Hiking the Icefields
If you are in Banff, treat yourself to at least one day north of Banff, and at a minimum head to Lake Louise and Petyo Lake. If you have more time, spend a whole day at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, and take another day to drive and hike the Icefields. Note that if you drive from Banff into the Icefields, you will spend a lot of your day in the car if you plan to drive back to Banff in the evening. Instead, enjoy the Icefields and spend the night in Jasper. This is some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever hiked in. Give yourself time to enjoy the Icefields.
For hikes in and around Banff, reference an earlier post:
This post will start at Boom Lake and heads up the Icefields into Jasper. Reference the maps for trailhead locations to help you plan out your trip.
Boom Lake
Boom Lake Trail
Trailhead Location – Take the Castle Junction exit from Trans-Canada Hwy 1. Go south on Banff-Windermere Hwy 7.1km to the Boom Lake Day Use Area.
Trail Distance – 5.1km from the parking lot to Boom Lake
Elevation Gain – 185m
Moraine Lake
The parking area will fill up quickly. Plan to arrive early in the day.
Moraine Lake Shoreline
Trailhead Location – Moraine Lake Parking Lot
Trail Distance – 3km loop
Elevation Gain – N/A
Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass
Trailhead Location – Moraine Lake Parking Lot. The trail takes off from the west side of the lake.
Trail Distance – 5.8km from Parking lot to Sentinel Pass
Elevation Gain – 725m
Lake Louise
This parking area will fill up quickly as well. Plan to arrive early or late in the day. The parking lot is near the Fairmont Chateau, and it is just a short walk to Lake Louise.
There is a not a trail that loops around Lake Louise. The Fairview Lookout trail goes off to the left of the lake (past the canoe rental area). A trail will branch off of the Fairview Lookout trail for Saddleback Pass and Fairview Mountain. There is also a trail that follows along the lake without elevation gain along the right side, and it reaches just about to the other side of the lake. A fourth option is to hike up to the teahouses. This trail branches off just past the chateau towards the right side of the lake.
Fairview Lookout
Trailhead Location – Go towards the left of the lake (the side with the canoes) for the trailhead.
Trail Distance – 1km from the trailhead to the view of Lake Louise
Elevation Gain – 125m
Saddleback Pass
Trailhead Location – This trail begins with the Fairview Lookout trail and branches off away from the lake
Trail Distance – 3.7km from Chateau to Saddle Peak
Elevation Gain – 595m
Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail
Trailhead Location – Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (short walk from the Lake Louise Parking Lot)
Trail Distance – 2km from the Chateau to the end of the lake
Elevation Gain – N/A
Lake Agnes Teahouse, Big Beehive, Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse, and Abbot Pass
Trailhead Location – Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (short walk from the Lake Louise Parking Lot)
Trail Distance – 1.8 km from Chateau to Lake Agnes tea house. 1.6km from tea house to Big Beehive. 2.2km from Big Beehive to Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. 1km from Teahouse to Abbot Pass.
Elevation Gain – 365m
Other Notes – Other branch-off hikes are Devil’s Thumb and Mount St. Piran.
Ice Fields
As you continue to drive north on Trans-Canada Hwy 1 past Lake Louise, you will enter a stretch of highway referred to as the Ice Fields. I have been on many road trips, and thus far, this stretch of road ranks for me as the most beautiful highway that I’ve ever been on. Enjoy, take your time, and pay attention to the below mileage from Lake Louise if you plan on returning in the evening to Banff, as it’s easy to lose track of time out here.
Herbert Lake
Distance from Lake Louise – 6km
Trail Distance – 1.6km loop
Elevation Gain – 42m
Hector Lake
Distance from Lake Louise – 19km
Trail Distance – 4.5km from parking lot to the lake
Elevation Gain – 107m
Other Notes – to get to Hector Lake, you will need to ford Bow River (may be waist deep)
Molar Pass
Distance from Lake Louise – 24km – Park on the driveway of Mosquito Creek campground and cross the highway. The trail starts on the bank of Mosquito Creek.
