The Best Hikes in Banff National Park: 25 Local Picks

Banff National Park is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The rugged Canadian wilderness and towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies provide the perfect setting for some truly epic hiking. We’ve been hiking around Banff for decades and are happy to share with you our list of the 25 best hikes in Banff National Park.

From popular tourist destinations such as Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, to more off-the-beaten track locations, our list of the best hikes in Banff covers every corner of Canada’s oldest national park.

Ranging from easy hikes like Johnston Canyon and Stewart Canyon, to more challenging trails such as Sentinel Pass and Wenkchemna Pass, our list of the best hikes in Banff has something for every skill level as well.

Regardless of whether you are a local or are visiting Banff National Park for the very first time, we hope you will love these excellent Banff hikes as much as we do!

To help you find the best hiking trails in Banff for your needs, we have sorted our list into three groups: Easy Banff Hikes, Moderate Banff Hikes and Difficult Banff Hikes. Ranking Banff’s best hikes is never easy, but this list will help you find the trails that are best for your interests and ability level.

This post contains compensated links.

The 5 Best Easy Hikes in Banff National Park

In an environment as vertical as Banff National Park, it’s sometimes hard to find flat, easy hiking trails. Thankfully, there are a handful of truly excellent easy hikes in Banff National Park. We have a full post of easy hikes in Banff National Park, but based on our experience, here are the best:

1. Johnston Canyon Trail

Location: Bow Valley Parkway

One of the most popular hikes in Banff National Park, a visit to Johnston Canyon is a must-do for all Banff visitors. The Johnston Canyon trail is a beautiful walk along Johnston Creek as it makes its way through a deep mountain canyon.

For much of the Johnston Canyon walk, hikers walk along elevated boardwalks bolted to the canyon walls, providing a thrilling opportunity to walk above the water and enjoy the many cascading waterfalls along the route.

Aside from the exciting hike up the belly of a deep mountain ravine, one of the reasons that the Johnston Canyon trail is so popular is that it can be customized for everyone’s physical capabilities. There are three destinations you can hike to along the Johnston Canyon trail – simply turn around at the point which feels right for you.

The Johnston Canyon Lower Falls

This is one of the best easy hikes in Banff! Just 1.2 km in length, the hike to the lower falls at Johnston Canyon is the most exciting of the three destinations. The easy hike to the lower falls is where most of the elevated boardwalks are found, providing a thrilling Banff hiking experience, no matter your physical capabilities.

Once at the lower falls, hikers can cross a bridge to enter a small cave, which takes you so close to the powerful waterfall that you are certain to get wet! It’s a big thrill and a unique opportunity to feel the power of nature up close. Between the super-fun boardwalks and the lower falls cave, it’s no wonder why this leg of the Johnston Canyon trail is one of the best hikes in Banff for kids.

Johnston Canyon Upper Falls

The crowds start to thin a little bit as you pass the lower falls and begin your hike to the Johnston Canyon upper falls. This leg of the Johnston Canyon trail still closely follows Johnston Creek, but is mostly through forest, as opposed to elevated boardwalks. The Johnston Canyon upper falls are significantly taller than the lower falls with two viewing platforms (upper and lower) to enjoy them from. 

The hike between the Johnston Canyon lower falls and the upper falls adds an additional 1.3 km in distance. Although it’s a little steeper, the hike to the upper falls is still manageable for most hikers.

We cover everything you need to know about hiking to the upper and lower falls in our local’s guide to Johnston Canyon.

The Ink Pots

The crowds continue to thin beyond the Johnston Canyon Upper Falls, but to us, that just makes the hike even better. The final leg of the Johnston Canyon hike to the Ink Pots is a beautiful forested hike which adds an additional 3.2 km of distance, for a total one way distance of 5.7 km (11.4 km return).

Hikers who make it all the way to the Ink Pots are rewarded with a series of deep pools in a meadow, where spring water bubbles up through gravel and sand. On a sunny day, the greenish-blue color of the water is truly incredible. Add to this, the beautiful Canadian Rockies surrounding the meadow and you’ll quickly realize why the Ink Pots are one of our favorite places in Banff National Park – it’s truly special.

If you are interested in this fun add-on hike, we have full details in our Hiking to the Ink Pots blog post.

