15 Best Hikes in BANFF: For Families to Thrill-Seekers

Banff National Park is a hiker’s paradise, offering some of the most stunning scenery in the Canadian Rockies. Whether you’re an experienced trekker or a casual walker, the park has something for everyone. Here are the 15 best hikes in Banff that you absolutely cannot miss.

Before You Go

Best Time to Visit or Hike in BANFF

When planning your hiking adventure in Banff, it’s essential to consider the best time to visit to make the most of your experience. Banff National Park offers incredible hiking opportunities year-round, but each season comes with its own set of pros and cons.

Peak Season: June to September

June through September is obviously peak season in BANFF for many reasons: holidays, summertime, and weather.

Pros: warm weather, thawed lakes, long days for more hiking/exploring, wildflowers in peak bloom (July & August).

Cons: crowds, higher accommodation costs, difficulty parking (tips on that below!), shuttle-only access to Moraine Lake, limited parking at Lake Louise (shuttle recommended).

Shoulder Seasons: May to Early June and Late September to October

If you’re trying to avoid the crowds but still be able to enjoy the lakes and hikes, consider shoulder season.

Pros: fewer crowds, beautiful scenery, milder temperatures for hiking.

Cons: unpredictable weather, snowy or muddy trail conditions, limited lake access/frozen lakes.

Low Season: November to April

The low season for BANFF would be the winter season. There is still plenty to do, but will be different based on amounts of snow and temperatures.

Pros: winter activities (hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, ice skating), winter scenery, fewer visitors

Cons: cold temperatures (below -4F), limited trail access due to snow and ice, shorter days/reduced daylight hours.

When Lake Louise is Thawed

Lake Louise typically thaws by late June, and its mesmerizing turquoise waters are at their best from July to early September. This period is ideal for hiking trails such as the Plain of Six Glaciers and Lake Agnes Tea House, where you can fully appreciate the beauty of the lake and surrounding peaks.

Required Passes and Reservations

Banff National Park Pass

To visit Banff National Park, you need a valid national park pass:

• Day Pass: CAD 11 per adult, CAD 22 per group/family (up to 7 people). Valid for one day.
• Discovery Pass: CAD 75.25 per adult, CAD 151.25 per group/family. Valid for one year, includes access to over 80 national parks and sites in Canada.

Purchase passes online, at park entry gates, visitor centers, or authorized vendors. The BANFF includes entry to BANFF, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Waterton Lakes and Elk Island.

Kananaskis Conservation Pass

For vehicle access to Kananaskis Country, you need a conservation pass:

• Daily Pass: CAD 15.00 per vehicle. Valid for one day.
• Annual Pass: CAD 90.00 per vehicle. Valid for one year.

Purchase passes online, at self-serve kiosks, or authorized vendors. We recommend a Kananaskis pass to hike Grassi Lakes (easy) and/or EEOR (hard).

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Shuttle

Due to the popularity of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, parking and road access is limited. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. And, during peak season, Lake Louise parking is full from sunrise to sunset. The easiest way to see both lakes is to plan ahead and reserve a shuttle.

Tips for Accessing Lake Louise

The Lake Louise signs will say that parking is full during peak season, however, if you check reviews like on AllTrails, you’ll notice that people are able to get parking, if they go very early or very late in the day.

If you don’t want to risk the parking spot, you have 3 options:

1. Parks Canada Shuttles (sells out early, but has last-minute passes sold 2 days before)
2. Roam Public Transit (sells out early)
3. Book a tour – we highly recommend this award-winning tour for sunrise at both lakes or for a cheap option, a simple shuttle

Tips for Accessing Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake road is closed year rounds to private vehicles. So, you best way to access is the same as above for Lake Louise:

1. Parks Canada Shuttles (sells out early, but has last-minute passes sold 2 days before)
2. Roam Public Transit (sells out early)
3. Book a tour – we highly recommend this award-winning tour for sunrise at both lakes or for a cheap option, a simple shuttle

Google Map of BANFF

As with all of our destinations, we save all of our favorite and recommended spots in a Google Map. You can find the map for BANFF below, as well as on our Travel Maps page with all of our other destinations.

Best Hikes in BANFF for Families, Seniors (Easy Hikes)

1. Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail

• Distance: 0.8 km (0.5 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 32 ft
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Difficulty: Easy
• Gear Recommendations: Comfortable walking shoes, no poles needed

The Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail is a short, easy hike that offers one of the most iconic views in the Canadian Rockies. Starting from the Moraine Lake parking area, the trail leads you up a series of steps and rock formations to the top of the rockpile. From this vantage point, you are treated to a breathtaking panorama of Moraine Lake’s striking turquoise waters surrounded by the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

The trail is well-maintained and accessible for hikers of all ages and skill levels, making it an excellent choice for families and those looking for a quick, rewarding hike. Along the way, interpretive signs provide information about the area’s geology and natural history. The Rockpile Trail is an absolute must-visit for photographers and nature enthusiasts, offering one of the best hikes in Banff for capturing the stunning beauty of Moraine Lake.

