Elevation: 180 m
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 5.1 km (Round Trip)
Duration: 3-4 hours
Directions: Located on the north side of highway 93, Boom
Lake has a small parking lot that contains the trail head at
the far end. The sign indicating the trail on the highway
when coming from the east has been knocked down and so if you pass the continental divide building on the Alberta-B.C. border you have driven about five minutes too far. The trail head is located at the north end of the parking lot.
Description: Boom Lake is nestled in the mountains right on the border of Alberta and BC. The trail becomes a natural obstacle course in the spring time before it gets cleaned up but this makes the adventure much more fun. Make sure to wear proper hiking boots as the trail can get quite muddy and wet, however, it is worth the beautiful long hike through the serene forest and the gorgeous views by the lake.
There are washrooms in the parking area so be sure to take advantage of them as there won't be any along the trail!
No biking is allowed on the trail but pets are welcome.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: No Elevation
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 2.1 km (Loop)
Duration: 0.5-1 hour
Directions: A small parking lot is located in the north west corner of Banff Town
on the west side of Mt. Norquay Road in between the Fenlands Banff Recreational
Center and the Trans Canada Highway. The trail head is located at the southern end
of the parking lot.
Description: This hike is located at the west end of town, and is a nice easy stroll that is common for joggers and people walking their dogs. There are lots of benches along the trail where you can sit and take a break or watch people canoe down the river. Keep your eye out for the geocache where you can write down your name and the date you were there and see who else has visited this route. There’s also a trail camera to look out for just before the bridge back to the parking lot. The trail is completely immersed in the surrounding forest and feels like you're no where near any cities or roads.
Bathrooms are accessible before you start the hike, located in the parking lot.
Biking and pets are both permitted on this trail.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: No Elevation
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 3 km (Loop)
Duration: 0.75-1.5 hours
Directions: Johnson Lake is located at the end of Johnson Lake
Road which branches off from Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive. The trail head is located at the north east corner of the parking lot just behind the washrooms.
Description: Johnson Lake Trail is a loop that you can start from either direction. It is an easy hike that is very family friendly and dogs are welcome along the trail. There are picnic spots to sit at and enjoy some lunch, while taking in the view of the lake. Most of the trail is alongside the lake, but if you go up where the trail splits off, you’ll come across a swing in the trees just off of the trail, and also some chairs to sit back in at the top of the small hill where you get a view of Mount Rundle across the lake. The trail follows the lake shore and offers beautiful views from every direction as you hike through the forest.
Bathrooms are easily accessible in the parking lot before you start the hike.
Fishing and canoeing on the lake are both permitted.
Biking and pets are both permitted on this trail.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: 30 m (Lower Falls); 120 m (Upper Falls)*
Difficulty: Easy-Intermediate
Length: 1.2 to Lower Falls; 2.4 to Upper Falls*
Duration: 30 min to Lower Falls; 45 min to Upper Falls*
Directions: Located just off highway 1A along the Bow Valley Parkway,
Johnston Canyon has a small parking lot available. The trail head begins on
the west side of the bridge located in the north west corner of the parking lot.
Description: Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular hikes in Banff and
can therefore be very busy on weekends and during good weather. As you follow
the board walk along the river, it will take you to the Lower and later, the Upper
Falls. Continuing the hike after the Upper Falls will take you to the natural, cold
mineral Ink Pots that have quicksand basins -- however the journey to the Ink
Pots is a little more difficult compared to the journey to the falls but the destination is
worth it!
The trip to the ink pots is 10.8 km roundtrip, with an elevation gain of 330 m, and a total duration of approximately 4 hours.
* = All elevation, length, and duration measurements begin at the parking lot. Length and duration are one way only.
Due to the hikes popularity, be sure to take advantage of the washrooms located right before entering the trail, where there is also a bistro and a lodge located just before the trail head.
No biking is allowed on the trail but pets are welcome.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: 10 m
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 2.8 km (Loop)
Duration: 45 min
Directions: Marsh Loop Trail is located at the west end of Cave Avenue at the
Cave And Basin National Historic Site. From the parking lot, walk up to the site
and continue following the path alongside the north side of the building. The
trail head is located at the mouth of the forest just after you move away from
the buildings.
Description: Marsh Loop is located in the Banff town by the Cave and Basin
National Historic Site. It is a very easy, unpaved sand trail with no elevation gain.
The trail starts off in the forest before following the river and crossing the valley, offering a variety of beautiful scenery. It's an easy stroll around the marshes that are fed by the hot springs. This area is good for bird watching but beware of mosquitoes in the summer due to the marsh. This trail is also used for horse tours so watch out for poop!
The beginning of the trail starts just behind the Cave and Basin Natural Historic Site, which provides a place for washrooms and proper garbage disposal before heading out on the hike.
Biking and pets are both permitted on this trail.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: No Elevation
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 3 km (Round Trip)
Duration: 45 min
Directions: Located south west of Lake Louise, take Lake Louise Drive west before
turning south on Moraine Lake Road which will take you straight to the lake. There are
several hiking trails surrounding the lake, and the Moraine Lake Lakeshore trail simply
follows the west shoreline south. The beginning of the trail is vague and is treated as
the parking lot as you walk south past the lodge and canoe rentals and simply move away from the buildings into the forest surrounding the lake.
Description: Moraine lake shoreline trail is a very easy and scenic trail. This famous alpine lake has an impressive blue green colour and can found on the back of old Canadian $20 bills issued from June of 1970 to June of 1993. This lake-side stroll offers a wonderful view of the lake itself as well as the surrounding Valley of the Ten Peaks. Some parts have wooden bridges but the trail remains mostly unpaved. There is a trip hazard with many exposed roots on the trail so be sure to watch your step. This is a very busy trail with a limited amount of visitors let in at a time; be prepared to wait before accessing the area.