2. Johnson Lake Trail

Location: Lake Minnewanka Scenic Loop

One of the best kid-friendly hikes in Banff National Park, the Johnson Lake hike is a highly enjoyable circumnavigation of the lake. On this easy Banff hike you’ll enjoy a wide variety of beautiful Banff scenery, including mountain vistas, beautiful stretches of forest and, of course, views of Johnson Lake. If you know where to find it, there’s even an old hermit’s cabin hidden deep in the woods along the trail.

Even without this fun hiking trail, the Johnson Lake day use area is one of the most popular things to do with kids in Banff. The Johnson Lake day use area, located in the Minnewanka Loop, is one of the best picnic spots in Banff and it even has a little rocky beach area for the kids. I’m always amazed at how resilient kids are swimming and playing in the freezing cold, glacial waters of Johnson Lake.

Speaking of cold, it’s worth mentioning that the Johnson Lake trail is one of our favorite winter hikes in Banff as well!

Learn how to find the hermit’s cabin and much more in our full blog post on the Johnson Lake trail. You can also see what it’s like in our Johnson Lake hike YouTube video.

3. Stewart Canyon Trail

Location: Lake Minnewanka Scenic Loop

The Lake Minnewanka day use area is a very popular destination within Banff National Park. Most visitors come for a picnic or a scenic boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka, but there are also some excellent hiking trails as well.

As you’ll see below, the Aylmer Lookout trail is one of our favorite hiking trails near Lake Minnewanka, but it’s very difficult. If you are looking for an easy Lake Minnewanka hiking trail with plenty of rewarding scenery, the Stewart Canyon trail is perfect for you.

The Stewart Canyon hike begins along the easy and highly scenic Lake Minnewanka Shoreline trail. Once the shoreline trail crosses a bridge over the Cascade River, you reach the Stewart Canyon trail junction.

From here, the Stewart Canyon trail follows the path of the Cascade River, through a surprisingly lush forest. In spring, this forest is one of the best spots in Banff National Park to see wild Calypso Orchids (please don’t pick them so everyone can enjoy them).

The Stewart Canyon trail ends at the confluence of another mountain stream flowing into the Cascade River. There are lots of big rocks and fallen logs to sit on and soak in this rugged mountain paradise.

This rewarding, easy hike has long been one of our favorite things to do at Lake Minnewanka. Get all the details on this Banff day hike in our full post about the Stewart Canyon trail.

4. Fairview Lookout Trail

Location: Lake Louise

The Fairview Lookout hike is one of my favorite short hikes at Lake Louise as it’s one of the best places to enjoy the incredible turquoise water color of Lake Louise. Yes, the Lake Louise shoreline trail is a much easier hike which also has excellent views, but you simply can’t beat the brilliant color of the lake from up high.

The hiking trail to the Fairview Lookout is short, but it can be quite steep in places. That said, just about everyone will be able to hike to the lookout. Feel free to take breaks along the way, the forest is stunning!

The best part of this hike is the view from the platform. On a sunny day, the colour of Lake Louise is almost hard to believe, and even after living near Banff my whole life, it still never fails to take my breath away.

The last time we hiked the Fairview Lookout trail was the weekend we stayed at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with our kids. Our kids got a real kick from looking down at the hotel from above.

It is short, scenic, and has an excellent payoff, which is exactly why I think it deserves a spot on a list of the best hikes in Banff. For more details, check out our post on the Fairview Lookout Trail.

5. Sunshine Meadows Hiking Trails

Location: Sunshine Meadows

There are so many great areas for scenic hikes in Banff National Park, but one of our absolute favorite hiking areas is Sunshine Meadows.

It begins with a fun 25 minute gondola ride to the Sunshine Village ski resort, one of the best ski resorts in Banff. In summer, this popular Banff ski resort is transformed into one of the most unique hiking experiences in the national park.

Due to all the effort-free altitude gain you get from the gondola ride, the Sunshine Meadows hiking trails give hikers an opportunity to enjoy some high-altitude day hikes without much effort to get there.

The signature hiking trail at Sunshine Meadows is also an incredibly easy hike as it begins with a fun ride up the Standish ski chairlift, allowing you to enjoy an easy downhill hike back to the upper gondola terminal.

There is a wide variety of hiking trails at Sunshine Meadows, sure to please hikers of all ability levels. Throughout most of the hiking season, visitors will marvel at the incredible mountain views, the stunning alpine lakes and the explosion of beautiful mountain wildflowers. And, yes… in fall, there’s even larch trees to enjoy on many of the Sunshine Meadows hiking trails.

