Another classic tourist heavy hitter: Johnston Canyon is an absolute favourite for visitors and for a good reason. The trail is very easy – I’d call it a cake walk. It is well marked, well visited and fairly safe. Most of the trail takes you in the canyon where visitors brave the winding path right above the rapids on metal walk ways. The views are amazing and it truly is a natural wonder and a great place to explore a canyon.

After visiting the handful of waterfalls in the canyon, many choose to double-back and head towards the parking lot. However, some choose to take the path at the upper waterfalls towards the Ink pots. The trail leads you to a decently steep dirt path through a forest. It is fairly boring in my opinion in this section of trail but being deep in the forest can lead to some nature interaction and potential animal sightings.

Finally, the forest starts to disperse a little bit and hikers make their way to a valley with some very picturesque “ponds” and stream. These ponds are famous for its tranquil beauty and colour. Its also hard to complain about the great views of the mountains all around.

This one is very popular especially the Canyon. This is unfortunately to its detriment. It can sometimes get too crowded and the experience is just unpleasant. Still, I would highly recommend at the very least checking out the canyon for those hikers looking for an easy day.

Recommendations

The path is well marked and well visited. Be careful not to fall into the canyon. Hold the hand rails and follow instructions. Make sure you come early and not during the peak times as it can get insanely crowded and busy. There are numerous large parking lots at the trail head so make sure you get a spot there!

Wildlife: Did not see too many wildlife, other than the common birds and squirrels. However, Moose, Elk, deer, bears and more are known to be in the area of the national park.

Equipment: Normal, regular hiking attire would suffice. I would recommend bringing some food and water for the Ink pots – its a great place to take a long break or lunch in. There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy life.

Alltrails Link

The iconic sisters are a staple to Canmore‘s sky line; all three summits are possible and in this section we will talk about the easiest: the middle sister. Out of the three it is the easiest however make no mistake; this is still a hard and strenuous hike. The first sister includes some belaying, actual rock climbing and dangerous exposures whilst the eldest sister can only be reached from gravel back country roads. The middle sister is accessible from a trail head that is just off the main roads of Canmore.

This is actually one of my favourite hikes in the area. Actually climbing an iconic view that can be seen everywhere in the town has such a satisfying effect. Me and my two other friends decided to tackle this one.

We started dark and early – at around 5:30am in a warm autumn day. It was still dark out and we were following the stars (and the trail) to the summit. We even saw starlink making its rounds and I learned a bunch about constellations that early morning. The trail is fairly simple – it starts off at a pretty wide, boring dirt path. Soon after, the trail turns into a rocky path as we started following a gulley to the top. Here, there are many many different rocks of all types and shapes. Here, the trail also starts to significantly incline. The boulders in the path also provides an extra challenge and climbing effort.

It did not take long for the sun to start shining and we could start to see what we signed up for. As the towering sisters loomed infront of us, rocks and boulders surrounded us from all sides. The trail is straightforward enough and eventually, the gulley ends and a medium scree ascent starts. I say medium because this scree is made of innumerable medium-sized rocks. It is hard to sink into it but it is definitely big enough to cause some damage to the soles of your feet.

At this point the views are immaculate and as we made our way to the middle sister, the path clears and it is a semi-scramble to the top. It is still quite a ways and still is a lot of elevation to cover but it is pretty straight forward at this point. There is even a well-marked and well worn trail to guide you to the goal.

The hike is strenuous as it is a constant ascent from the bottom to the top. The views are amazing. The achievement unforgettable.

Recommendations

Make sure to use a hike app or map. It is quite easy to lose sight of the trail in the boulder field and in the dense forest. There is decent cell coverage as it is right next to the town but it can be a bit spotty at times. Since you will be traversing through countless jagged rocks, I would recommend hiking shoes with great sole protection.

Wildlife: Did not see too many wildlife, other than the common birds. However, Moose, Elk, deer, bears and more are known to be in the area of the national park.

Equipment: Hiking poles, Hiking shoes, Water and food, Flashlights if hiking in the dark.

Alltrails Link

Lake Louise is an extremely popular spot in Banff National Park – it does not come as a surprise as the area is just jaw dropping. Aside from amazing views, it is also home to trails that leads further up and into the mountains. One of the most popular trails is the Lake Agnes trail up to the tea hut. It is well marked and well used. Most of the hikers stop at the top by the lake but there are also several trails that head further in. One of these trails goes to the Devil’s Thumb. The peak is visible from the tea hut and I would absolutely recommend pushing on through to this last section.