Pro-tip: once you get to Moraine Lake, go immediately left to start the Rockpile trail. The views are 1000% better than anywhere else on the lake, no point in stopping at the front.

2. Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail

• Distance: 2.3 miles
• Elevation Gain: 314 ft
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 1 hour
• Difficulty: Easy
• Gear Recommendations: Comfortable walking shoes, no poles needed

The Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail is an easy out-and-back trail along Moraine Lake. It’s relatively flat, and offers great views of the lake. We recommend this trail only if you decide not to canoe on the lake, as they offer the same views. Otherwise, our recommendation for visiting Moraine Lake is to go to Rockpile first, then rent a canoe for an hour – and you’re done!

Pro-tip: consider this trail if you have extra time at Moraine Lake, or don’t canoe.

3. Johnston Canyon (Upper and Lower Falls)

• Distance: 5.4 km (3.4 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 898 ft
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Gear Recommendations: Comfortable walking shoes, no poles needed, strollers possible

Johnston Canyon to Upper Falls and/or Lower Falls is one of the best hikes in Banff for families and beginners. The trail takes you through a series of breathtaking waterfalls and deep canyons. The path is well-maintained and offers numerous photo opportunities along the way.

If you plan on doing the Lower Falls, know that during peak season there can be an hour wait just to get to the viewpoint. We recommend skipping this and just heading to the upper falls.

During peak season the trail and parking can get crowded. We recommend starting around 7/8am for around 3-5pm to avoid crowds.

4. Peyto Lake Panorama View

• Distance: 1.5 km (0.9 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 305 ft
• Type: Loop
• Average Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
• Difficulty: Easy
• Gear Recommendations: Comfortable walking shoes, no poles needed

Peyto Lake Panorama View is an easy hike that rewards you with one of the most iconic views in the Canadian Rockies. The striking turquoise waters of Peyto Lake make this one of the best hikes in Banff for photography enthusiasts.

5. Grassi Lakes (Upper or Lower)

• Distance: 4 km (2.5 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 518 ft
• Type: Out & Back
• Average Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Gear Recommendations: Comfortable walking shoes, no poles needed, strollers not recommended due to stairs and mud

Located near Canmore, the Grassi Lakes Upper Trail is a family-friendly hike that offers beautiful views of the crystal-clear Grassi Lakes. This is one of the best hikes in Banff for a leisurely afternoon stroll. The Upper trail was/s closed summer 2024, however, you can take the Interpretive Trail instead, which goes in the same direction.

6. Emerald Lake Circuit

• Distance: 5.2 km (3.2 miles) loop
• Elevation Gain: 400 ft
• Type: Loop
• Average Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Gear Recommendations: Comfortable walking shoes, no poles needed

Emerald Lake, located in nearby Yoho National Park, is a stunning destination just a short drive from Banff. The Emerald Lake Circuit is one of the best hikes in Banff for those who want to experience pristine waters and lush forest scenery. There’s a restaurant/cafe on site that we skipped. If you don’t have a full 2 hours, no need to walk around the entire lake, just go 20 minutes counter clockwise and 10 minutes clockwise to get some good views.

During peak season, Emerald Lake parking can get very full. We recommend starting around 7/8am or arriving after 4pm to avoid crowds.

Best Hikes in BANFF for Moderate Hikers

7. Lake Agnes Trail

• Distance: 7.4 km (4.6 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 385 meters (1,263 feet)
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles optional

The Lake Agnes Trail is likely the most popular trail to do around Lake Louise. It takes you up by Mirror Lake and to Lake Agnes, where you’ll find a cute little tea house. The hike is steep, but doable at a slow pace for people who aren’t in peak hiking shape. For those who want some move views and don’t mind an additional elevation climb, continue on from Lake Agnes Trail to Little Beehive (below).

Bring cash and expect to wait 30min – 1 hour for takeout or seating at Lake Agnes Tea House during peak season.

8. Little Beehive via Lake Agnes Trail

• Distance: 10.3 km (6.4 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 1,922 ft
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles recommended

If you branch off of Lake Agnes trail and onto the Little Beehive trail, you’ll get some incredible views of Lake Louise and the surrounding mountains. Plus, less crowds! Of all the difficult hikes we did, this one was most worth the views for the strain. We enjoyed the lack of people, and went to the teahouse later in the afternoon to avoid peak crowds.