Sunshine offers a free shuttle from the Town of Banff, making this one of the best hikes in Banff that doesn’t require a car. Find out more about the best hiking trails in the area and how to buy tickets in our full blog post on Hiking Sunshine Meadows.

Honorable Mentions – Easy Hikes in Banff

The following hikes have appeared on previous editions of our Best Hikes in Banff. Although they are no longer in our Top 25, they are still excellent easy hikes in Banff.

• Bankhead Ghost Town: The very easy hike around the Bankhead ghost town is one of the most fun things to do with kids in Banff National Park.
• Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail: follow the shoreline of this world-famous Banff lake.
• Sundance Canyon Trail: A highly scenic walk from the Cave & Basin National Historic Site to a canyon with a powerful waterfall.
• Lake Louise Shoreline Trail: a must-do for the views of this iconic lake.

The 15 Best Moderate Hikes in Banff National Park

1. Plain of the Six Glaciers Trail

Location: Lake Louise

In an area blessed with many amazing trails, we believe the Plain of the Six Glaciers Trail is one of the best hikes in Lake Louise. This moderately-challenging Banff hike offers hikers some of the best scenery in the national park, and a chance to enjoy some refreshments at one of the fabled Banff tea houses.

The Plain of the Six Glaciers trail begins with a magical 3 km walk along the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail (an honorable mention in the easy Banff hikes) where you can marvel at the turquoise-blue waters of this iconic Banff lake. Beyond the far end of Lake Louise, the Plain of the Six Glaciers hike ventures deep into a stunning natural mountain amphitheater.

The towering Rocky Mountain peaks which surround the trail are home to the massive glaciers for which this trail is named, including the iconic Victoria Glacier. In the summer, be sure to stop and listen; if you are lucky enough to hear the chilling sound of glacier ice cracking, you’ll never forget it.

On your way back to the lovely shores of Lake Louise, be sure to stop at the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House to enjoy some chocolate cake and coffee.

The Lake Louise parking lot often fills beyond capacity during the peak hiking season. If you’d like to experience the Plain of the Six Glaciers trail, we recommend you read about the Lake Louise shuttle bus and the many alternate ways of getting to Lake Louise.

Learn more about why this is one of the best Lake Louise hikes in our full blog post about the Plain of the Six Glaciers trail.

2. Parker Ridge Trail

Location: Icefields Parkway

We hiked Parker Ridge during our 2-night stay at the Glacier View Lodge at the Columbia Icefields. I had heard of what an excellent hike Parker Ridge was, and even so, I was still blown away by the views. If you are looking for a relatively short hike along the Icefields Parkway with an amazing payoff, look no further than Parker Ridge.

One of the reasons I enjoy Parker Ridge so much is that the views are non-stop, and not just at the end. The starts climbing immediately from the parking lot, and before long the views up-and-down the valley start to appear. It’s a short, steep hike, so there’s a well-placed bench halfway up where you can soak in the views.

I won’t ever forget the first moment when I reached the ridge and saw the view beyond, it completely blew me away. Seeing the full length of the Saskatchewan Glacier laid out below us was simply incredible. Even our kids noticed how special this view was!

If you are driving the Icefields Parkway or visiting the Columbia Icefield, I highly recommend squeezing in a few hours to hike Parker Ridge. In my opinion, it’s one of the best view-to-distance hikes in Banff National Park.

Learn more about this amazing Icefields Parkway hike in our full blog post about the Parker Ridge Trail.

3. Arnica Lake Trail

Location: Highway 93

The Arnica Lake trail is perhaps the most underrated hike in Banff National Park. This might be due to the fact it’s not located in the popular Banff hiking areas like Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. But rest assured, we rank the Arnica Lake hike so high on this list as it’s one of the best hikes in Banff National Park under 10 km.

The Arnica Lake hike winds its way up the lower slopes of Storm Mountain, visiting both Vista Lake and Arnica Lake along the way. The Rocky Mountain vistas you’ll earn along this rewarding Banff hike are excellent.

If you are lucky enough to visit Banff National Park in fall, you’ll be treated to golden larch trees surrounding Arnica Lake. If you are looking for one of the best larch hikes in Banff, the Arnica Lake trail is a worthy alternative to the super-popular Larch Valley Trail at Moraine Lake.

If you have the time and energy, you can continue on past Arnica Lake to see a few more beautiful Banff lakes on the Twin Lakes Trail.

Discover more reasons why we think this is one of the top best Banff hikes in our full blog post on the Arnica Lake trail.