Due to its popularity and the presence of a luxury lakeside lodge, there are washrooms available located inside a dining area.
No biking is allowed on the trail but pets are welcome.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: 60 m
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 1.4 km (Round Trip)
Duration: 30 min
Directions: Located just off of Highway 1A along the Bow Valley Parkway,
Silverton Falls has a small parking lot available that doubles as the parking lot for the much longer Rockbound Lake Trail. The trail head is at the north end of the parking lot.
Description: Silverton Falls is a simple, enjoyable, and quick hike. The secluded, wide dirt hiking trail leads into the peaceful forest along a very gradual incline before turning into a narrower path, approximately a foot and a half wide, with a slightly increased incline. The short hike leads to a small viewing area across from a 50 meter waterfall that cascades down the side of a cliff.
There is a small parking lot available but there are no washrooms at any point.
No biking is allowed on the trail but pets are welcome.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: 655 m
Difficulty: Intermediate to Hard
Length: 5.5 km (One Way)
Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours
Directions: Sulphur Mountain trail is located between the Banff Gondola and
the Banff Upper Hot Springs. There is a large parking lot available that is shared
between the two locations and the trail head can be found right at the edge of
the western lot tucked into the tree line. It may be difficult to spot but it is close
to the north west corner of the parking lot closer to the hot springs than to the
gondola.
Description: Sulphur mountain trail is a beautiful hike but definitely should not
be your first attempt at being outdoorsy. It is characterized by its constant
elevation gain in the form of switchbacks. It is often steep with rocky terrain and
heavily eroded, narrow trails (at times only about a foot and a half wide). The trail gets significantly narrow towards the top so watch your step. No pets are allowed on the trail so leave Fido at home for this one! Wildlife such as big horned sheep may begin to appear near the summit, so remember not to get too close. At the summit you are rewarded with stunning 360° views of Banff National Park, overlooking the town and surrounding mountains and valleys. There is an additional short trail to the historic Cosmic Ray Station, which is one of nine stations in Canada that were built to observe cosmic rays in 1957-1958. To enjoy the views without the physical exertion, the gondola is available up and down.
Due to the gondola present at Sulphur Mountain, they have facilities at both the top and bottom of the mountain and provide washrooms, garbage disposal, a gift shop and restaurants.
No biking is allowed on the trail but pets are welcome.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: 145 m
Difficulty: Easy
Total Length: 7.8 km (Sundance Trail); 9.4 km (Including Sundance Canyon Loop)
Duration: 1.5-2 hours (Sundance Trail); 2.5-3 hours (Including Sundance Canyon)
Directions: Sundance Trail and Sundance Canyon is located at the west end of
Cave Avenue at the Cave And Basin National Historic Site. From the parking lot,
walk up to the site and continue following the path alongside the north side of
the building. The trail head is located at the mouth of the forest just after you
move away from the buildings.
Description: Sundance trail and canyon starts just behind the Cave and Basin
National Historic Site, which has a historical building that you can tour through for
a small fee and a gift shop. The trail is paved all the way to the canyon and there is
only a slight elevation gain until you reach the incline of the canyon. The area is
secluded so it remains peacefully quiet as you walk through the towering forest,
but you’ll likely pass a few other hikers along the way as well as a park ranger or
two on a golf-kart. The canyon is steep and sketchy in the beginning, with a
narrow, foot and a half wide trail that leads up to a bridge that crosses the canyon. There is also a stone 'staircase' (more so just a short rock climb with solid places to step up) barely visible at the end of the bridge. The rest of the canyon follows a dirt trail and crosses several small bridges along a slight incline before the trail turns into the forest and eventually descends back down. In early spring there was a bear sighting on the boardwalk next to the marsh a day before our hike, acting as a gentle reminder to be sure to pack bear spray and travel in groups. If you’re looking for something a little less strenuous, take the Marsh Loop Trail which starts off on the right a bit of a ways down Sundance Trail.
The beginning of the trail starts just behind the Cave and Basin Natural Historic Site, which provides a place for washrooms and proper garbage disposal before heading out on the hike.
There are also washrooms and a picnic area available just before you reach Sundance Canyon.
Biking and pets are both permitted on this trail.
© Parks Canada
Elevation: 300 m
Difficulty: Easy - Intermediate
Total Length: 4.0 km (Round Trip from Upper Trail Head); 4.6 km (Round Trip from
Lower Trail Head)
Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Directions: Tunnel Mountain is located just east of Downtown Banff and the trail can
be accessed from two different starting points. The upper trail head is located on
Tunnel Mountain Drive and has a small parking area, but the road is frequently closed
due to hazardous road conditions. The lower trail head is located on St. Julien Road
and also has a small parking lot available, but as expected, it has an additional
elevation gain in order to make up for the distance from the upper trail head.
Description: This frequently used hiking trail consists of several switchbacks that
provide a path up the forested west side of Tunnel Mountain. The gradual but constant
elevation gain continues throughout the entire hike and provides spectacular views of
the Banff town site, Bow River, and golf course that surround the mountain. Although well used, the trail is a simple dirt path with some rocky patches and areas when nearing the summit that require a little more attention to footing. Depending on the season, this trail can be covered in snow and ice and may be dangerous to hike.
It is important to note that there is an upper and lower trail head for this hike due to the frequent closure of Tunnel Mountain Drive. The lower trail head is located on St. Julien Road.
There are no washrooms available on this hike.
No biking is allowed on the trail but pets are welcome.
