, hiking is an accessible way to immerse yourself in the spectacular landscape of Banff National Park. >Buy The REI Half Dome... Sleeping Pad: A sleeping pad is pretty much a small, packable inflatable mattress. For amazing views with relatively easy effort it doesn’t get much better than Parker Ridge Trail. Of course, there are so many more hikes in Banff and tons of exploring. It’s a difficult one, but definitely one of the best hikes near Banff if you have the experience to attempt it! This is easily one of the best larch hikes in Banff, and I would highly recommend saving this area until the trees turn yellow in late September. In 2018, we decided to settle down in one of the most beautiful places on earth, The Canadian Rockies. Bring lunch here and enjoy the views. All that is left now is the monstrous debris field that will leave hikers in all of their earth shaping capability. This is an easy hike that can be done in under two hours and is an iconic thing to do in Banff. For a truly epic day, you can summit Castle Mountain by continuing past the lake or Helena Peak. One of the factoring things leading to wildfires in Canada is climate change. The Tunnel Mountain hike is popular enough that the trail will be packed down making it a good candidate for a Banff winter hike. Due to the stunning alpine meadow views out to Mount Hector the hike can draw a crowd so be prepared for limited parking. Citadel Pass It’s beloved by locals for its accessibility and you can hike it year-round. Have you heard of the Instagram famous Peyto Lake? Is dog sledding inhumane? READ MORE: Once you’re finished hiking, check out the official NOMADasaurus guide on how to spend 3 fantastic days in Banff! Sunshine Meadows lives up to its name with fields of alpine wildflowers to Golden Larches reaching from the lakes right to the alpine line in winter. Albeit a very easy one and a great place to start for the adventurous to test their skills. While physically it’s not much harder than the Big Beehive, The Devil’s Thumb is classified as a scramble. Lakes here are also that famous glacier blue without the crowds of Peyto, Louise, or Moraine. Not one of the most popular hikes in Banff, meaning that you get a bigger dose of nature all to yourself! Due to it’s proximity to Banff town, and the fact that you can take the Banff Gondola up to the peak instead of sweating it out on the trail means that Sulphur mountain becomes very busy, particularly the peak. In wet weather, the forest can also be very muddy so be sure to wear high ankle boots. Cascade Mountain towers over the town of Banff and has been on every postcard of Banff National Park for years. But if you go on this adventure to hike back to Skoki Lakes and the peaks in the area you will be amazed by the scenery. Parker Ridge: Best Sunrise Hike. 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