4. Big Beehive Trail

Location: Lake Louise

The Big Beehive is a prominent rock structure that is easily visible from the shores of Lake Louise and Lake Agnes, The great news is that you can hike to the top of the Big Beehive! It’s incredibly scenic and is one of our favorite hikes around Lake Louise.

The hike to the Big Beehive begins at the Lake Agnes Tea House. From here, it’s a very enjoyable easy hike along the shoreline to the far end of Lake Agnes. Then you’ll climb a short section of steep switchbacks, until you reach the top.

Once at the top of the switchbacks, the easy hiking returns and it’s a pleasant, fun walk along the rocky spine of the Big Beehive to the very top. There’s several spots where you can pull over and enjoy amazing elevated views of Lake Louise; you won’t believe how much more electric the turquoise water gets from high above.

But, as you’d expect, the views are best at the end of the Big Beehive trail, where you can not only see the otherworldly colors of Lake Louise below, but far off into the Bow Valley with countless peaks of the Canadian Rockies in the distance.

Discover why we think this day hike is one of the best Banff hiking trails in our full post on the Big Beehive trail.

5. Helen Lake Trail

Location: Icefields Parkway

With amazing mountain and glacier views, streams, wildflowers, and ever-changing changing scenery, the Helen Lake hike is one of the most scenic hikes along the Icefields Parkway. We did this hike with our kids on our way to the Columbia Icefield, and I loved how it kept evolving and surprising us along the way.

The first thing I noticed about the Helen Lake trail was the astounding amount of tree roots on the trail! But as soon as the views of the Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Lake started to appear, I completely forgot about the roots. I had never seen Bow Lake from altitude before and was amazing at the brilliant color, which you don’t see from the highway below.

One of my favourite parts of the Helen Lake hike was an amazing viewpoint before the trail wraps around Crystal Ridge, where you can see Bow Lake, Crowfoot Glacier, Crowfoot Mountain, Bowcrow Peak, and Bow Peak all at once.

Around the bend, the Helen Lake hike feels like a brand new experience. Dolomite Peak now dominates the view as you walk through a meadow admiring wildflowers, rivers and waterfalls.

To be honest, Helen Lake itself is not going to be featured on any Banff postcards, but that’s besides the point. The hike to get to Helen Lake was so scenic that it still earns a very high spot on our list of the best moderate hikes in Banff National Park.

For more pictures and all the details you need, don’t miss our post on the Helen Lake Trail.

6. Larch Valley / Sentinel Pass Trail

Location: Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is considered by many to be the most beautiful spot in Banff National Park, and the Larch Valley Hike is considered one of the best hikes in Moraine Lake. With this unbeatable combination, it’s no wonder the Larch Valley – Sentinel Pass trail is one of the best hikes in Banff National Park.

The Larch Valley trail is a moderately challenging uphill climb up the lower slopes of Mount Temple. If you can make it up the switchbacks (and most determined hikers can), you’ll be rewarded with an easy walk though a massive larch forest. From this elevated vantage point, the views of the Valley of the Ten Peaks above the larch trees are simply amazing.

While the Larch Valley trail is one of the best hikes in Banff during any month it is accessible, the Larch Valley trail (literally) shines in late September, when the needles on the larch trees turn a beautiful gold color.

One of the largest larch forests in Banff National Park, a walk through Larch Valley in peak larch season is an experience you will not soon forget. Larch hikes are incredibly popular in Banff in fall, and it’s easy to see why the Larch Valley trail is widely considered one of the best larch hikes in Alberta.

Sentinel Pass Add-on

The official Larch Valley trail ends when you reach the beautiful Minnestimma Lakes at the beginning of the alpine zone on Mount Temple, but there is an excellent add-on hike to continue the adventure. The Sentinel Pass trail is a short, steep zig-zag up to a mountain pass in-between Pinnacle Mountain and Mount Temple.

Standing at the top of Sentinel Pass, you’ll marvel at the majesty of Banff National Park – this vista competes with the Aylmer Lookout as one of the best viewpoints in Banff.

From Sentinel Pass, you can see the incredible mountains of the Valley of the Ten Peaks standing guard over the huge larch forest you just hiked through. And, on the other side of the pass you can see the Grand Sentinel, a massive quartzite pinnacle jutting out of the rocky slope, overlooking Paradise Valley below.

The Larch Valley hike is one of the most sought-after hikes in Banff National Park, but it takes some pre-planning to get there. Do not count on getting a spot in the Moraine Lake parking lot as the road is closed to the public. Instead, you’ll need to read more about getting to Moraine Lake, which often requires taking a shuttle to Moraine Lake.

