Banff National Park, Alberta
Bannff National Park located approximately 90 minutes from Calgary spans 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles). Banff is home to amazing destinations like Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Icefields Parkway, and Peyto Lake, and Johnston Canyon. There are both campgrounds, hotels, and other lodging options near Banff for an overnight trip. Banff National Park is typically visited during two seasons: Summer and Winter. The summer provides for all of the great hiking opportunities whereas the winter provides great skiing at the big three resorts: Lake Louise, Banff Sunshine, and Norquay.
Top Spots in and near Banff National Park
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Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Scramble up Mount Niblock
5.09.3 mi / 4068.2 ft gainThousands of tourists flock to Lake Louise and Lake Agnes every year (maybe even every month) and by scrambling Mount Niblock you'll see the same magnificent sites while leaving the crowd behind and seeing so much more!Mount Niblock offers a bit of a challenge in that there are some rock ribs tha...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Hike to Silverton Falls
1.2 mi / 120 ft gainStarting at the Rockbound Lake trailhead you will want to follow the flat dirt path straight, until you see the junction in the road with the sign pointing you to Silverton Falls (it will be about 500 steps or a quarter of a mile). We made the mistake of taking the first junction which lead us to...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Snowshoe to Silverton Falls and Rockbound Lake
10.4 mi / 2493.4 ft gainPark at Rockbound Lake Trailhead, 0.2 km east of Castle Junction on Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A).The trail wanders through forest until coming to a fork to the right, leading to SilvertonFalls. This is a worthwhile 1 km side trip to a beautiful small waterfall dropping into a turquoise blue po...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Snowshoe to Rockbound Lake
3.011 mi / 2460 ft gainThis is an amazing trail, but not for the feint of heart!The trailhead is located on the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) in Banff National Park, AB at the Castle Mountain sign. The trailhead is marked by an information sign in the north of the parking lot and the trail initially heads north - not...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Scramble the Tower of Babel
4.01.94 mi / 1726 ft gainStarting at the Moraine Lake parking lot follow the trail East along behind the large pile of boulders along the lake shore. Once you reach the foot of the Tower of Babel scramble up the slope to heading towards the valley between the two peaks. The easiest route is along one of the cliff faces w...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Climb the Grand Sentinel
8.6 mi / 3612.2 ft gainThe Grand Sentinel has two routs on it. While it is hard to access it is a modern classic with bolted anchors, and Cardia Arete is a Sport climbing route. While I could offer my take on this classic, Chris Perry' Banff Rock is a far better resource than I. To access the climb park at Moraine Lak...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Eiffel Lake via Valley of Ten Peaks
5.07.35 mi / 1647 ft gainHike with amazing views of Valley of Ten Peaks, including Mount Fay (10,613 ft), Mount Little (10,131 ft), Deltaform Mountain (11,234 ft), and Wenkchemna Peak (10,401 ft) to two breathtaking glacial lakes in the heart of the Continental Divide. From the lake, the trail is quite easy to follow, a...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Hike to Consolation Lakes
4.03.7 mi / 196.9 ft gainOnce at Moraine Lake, the directions to Consolation Lakes are quite clear. From the parking lot, head northeast past the rockpile, which provides fantastic views of Moraine, then follow the Consolation Lakes Trail for another 2.9 km (1.8 miles) past Taylor Lake until you reach the lake. Depending...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Larch Valley Trail to Minnestimma Lakes
5.05.61 mi / 1909 ft gainStarting at the Moraine Lake parking lot take, take the main trail the leads down past the cafe and lodges on the lake shore. A short way down the trail splits, to the left is just the lakeside walk. For Larch Valley take a right, it is clearly signed. Depending on the time of the year there are ...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Eiffel Peak
5.07.14 mi / 3917 ft gainTake in stunning alpine views of the famous Valley of the Ten Peaks as you head to Eiffel Peak. A much more unique photo opportunity of Moraine Lake. Views of several prominent glaciers and the gorgeous Paradise Valley. The Eiffel Tower rock formation viewable from the summit. 11km roundtrip. 130...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Scramble Mount Temple
4.512.4 mi / 6430.4 ft gainMount Temple is a stunning iconic mountain in Banff National Park located in the Canadian Rockies. It overlooks the Lake Louise area and stands at a massive 3542m (11,624ft) , making it one of the many sought after 11,000ers.To reach the mountain you will be headed down highway #1 and take the tu...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Scramble the Ten Peaks via the Perren Route
A true adventure with lots of route finding, glacier travel, loose rock and high altitude views. This is not for the faint hearted or first timers.From the Moraine Lake parking lot walk down the east side of the lake along the well maintained trail. Towards the end of the lake you will cross the ...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Climb the Tower of Babel
3.0Fairly short approach that begins to the left of Moraine Lake on the consolation lakes trail. Follow a foot path until you see a faint trail in the scree that moves up towards the tower-would recommend wearing a helmet on the approach. This is active grizzly country- It would be a good idea to ca...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Sentinel Pass: Larch Valley to Paradise Valley
5.010.45 mi / 2618 ft gainThis popular hike starts out by the one the most iconic lakes in Banff National Park, Moraine Lake. Though the trail from Larch Valley attracts herds of tourists, this is a majestic hike you don’t want to miss. Before your hike, contact the park office at Moraine Lake about possible hiking restr...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Hike to Hector Lake
5.03.1 miHector Lake is one of the larger lakes in Banff National Park. It is surrounded by the Waputik Range to the west, and offers pristine views of the mountains. Hector Lake is idyllic and peaceful. Most tourists drive past the trailhead on the parkway, which means the hike is not at all busy. An...Read more -
Improvement District No. 9, Alberta
Hike to Boom Lake
4.06.2 miBoom Lake offers amazing views of Boom Mountain and the ridge separating Alberta and British Columbia. It is not as popular as many other hikes in the area, which means exclusion for anyone willing to explore the lake. The abundant wildlife in the area includes wolves, bears, mountain goats, de...Read more