9. Plain of Six Glaciers

• Distance: 14.6 km (9.1 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 1,686 ft
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 4-6 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles recommended

Also by Lake Louise, Plain of Six Glaciers is a longer trail that takes you around Lake Louise and through the forests and views surrounding. The Plain of Six Glaciers trail takes you up to a charming teahouse where you can enjoy a cup of tea while taking in the panoramic views of the surrounding glaciers. The beginning and end of the trail walks you alongside Lake Louise, so you can have a quiet stroll while enjoying the unique turquoise waters.

10. The Little Beehive and Lake Louise Loop (our recommendation)

• Distance: 7.3 mi
• Elevation Gain: 1,906 ft
• Type: Loop
• Average Time: 4-7 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles recommended

If you want the perfect combination of Lake Agnes, Little Beehive, and Plain of Six Glaciers, we HIGHLY recommend doing Little Beehive and Lake Louise LOOP. Instead of going out and back to Lake Agnes and Little Beehive, this trail takes you back down along Plain of Six Glaciers and ends with a flat stroll along the lake. Essentially, the same elevation gain and Little Beehive, with some extra length for additional views. It takes a couple more hours, but worth it. Additionally, you could take the trail to the Plain of Six Glaciers tea house if you wanted to extend your hike even further.

Some reviews recommend doing this hike backwards (doing the flat section along the lake first) so that you have the mountains in the distance, but we preferred getting the hard part done first and doing the flat parts last.

This option gives you a 3-for-1 trail hike (Lake Agnes, Little Beehive, Six Glaciers) and avoids the crowds for the second half of the hike.

11. Tunnel Mountain Summit

• Distance: 2.7 miles
• Elevation Gain: 859 ft
• Type: Out & back
• Average Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles optional

Tunnel Mountain Summit is a popular trail, especially since it is accessible from downtown BANFF. It has a bunch of switchbacks to get you to a relatively low summit with views of the town, Bow Valley, and Mount Rundle. It’s a good blend of city and mountains!

12. Sunshine Meadows

• Distance: 6.6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 1,371 ft
• Type: Loop
• Average Time: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles optional

Sunshine Meadows offers one of the best hikes in Banff for wildflower enthusiasts. The area is accessible by gondola and provides a variety of trail options with stunning alpine scenery.

This hike is worth it if you’re ok with waiting for the gondola ride up (68 CAD/adult).

Best Hikes in BANFF for Thrill-Seekers

13. East End of Rundle (EEOR)

• Distance: 5.8 km (3.6 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 907 meters (2,976 feet)
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 4-6 hours
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles recommended, helmet for some sections

The East End of Rundle is a VERY challenging hike that offers stunning views of the Bow Valley and Canmore. This trail is steep and requires scrambling in some sections, making it one of the best hikes in Banff for thrill-seekers. There isn’t really a parking lot by the trail head. You can park at the Ha Ling Peak trailhead lot or the earlier lot on the drive up.

Don’t be fooled by the 3.6 mile hike, it’s steep – you’re on your hands and knees for much of the hike. The downhill is also hard on the knees. Only attempt if you’re in good hiking shape!

14. Ha Ling Peak

• Distance: 7.8 km (4.8 miles) round trip
• Elevation Gain: 741 meters (2,431 feet)
• Type: Out and back
• Average Time: 4-5 hours
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles recommended

Ha Ling Peak is a popular hike near Canmore that offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. This steep trail is perfect for those looking for a challenging adventure with a rewarding view at the top.

This trail is right across from EEOR, so it offers similar views for a slightly-easier climb. If you’re limited on time, we recommend picking one. EEOR is more adventurous (but also slightly more dangerous(.

15. Sarrail Ridge via Rawson Lake Trail

• Distance: 7.1 miles
• Elevation Gain: 2,952 ft
• Type: Out & Back
• Average Time: 6-8 hours
• Difficulty: Very Difficult
• Gear Recommendations: Hiking boots, trekking poles strongly encouraged

For a some of the best views of Kananaskis, and one of the hardest hikes in the area, you can consider attempting Sarrail Ridge via Rawson Lake Trail. This hike gives you beautiful sweeping views of Kananaskis and Rawson Lake, but should only be attempted by experienced hikers. Once you get to the ridge, it’s very steep and challenging. Note that this hike is the farthest from BANFF, so make sure the weather is good and you’re up for the challenge if you plan on attempting. You’ll likely need a full day for this one!

Check AllTrails for the status of this hike. It can be muddy and snow-covered even into July and make conditions dangerous. Bring bear spray!

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