Once you’ve figured out how to get to Moraine Lake (trust us, it’s worth the effort!), then learn more about why this we consider the Larch Valley Trail and the Sentinel Pass Trail as two of the best hikes in Banff National Park.

7. Castle Mountain Lookout Trail

Location: Bow Valley Parkway

Speaking of the best hikes in Banff National Park for views, you won’t do much better than the Castle Mountain Lookout trail. We’ve included the Castle Mountain Lookout hike on our list of the best hikes in Banff as it’s easily one of the best panoramic viewpoints in the national park.  

Once you see it from the Trans-Canada Highway or the Bow Valley Parkway, you’ll immediately know why Castle Mountain is considered one of the most majestic mountains in Banff National Park.

One of the reasons I love the Castle Mountain Lookout hike so much is the opportunity to get an up-close view of the towering rock walls that make Castle Mountain so stately.

But, what makes this one of the best hikes in Banff National Park is the incredible panoramic views. From the Castle Mountain Lookout, you can see all the way down the Bow Valley as far as the iconic Three Sisters Mountain in Canmore, an incredible 60 km away!

If you are looking for one of the best Banff hikes to a viewpoint, but don’t feel up to the effort required to reach the Aylmer Lookout, the Castle Mountain Lookout trail is an excellent choice.

8. Healy Pass Trail

Location: Sunshine Village Ski Resort

The Healy Pass hike at Sunshine Village is one of the most beautiful larch hikes in Banff National Park. With incredible views and a truly massive larch forest, the Healy Pass trail is a must-do Banff hike in fall.

The trailhead for the Healy Pass trail is in the Sunshine Village parking lot. At a time when parking is nearly impossible to find at some of the other popular Banff larch hikes, you are virtually guaranteed to get a parking spot for the Healy Pass hike – trust us, this is a big deal.

The Healy Pass trail is a little further down this list of the best hikes in Banff as some hikers complain about the ‘boring’ forest hike on the way to the larch forest. While it’s true the first 7 km or so is pretty dense forest without many mountain views, it is a beautiful, lush forest which follows Healy Creek. It’s not the most scenic 7 km of hiking in Banff, but we thought it was easy, quick and a very nice forest.

Learn more about this exceptionally scenic Banff hike on our full blog post on the Healy Pass hike.

9. Bow Summit Trail

Location: Icefields Parkway

I love hikes like the Bow Summit trail that give you plenty of rewards for your efforts. This hike really stands out as it gives you two incredible lake views on one trail, first Peyto Lake, then Bow Lake. It’s a combination that’s hard to beat for a moderate hike along the Icefields Parkway.

Your hike begins along the ever-popular walking trail to Peyto Lake. Make sure you take time to stop at the viewpoint, it’s one of the most photographed spots in Banff National Park for a reason.

Beyond Peyto Lake, the hiking trail to the Bow Summit viewpoint is very scenic. It doesn’t take long for the trail to open up and you’ll be treated to outstanding mountain, glacier and valley views nearly the whole way.

The views from the Bow Summit Lookout are really what earns this hike a spot on this list. Looking out over Bow Lake, Bow Glacier, and the surrounding peaks feels like a huge reward for a trail that is not especially long or difficult. There are not many hikes in Banff that offer this much scenery for such a moderate amount of effort.

We share everything you need to know about this moderate Banff hike in our post on the Bow Summit Trail.

10. Boom Lake Trail

Location: Highway 93

Another of the great, yet underrated Banff hikes, sits tucked away on the Banff Windermere Highway (Highway 93). To be honest, the peaceful hike through the forest to Boom Lake isn’t the most exciting hiking trail in Banff National Park, but there are some truly massive trees as your near the lake.

What makes the Boom Lake hike so appealing to many is that it is a moderately long, but reasonably easy hike to a gorgeous Banff lake. With jagged Rocky Mountains on all sides and incredibly clear, freezing cold water, the scenery you’ve earned by hiking to Boom Lake is comparable to that of the best hikes in Banff National Park found towards the top of this list.

Learn more about this hidden gem Banff hiking trail in our full blog post on the Boom Lake hike.

11. C-Level Cirque Hike

Location: Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive

So far, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake have been hogging the majority of the spots on this list of the best hikes in Banff National Park. But there are other great areas to hike outside of these iconic Banff lakes, including the Lake Minnewanka area. One of our favorite hikes in the Lake Minnewanka area is the C-Level Cirque Trail.

