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Banff, Alberta

This magical resort town is nestled within Banff National Park and provides the best access to the area's world-class outdoor activities and breathtaking scenery and wildlife.

Top Spots in and near Banff

  • 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 ...
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  • Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

    Climb the Tower of Babel

    3.0
    Fairly 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...
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  • Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

    Scramble the Tower of Babel

    4.0
    1.94 mi / 1726 ft gain
    Starting 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...
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  • Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

    Sentinel Pass: Larch Valley to Paradise Valley

    5.0
    10.45 mi / 2618 ft gain
    This 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...
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  • Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

    Moraine Lake

    4.8
    Showing up at Moraine Lake before dawn is a must as to avoid the multitude of tours busses. The morning sun is subtle and magical. The lake, being glacially fed, does not reach its crest until mid to late June. When it is full, it reflects a distinct shade of blue. The color is due to the refract...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Exploring Burstall Pass

    5.0
    Head to the northwest corner of the parking lot to find the trail. For the first 5.5 km the trail is quite easy, with only modest elevation increase. At 5.5 km you will arrive at what is known as the gravel flats. Depending on the time of year the gravel flats can be either quite dry or a wide, s...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Hiking Burstall Pass

    5.0
    9.3 mi / 1542 ft gain
    The trail begins along the berm beside Mud Lake. After a rather uninspiring 3 km (you can mountain bike this part) the trail narrows and enters trees where tangled roots twist across the path and you breathe in the smells of damp earth and moss.Ten minutes later the trail spits you across a spl...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Backpack the Fortress Cirque

    5.0
    12.19 mi / 3507 ft gain
    No better way to watch the stars with friends than huddled up in your sleeping bag on top of a 3000m summit. This describes the bivy at The Fortress. Starting at the Chester Lake Trailhead, take the unmarked trail on the right side of the parking lot. These winter cross-country ski trails take y...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Hike from Headwall Lakes to Chester Lake

    5.0
    10.6 mi / 2650.9 ft gain
    The hike starts at the Chester Lake trailhead along the Smith Dorian road in Kananaskis. The first few kilometers follow the old logging roads, now used as cross country skiing trails. Find the beginning of the trail at the upper right end of the parking lot, and continue to follow parallel to t...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Hike to Chester Lake

    5.0
    6.2 mi / 984.3 ft gain
    Chester Lake was officially one of my favorite hikes of 2016. It's a short & sweet 5 km's to the lake, with outstanding views in every direction. Fall colors were just starting to peak through and the sky looked amazing. From what I understand, this is one of the more popular hikes in the are...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Snowshoe Chester Lake

    6.2 mi / 984.3 ft gain
    Elevation gain: 300m/984ftEstimated time: 3-6hoursStarting at the trailhead parking lot off of the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Road this snowshoe is easy to follow on the clearly marked trail. There is a trail that splits off to the left for cross-country skiers make sure you are following the righ...
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  • Kananaskis, Alberta

    Scramble the Fortress

    Have you ever done a hike where you just don't want the day to end? Scramble the Fortress and you'll know the feeling. The thing that drew me to the Fortress was its summit elevation of 3000 masl, as well as its blocky, fortress-like profile when viewed from the north. It's so much more than that...
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  • Lake Louise, Alberta

    Ski at Lake Louise

    Lake Louise has risen to the ranks of a legendary ski resort for more than just its views alone. The massive vertical drop and expert-focused back side make it a mountain to test your mettle. On the front side of the mountain are wide, flowing groomers and sneaky little powder patches in between ...
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  • Lake Louise, Alberta

    Overnight in the Skoki Backcountry

    21.1 mi / 3280.8 ft gain
    This area is best known for Skoki Lodge, a world class back country destination. Unfortunately Skoki Lodge is quite expensive, and very rarely has rooms available. Luckily you can still enjoy everything the area has to offer if you're on a budget. From Highway 1 take the exit to the Lake Louise S...
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  • Bragg Creek, Alberta

    Hike Jumpingpound Summit

    3.0
    3.1 mi / 1148.3 ft gain
    This is a great short hike that will only take about ½ day. Take Hwy. 1 west and take the exit for the Sibbald Creek Trail. Follow this road until you hit the Powderface Trail. (NOTE: this road is closed from December 1 – May 14 annually). Follow this road for approximately 15km’s.  Take note tha...
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  • Lake Louise, Alberta

    Plain of Six Glaciers

    4.6
    8.96 mi / 1565 ft gain
    Starting from the parking lot on the east end of Lake Louise, there are a few options you can take to get to the Plain of Six Glaciers. One is to head directly along the lakeshore trail, and in about 7 km (4.2 miles) you will be at the lookout offering the best vantage point of the glacier field....
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