Best Hikes in Banff National Park

Banff National Park is easily in my top three national parks I’ve been to, and I couldn’t recommend it more. It has the charm of Glacier National Park, yet has its own character in some indescribable way.

Here is a list of the best hikes I went on in the week I spent in Banff. Of course, I wasn’t able to explore every hike that Banff has to offer, but I did get to enjoy some really cool trails.

NOTE: I recommend checking what Canada’s wildfire situation is before you travel here, since during the week I was in Banff there were wildfires to the west so many of the views were obscured by the smoke in the air (as you can see in many of the pictures).

Athabasca Glacier Trail

The Athabasca Glacier Trail is a fairly easy yet rather popular hike up to the foot of the Athabasca Glacier. It’s super cool standing at the foot of the glacier and seeing its dense, archaic ice reaching over the mountain pass. The views are great and the hike isn’t super strenuous.

*The view looking up at the Athabasca Glacier. This is about 3/4ths of the way up the trail up to the glacier.*

Emerald Lake Trail

This is a really nice trail looping around the stunning Emerald Lake. The water is crystalline blue and it sits surrounded by towering mountains, so you get some great views while not having to exert too much energy on the hike seeing as it’s mostly flat. If you’re brave enough, you can take a dip in the lake and rinse off in the freezing water.

Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon is probably my favorite hike on this list. It starts with a hike along the inside of the Johnston Canyon for a mile or two, then the trail rises out of the canyon and, if you keep going, you can follow the trail up and down a few hills (with stunning views) then you’ll find yourself at a nice, open river crossing surrounded by mountains on all sides. This calm, quiet stream is glacier water trickling down from the mountains, and it’s a great spot to wash off and chill out for a while and take in the views.

Overall, the hike isn’t super tough, but the hills just past Johnston Canyon can get a little tiring. You can continue down the trail after the stream, but that’s just where we stopped.

*Looking up at the mountains from the stream at the end of our hike.*

Lake Louise Lakeshore

This is another super easy hike with incredible views. It runs along the perimeter of the famous Lake Louise, so it’s a somewhat popular trail but it’s definitely worth it. If you follow the trail to the sand beds across the lake from the chateau, you’ll get a great view of the beautiful Chateau Lake Louise from afar.

*Looking back at Chateau Lake Louise from across the lake.*

parker Ridge Trail

Jutting out from Icefields Parkway, the Parker Ridge Trail is a winding uphill hike that will take you to a stunning viewpoint of the surrounding mountains. It can get pretty tough, but the views are absolutely worth it. You follow the winding trail uphill for about two miles, then you’ll find yourself at a relatively flat area overlooking the valley on the other side of the mountain as well as the mountains beyond.

*The views overlooking the neighboring mountains.*

One day I will return to Banff, and when I do I will update you guys with a new list of great hikes in the park. But until then, have fun and enjoy these amazing trails!