The C-Level Cirque hike begins through a lush evergreen forest on the lower slopes of Cascade Mountain. Along the way, you’ll pass historic remnants of the abandoned Bankhead coal mine, including some buildings and some fenced off mining shafts.

When you emerge from the forest, you’ll be standing at the bottom of a majestic Cascade Mountain cirque; a semi-circle amphitheatre of towering mountain cliffs. The giant boulder field is a great place to stop and marvel at the rock wall extending 1 km overhead; a unique opportunity to contemplate the sheer size of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Most hikers end their C-Level Cirque hike there, but it’s possible to continue hiking to the beginning of the alpine zone where the forest stops growing. From this vantage point, you can see Johnson Lake, Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake – three of Banff’s most beautiful lakes in one incredible vista.

Discover why this is one of the best hikes in Lake Minnewanka in our full post on the C-Level Cirque Trail.

12. Saddleback Pass Trail

Location: Lake Louise

With so many amazing hikes around the Lake Louise area, the Saddleback Pass hike is often overlooked, which is a shame as it’s one of the best hikes in Lake Louise, especially when you pair it up with the Sheol Valley trail, creating a loop back to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

The Saddleback Pass trail begins along the turquoise shores of Lake Louise, making its way through a lush forest on Fairview Mountain leading to a beautiful alpine meadow with spectacular views.

Continuing on past the Saddleback Pass takes you into Sheol Valley where you’ll feel so small compared to the giant mountain peaks towering directly overhead.

As with many of the hikes around Lake Louise, the Saddleback Pass Trail and the beginning of the Sheol Valley trail are wonderful larch tree hikes. Saddleback Pass is especially popular during larch season; we recommend escaping the crowds and continuing onto the Sheol Valley trail (even if you plan to turn back) to enjoy the larch trees in peace.

Get trail maps and details in our full blog posts on the Saddleback Pass trail and the Sheol Valley Trail – two of the best hikes in Banff National Park.

13. Lake Agnes Trail

Location: Lake Louise

Easily one of the most popular Lake Louise hikes, the Lake Agnes trail is a short, uphill hiking trail leading to two stunning mountain lakes, each with its own beautiful mountain vista.

The trail to Mirror Lake (the first of the two lakes) is a bit steep, but is manageable by most hikers, regardless of skill level. Mirror Lake is a modest lake by Banff standards, but what makes it special is that it rests at the bottom of the Big Beehive; a towering, near-vertical, rounded massif which towers over the lake.

After leaving Mirror Lake, your next stop will be along the side of a beautiful Banff waterfall, fed by water from nearby Lake Agnes. A quick climb up a wooden staircase and you will discover why the Lake Agnes hike is so popular.

Surrounded on all sides by jagged Rocky Mountains, the setting for Lake Agnes is breathtaking. It’s hard to find a short Banff hike which offers comparable scenery to the Lake Agnes hike.

Be sure to reward yourself for completing one of the best Banff hikes, with a tasty treat from the historic Lake Agnes Tea House. Named for the original First Lady of Canada, the Lake Agnes Tea House has been serving tea to hikers since 1905!

If you are interested in this exceptional Banff National Park hike, learn more in our full post on the Lake Agnes Tea House Trail.

14. Taylor Lake / O’Brien Lake Trail

Location: Trans-Canada Highway near Lake Louise

The Taylor Lake hike is one of the most popular day hikes in Banff. Located on the TransCanada Highway, just east of the Lake Louise junction, the Taylor Lake hiking trail follows the path of Taylor Creek through a dense, lush evergreen forest on the lower slopes on Mount Bell. The hiking trail is 2-3 people wide nearly the whole way up to Taylor Lake, making it one of the best hikes in Banff National Park for groups.

As with most Banff lakes, the natural setting for Taylor Lake is breathtaking. Taylor Lake rests at the bottom of the rocky Mount Bell and forested Panorama Peak, creating some magnificent reflections on still Banff mornings.

Taylor Lake is one of the most enjoyable year-round hikes near Lake Louise, but it’s especially beautiful in the fall when the lake is surrounded by golden larch trees. There’s a short add-on hike you can’t miss during larch season which takes you to a large larch forest near Panorama Peak.

Speaking of Taylor Lake add-on hikes, if you have the energy, we recommend you also visit O’Brien Lake. For an additional 2 km (one way), you can see another beautiful Banff alpine lake, this time on the opposite side of Mount Bell.