Trail Distance – 50.7km loop
Elevation Gain – 1,950m
Other Notes – This is likely a multi-day hike
Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint, Helen Lake / Cirque Peak
Distance from Lake Louise – 36km
Trail Distance – Photo opportunity of Crowfoot Glacier from parking lot. 11.5km from parking lot to lake. Continue 4.5km to Cirque Peak.
Elevation Gain – 1,129
Bow Glacier Falls
Distance from Lake Louise – 40km
Trail Distance – 8.7km from parking lot
Elevation Gain – 266m
Petyo Lake
Distance from Lake Louise – 43km
Trail Distance – 2.7km loop trail
Elevation Gain – 115m
Other Notes – This is a very heavily populated trail, but you’ll understand why when you are at the viewpoint.
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Bow Summit
Distance from Lake Louise – 43km (shares parking lot with Petyo Lake)
Trail Distance – 5.3km from parking lot to final viewpoint
Elevation Gain – 245m
Chephren Lake
Distance from Lake Louise – 60km – Parking is at Waterfowl Lakes Campground
Trail Distance – 3.5km from trailhead to Chephren Lake
Elevation Gain – 80m
Cirque Lake
Distance from Lake Louise – 60km – This trailhead is shared with Chephren Lake
Trail Distance – 4.2km from trailhead to Cirque Lake
Elevation Gain – 150m
Mistaya Canyon
Distance from Lake Louise – 74km
Trail Distance – 1.1km from trailhead to waterfall
Elevation Gain – 57m
Glacier Lake
Distance from Lake Louise – 81km
Trail Distance – 16.9km from trailhead to lake
Elevation Gain – 870m
Sunset Pass / Sunset Lookout
Distance from Lake Louise – 96km – Park in Norman Creek parking area
Trail Distance – 13.7km from trailhead to waterfall
Elevation Gain – 865m
Weeping Wall
Distance from Lake Louise – 109km – A pullout to take pictures
Bridal Veil Falls
Distance from Lake Louise – 120km
Trail Distance – 2.1km from trailhead to waterfall
Elevation Gain – 48m
Parker Ridge
Distance from Lake Louise – 121km
Trail Distance – 2.5km from trailhead to waterfall
Elevation Gain – 267m
Wilcox Pass
Distance from Lake Louise – 127km
Trail Distance – 4.7km from trailhead to last view
Elevation Gain – 522m
Icefield Center and Athabasca Glacier
Distance from Lake Louise – 130km
This is a visitor center with great resources. Walk across the parking lot and highway to see the Athabasca Glacier. You will only be able to walk on the glacier as part of a tour (tickets sold in the Icefield Center).
Note that from this point north, trails will be indicated as in Jasper National Park (not Banff).
Tangle Creek Falls
Distance from Lake Louise – 137km
Viewpoint from the Road
Beauty Creek
Distance from Lake Louise – 146km
Trail Distance – 1.7km from trailhead to Stanley Falls
Elevation Gain – 130m
Sunwapta Falls
Distance from Lake Louise – 179km
Trail Distance – 1.6km from trailhead to falls
Elevation Gain – 134m
Athabasca Falls
Distance from Lake Louise – 192km
Trail Distance – 0.4km from parking lot to falls
Elevation Gain – 26m
Wabasso Lake and Valley of Five Lakes
Distance from Lake Louise – 224km
Trail Distance – 11.9km loop
Elevation – 291m
Jasper
We ran out of time once we’d made it to Jasper to do much hiking, but we did go to Whistlers Mountain and road the Jasper SkyTram up. There is a 1.2km trail up to the mountain summit.
What we learned
Spend a night or 2 in Jasper. It’s too far to drive and do everything between Banff and Jasper and have anytime to enjoy Jasper
Internet resources are hard to find to know where all of the trailheads are. I had a list of favorite hikes that I had found from reviewers, but wasn’t sure where to find the hikes. Once we made it up to the Icefield Center, we were able to get information, but by then the day was half over. Hopefully this post helps with the trailhead piece so you can best plan out your trip. Enjoy the Icefields!
Planning a trip to Banff? Start here with a travel guide. Easily find trailhead locations and basic trail information for hikes in and near the city of Banff.