Best Hiking Trails in Alberta in the Banff Area

Best Hiking Trails in Alberta in the Banff Area

Posted on September 28, 2015

Whether you like to explore Alberta's best hiking trails and roads on foot or by bicycle, the beautiful scenery of Canada's flagship Banff National Park offering tall peaks, thick forests, and clear lakes fed by glaciers all await you. Check out these fantastic Alberta hiking trails in the Lake Louise and Banff areas!

Tunnel Mountain

With its 4.8 km distance and a 260 m elevation, this peak was named the "Sleeping Buffalo" because of its great views of the Banff town and Bown River below. The Tunnel Mountain trail begins with a steep incline but continues on with varied levels that will ensure you're way up before you know it! The trailhead is located on St. Julien Road near The Banff Centre, and it's rated a moderately difficult trail.

Sunshine Meadows

Lonely Planet has rated this 3.6 km trail the #1 hike in Canada! Catch the great views of Mt. Assiniboine on this 3-hour trail, rated easy and starting at Sunshine Village.

Cascade Ampitheatre

Starting at the Mt. Norquay ski area, this 15 km trail is rated moderately difficult. After wandering through beautiful forests, hikers emerge at the Cascade Ampitheatre which is surrounded by huge cliffs of limestone. The trail takes between 4 to 6 hours to complete.

Cory Pass - Mt. Edith Circuit

For the experienced hiker, this challenging trail takes 5 to 6 hours to finish and has an elevation of 915 m. The highlight of the 13 km trail is the awe-inspiring Mt. Louis south side.

Johnston Canyon

The beauty of the Johnston Canyon trail is that it is open in winter as well as in summer. Ice climbers can be seen climbing its frozen waterfalls in frigid weather. In summer, the same gorgeous views of the Upper and Lower Falls are what keep hikers coming back. Starting at the Johnston Canyon Parking Lot, the 4.8 km trail takes only about 1.5 hours to walk and is rated easy.