Learn more about these very scenic hikes in Banff in our full blog posts on the Taylor Lake Trail and the O’Brien Lake Trail.

15. Little Beehive Trail

Location: Lake Louise

As with the Big Beehive hike, the Little Beehive hike also begins near the Lake Agnes Tea House. The Little Beehive trail isn’t as popular as the Big Beehive, but it’s short and offers some outstanding views of the Bow Valley and the Lake Louise area.

Along the Little Beehive hike you’ll enjoy views of Mirror Lake, Lake Louise, the Chateau Lake Louise, Mt. Fairview, the Lake Louise Ski Resort, and literally countless peaks of the Canadian Rockies looking west down the Bow Valley towards Canmore.

The Little Beehive hike is short enough to pair with the Big Beehive hike as part of the ‘Beehive Circuit’.

Learn more about this very scenic, yet short add-on to the Lake Agnes Tea House trail in our full blog post on the Little Beehive trail.

Honorable Mentions – Moderate Hikes in Banff

The following hikes have appeared on previous editions of our Best Hikes in Banff. Although they are no longer in our Top 25, they are still excellent moderate hikes in Banff.

• Sulphur Mountain Trail: Skip the Banff Gondola and hike up instead! It’s one of the best hikes in the Town of Banff.
• Hidden Lake Trail: a very enjoyable hike near Lake Louise to an alpine Banff lake with an inspiring conservation story.

The 5 Best Difficult Hikes in Banff National Park

1. Wenkchemna Pass via Eiffel Lake Trail

Location: Lake Louise

The Valley of the Ten Peaks at Moraine Lake is so beautiful that it used to be featured on the back of the Canadian $20 bill. One of the best Moraine Lake hikes for Valley of the Ten Peaks scenery is the Eiffel Lake trail to Wenkchemna Pass.

Although it is not as famous or popular as the Larch Valley trail, Eiffel Lake is quite possibly one of the most beautiful Banff hikes near Moraine Lake. A moderate hike, the Eiffel Lake trail showcases some of the best scenery in the Lake Louise / Moraine Lake area. We love this Banff National Park hiking trail for its incredible views of the Valley of the Ten Peaks, but it gets even better in the Banff larch tree season.

If, like us, you don’t want the scenery to end, you can continue on for another 3 km beyond Eiffel Lake to Wenkchemna Pass. This add-on to the Eiffel Lake hike offers some of the best views of the Valley of the Ten Peaks that you can find anywhere in the national park. In fact, you can see nine of the ten peaks at once, with the 10th and final peak hiding just around the corner. It doesn’t get much better than this! 

We love that you can get all this incredible scenery on the Eiffel Lake Trail to Wenkchemna Pass without the crowds found on the nearby Larch Valley trail. If you promise not to tell anyone about this well-kept secret, we’ll let you read more about the Eiffel Lake trail and the Wenkchemna Pass trail. 😉

2. Aylmer Lookout Trail

Location: Lake Minnewanka

It’s not easy to get to the Aylmer Lookout, but those who make the effort are rewarded with one of the best viewpoints in Banff National Park. This is not an exaggeration, the scenery from Aylmer Lookout is stunning!

There are a few challenges hikers face to get to the Aylmer Lookout, but this makes it all the more rewarding when you get to the scenic viewpoint:

To get to Aylmer Lookout, you must first make it to the trailhead, which is 7.8 km from the start of the Lake Minnewanka Shoreline Trail. You can mountain bike the shoreline trail in the shoulder seasons, making it a bit faster to get to the Aylmer Lookout trailhead.

This is grizzly bear territory and in the prime Banff hiking months Parks Canada mandates that hikers must travel in groups of at least 4 people and carry bear spray.

Once you reach the Aylmer Lookout trailhead, it’s a 4 km uphill slog to the viewpoint.

But, if you are up to these challenges, the payoff is so worth it. Aylmer Lookout is a rocky outcrop located along the first bend of Lake Minnewanka (the largest lake in Banff National Park).

Being 500 m above the water, you can see 8 km across the water towards Tunnel Mountain and another 10 km to the south-east. Countless peaks of the Canadian Rockies line the shores of Lake Minnewanka and beyond, making this my personal favorite scenic viewpoint in Banff National Park.

With such amazing scenery, the Aylmer Lookout hike is one of the best Lake Minnewanka hikes. For more details, see our full blog post on the Aylmer Lookout hike.

