Banff National Park of Canada

Hiking Trails in the Town of Banff Area

Day Hikes

• Banff Area
• Castle Junction Area
• Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Area
• Along the Icefields Parkway

Aylmer Pass

Please note: Trail users are required to travel in a minimum group size of four from July 15 to September 30. Learn more...

Check trail report for current conditions.

13.3 km one way, elevation gain 810 m, 8 - 9 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: From the Minnewanka Interchange on the Trans-Canada Highway take the Lake Minnewanka Loop Road 5.5 km to Lake Minnewanka. Park in the large parking lot just above the boat concession entrance. Follow the paved path past the boat concession to the lakeshore trail. The Aylmer Pass trail branches north at km 8 and climbs steeply to a 2285 m pass.

Aylmer Lookout

Please note: Trail users are required to travel in a minimum group size of four from July 15 to September 30. Learn more...

Check trail report for current conditions.

11.6 km one way, elevation gain 560 m, 7 - 8 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: From the Minnewanka Interchange on the Trans-Canada Highway take the Lake Minnewanka Loop Road 5.5 km to Lake Minnewanka. Park in the large parking lot just above the boat concession entrance. Follow the paved path past the boat concession to the lakeshore trail. The Aylmer Pass trail branches north at km 8 and climbs steeply to a 2285 m pass.

Stewart Canyon

1.4 km one way, no elevation gain, 1 hour round trip (map)

Trailhead : From the Minnewanka Interchange on the Trans-Canada Highway take the Lake Minnewanka Loop Road 5.5 km to Lake Minnewanka. Park in the large parking lot just above the boat concession entrance. Follow the paved path past the boat concession to the lakeshore trail. The Canyon trail becomes faint after several km.

C-Level Cirque

3.9 km one way, elevation gain 455 m, 3 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: From the Minnewanka Interchange on the Trans-Canada Highway take the Lake Minnewanka Road 3.5 km to the Upper Bankhead picnic area, on the left.

Johnson Lake

3 km loop, no elevation gain, one hour round trip (map)

Trailhead: Johnson Lake picnic area. Trail follows the shoreline.

Tunnel Mountain

2.3 km one way, elevation gain 260 m, 2 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: Follow Wolf St. east to St. Julien Road. Follow St. Julien uphill to the parking lot on the left, 0.3 km from the Wolf St. junction.

Bow River / Hoodoos

5.1 km one way, elevation loss and gain about 60 m, 3 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: Follow Buffalo St. east to the parking lot at Surprise Corner (parking for the Bow Falls Viewpoint), a distance of about 1.2 km.

Spray River Loop

14.9 km round trip, elevation gain 65 m, 3 - 4 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: Follow Spray Avenue from the Bow River Bridge to the Banff Springs Hotel. Go past the hotel parkade to the trailhead parking lot. Follow the Spray River fireroad upstream for 7 km to a footbridge, cross the river and return downstream along the eastside of the valley to Banff Springs Golf Course Road.

Upper Hot Springs

1.6 km one way, elevation gain 170 m, 1 hour one way (map)

Banff Springs Hotel to Upper Hot Springs

Trailhead: Same as Spray River. The trail starts from the entrance of the parking lot. The trail climbs steeply, joining Mountain Avenue near the Rimrock Hotel. Continue up the road to the Upper Hot Springs or Sulphur Mountain gondola.

Sulphur Mountain

5.5 km one way, elevation gain 655 m, 2.5 - 4 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: Cross the Bow River bridge, turn left, then right at the first intersection. Drive 4 km on Mountain Avenue to the Upper Hot Springs parking lot. If walking from town, take the Upper Hot Springs trail (see ). The trail leaves from the corner of the Upper Hot Springs parking lot closest to the pool.

Side trip: 1 km one way, 60 m elevation gain, 1 hour round trip. Boardwalk trail departs from Observation Deck on the summit.

Sundance Canyon

4.3 km one way, elevation gain 145 m, 3 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: From the Bow River Bridge drive 1.6 km to the Cave and Basin parking lot. Walk past the building to the start of the hike/bike path.

Stoney Squaw Mountain

2.1 km one way, elevation gain 190 m, 2 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: Just inside the main parking lot, for Mt. Norquay ski area.

Cascade Amphitheatre

7.7 km one way, elevation gain 640 m, 6 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: From the main parking lot, walk past the ski lodge, then continue through the ski area to the last chair lift where there is a trail sign.

Cory Pass Loop

13 km loop, elevation gain 915 m, 6 hours round trip (map)

Trailhead: The Fireside Picnic Area at the eastern end of the Bow Valley Parkway. Follow a 1 km access road from the parkway to the picnic area.

This is one of the most difficult hikes in Banff National Park, for strong hikers with good route finding skills. Return from Cory Pass by making a loop around Mount Edith and descending the Edith Pass trail. Check a trail guide for detailed directions.

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