Town of Banff

Hiking in the Park

An easy hike makes a great family outing in Banff National Park Photo: Travel Alberta

Many of Banff National Park’s hiking trails are a short drive from the town of Banff. We are pleased to provide hiking guides for six of the most popular trails and hikes near Banff, courtesy of Summerthought Publishing:

• Cave and Basin to Sundance Canyon (Banff Townsite)
• C Level Cirque (Lake Minnewanka Road)
• Aylmer Pass (Lake Minnewanka Road)
• Lake Minnewanka to Devil's Gap (Lake Minnewanka Road)
• Cascade Amphitheatre (Mount Norquay Road)
• Johnston Canyon Trail to the Ink Pots (Bow Valley Parkway)

Many other excellent hikes originate in the Bow Valley between Banff and Lake Louise, starting at trailheads located along the Trans-Canada Highway, the Bow Valley Parkway, and Highway 93 Icefields Parkway.

• Visit Banff National Park of Canada for more information.

You’ll also find lots of shorter hikes and walks within walking distance from downtown Banff.  You can fit one into a lunch break, or link several together for a longer outing.

• Hiking and Walking in Banff

For young adults (ages 18 - 35) living in the area, BanffLIFE offers a non-profit Mountain Adventure Program including guided hikes throughout the summer.

Trail descriptions are from the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide (Brian Patton and Bart Robinson; Summerthought Publishing), the original hiking guide to Banff National Park and the contiguous parks. Originally published in 1971 and now in its 8th edition, this book details over 3,400 kilometres of hiking trails in Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay and Waterton Lakes National Parks.