If you are an avid hiker, check out our 7 Day Banff Itinerary for Hikers.

3. Devil’s Thumb

Location: Lake Louise

Devil’s Thumb is one of the most exciting and rewarding hikes in Banff National Park, but it is definitely not for everyone. This is a hike for confident hikers who are comfortable with steep terrain, loose footing, and a bit of exposure. The climb up Devil’s Thumb is a short extension of the Big Beehive trail (a featured moderate hike above), but it adds a ton of adventure with an incredible payoff at the top.

Leaving the Big Beehive, the Devil’s Thumb trail gets steep quickly, and you’ll need to watch your step. One of my favourite moments on this hike comes early on; take a break and turn around to see Lake Agnes and the teahouse through the trees.

As you continue upwards, the views just keep getting better. There are incredible views across to Fairview Mountain, Temple Mountain, Haddo Peak, and Aberdeen. Then Lake Louise appears from an angle that most people ever see.

It is not a hike I would recommend for anyone with a fear of heights, but if that kind of terrain does not bother you, the scenery is amazing almost the entire way.

The final climb is steep, loose, and slippery in spots. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most incredible viewpoints in Banff National Park. You can actually see Lake Louise and Lake Agnes at the same time! You can also see the Little Beehive, the Big Beehive, the switchbacks, the Lake Louise Ski Resort, Temple Mountain, and the huge peaks and glaciers around the Plain of the Six Glaciers.

There’s not not many viewpoints in Banff where you can see so many famous landmarks at once, which is exactly why Devil’s Thumb deserves a spot on this list. This is a challenging Banff National Park hike, which isn’t for everyone. See if it’s right for you in our post on the Devil’s Thumb Trail.

4. Rockbound Lake Trail

If you are looking for a hidden gem in Banff National Park, check out the Rockbound Lake Trail. This one is a lesser-known Banff hike compared to some of the more famous Banff trails, but we think it easily earns a spot on this list.

One of the things I like most about the Rockbound Lake trail is how much the scenery changes along the way. It starts in a lush forest with a mossy carpet, but the higher you go, the more dramatic it gets. As you reach higher altitudes, you enter a huge mountain amphitheatre with cliffs, open slopes, and huge scenery.

Another reason the Rockbound Lake hike belongs on this list is how fun the hiking trail is. There are little bridges, flagstones over muddy sections, creeks, and lots of great views as you go, especially once Castle Mountain comes into view.

In September, the fall colours along this trail are beautiful. We even got to watch a male Spruce Grouse putting on a full mating display for a female nearby, which was such a fun and unexpected wildlife moment.

There is also a steep viewpoint above Rockbound Lake, and the views are incredible, with both Rockbound Lake and Tower Lake below and Castle Mountain stretching out in front of you.

Rockbound Lake is one of the best challenging hikes in Banff if you want a less crowded trail that still delivers big scenery. For more information, don’t miss our full post on the Rockbound Lake Trail.

5. Lake Minnewanka Trail

The Lake Minnewanka Trail is unique as it could fall into any of the three difficulty buckets on this list. It begins from the Lake Minnewanka day use area and follows the lakeshore for 15 km, giving you the opportunity for a 30 km roundtrip. But, you can really make it as long or as short as you want it; the views are beautiful the whole way.

Not surprisingly, you get a ton of variety along this long Banff hike. Along the 15 km hike, you’ll get lake views, mossy forest, a fun bridge over Stewart Canyon, rocky sections, little beaches, wildflowers, and big mountain views across the water to Mt. Inglismaldie, Mt. Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, and Tunnel Mountain.

This a rare shared use trail in Banff National Park, which allows mountain biking at certain times of the year. The last time we did this trail, we biked to the Aylmer Lookout, then locked up our bikes before climbing up to the lookout.

This is prime grizzly territory, so paying attention to seasonal restrictions is important. Get full details in our post on the Lake Minnewanka trail.

Banff Hiking Gear

Even if you only go on a few of the best hikes in Banff, we recommend you read our posts about essential Banff hiking gear and Banff hiking clothes. You’ll learn about the hiking gear and clothing we recommend to get the most enjoyment out of these Banff hikes your hike, regardless of the variable weather and trail conditions.

Banff Hiking Safety

Our list of the best Banff day hikes includes front-country trails that are well travelled, well maintained and are pretty safe from technical hazards. That said, it’s important to educate yourself on the safety elements of hiking in Banff National Park.