At the tea hut, hike further down into the basin – follow the lake all around. Finally, a switch-back dirt trail going up into a pass can be seen up into another lookout called the big bee hive. At the top of the pass, turn left for the beehive, turn right for Devil’s Thumb. It is fairly well marked and well treaded but if you’re not sure, try asking others on the trail or keeping a close eye on your map. Follow the Devil’s Thumb route, you will find yourself hugging close on a steep side of the mountain where the view changes to a the plains glacier valley. Follow the dirt path and it will eventually climb steepily. So steep in fact that some scrambling is required. I would not recommend doing this part in the rain as slipping, landslides or rock fall can occur. Even when dry, this section is very steep and the steep dirt path can easily errode under your feet. This part and the fact that it is quite a long trail earns its “Hard” rating.

After the perilous steep dirt path, huge boulders start to get in your way. Keep climbing over these and following the trail and you will eventually find yourself at the peak of Devil’s Thumb – a relatively flat section with flat boulders making up the “thumb”. This spot is great for relaxing, resting, picnics, and taking in the views of both Lake Agnes and Lake Louise. It is an extremely rewarding hike and is justifiably popular amongst hikers.

Recommendations

Make sure to use a hike app or map. Trekking poles would be great here especially on the steep climb up and down the dirt path for safety and efficient hiking. I would also recommend proper hiking shoes as sufficient grip is essential. Make sure you carry enough food and water – you can always take a tea break at the hut. Watch out for horse poo as horses are on the trail to Lake Agnes during the summer months. It can also get really really crowded during the peak seasons.

Wildlife: Did not see too many wildlife, other than the common birds. However, Moose, Elk, deer, bears and more are known to be in the area of the national park.

Equipment: Hiking poles, Proper shoes, Enough food and water.

All Trails Link

Don’t let the statistics fool you. These 3.4 kilometers of 400 meters Elevation gain is no joke. The first and hardest hurdle to overcome: actually getting to the trail head. Back in my day, the road up to the parking lot was publicly open and as long as there are spots open, one can drive up to the lot of Moraine Lake and competition for spots in the summer was ruthless. However, things have changed and this road has turned private. Only approved businesses and companies can access this road and transport people to this area. This means higher costs and further planning is required.

The second hardest thing is the actual hike itself. The Tower of Babel can be seen from the parking lot and the “trail head” can be found by going through the forest to the left and towards a rock “garden”. This trail head is not really official nor is the path. I would highly highly recommend having a trustworthy guide/map to find your path up the tower. It also takes a fair bit of trail-finding skills. There isn’t really a trail but instead it is more of a destination to try and figure out how to get to.

After you’ve found your trail and designated path, its time to actually climb the damn thing. Its full of large and medium sized boulders at first as the path immediately becomes super steep. Right from the start all the way to the end, climbing up the tower was a strenuous torture. Expect to scramble on all fours for the entire time. There is a little bit of rock climbing with some exposure at the end. It is a highly rewarding but very hard hike. It offers a different perspective to the world-famous Moraine Lake.

Recommendations

Make sure to use a hike app or map. It is quite easy to lose sight of the trail in the boulder field and in the dense forest especially as the path forks into other trails.

Wildlife: Did not see too many wildlife, other than the common birds. However, Moose, Elk, deer, bears and more are known to be in the area of the national park.

Equipment: Hiking poles,

Cascade Mountain is another classic mountain surrounding the town of Banff – its peaks are iconic and are probably in the background of countless memories. Another summit, another memory. This time, I started out fairly early. The trail head starts at Mount Norquay parking lot where in the winter it is a ski hill. In the summer, it is where most of the hiking takes place and it is common to drive up or take the bus there. I started a little later than planned – around 7:00AM and finished later than planned as well – around 6pm. I was not feeling the best and was going through a slight food poisoning so take this hike review with a grain of salt.

The hike from the trail head to the base of the mountain is fairly simple, well marked and straight forward. Surrounded by dense forests and greenery, it is hard to make out any views of the mountains at all. As you pass a number of streams and rivers, eventually the steepness starts picking up and the road forks. On one side, the trail continues deeper into the valley where it reaches the end of a different hike: Cascade Amphitheatre. It is important you follow the other trail as it eventually will lead to the summit.

The path gets a lot steeper and eventually, the tree cover completely disappears and the views of the valley and the goal shows up. At this point, the trail also turns rocky, and is still well marked though not as obvious as before. The trail marks varies – from colorful flags on trees or branches, to painted rocks or tall cairns. Be mindful to closely follow these as it is easy to lose the trail – especially since the traverse turns into a boulder field. Personally, on the way down I had lost track of the path and gotten lost in this boulder field. I had to back track a fair ways up and waste some of my energy and time.

The views are unreal and as the hike progresses even further, some of the town of Banff and the amphitheater slowly comes into view. At this point, it is a hard and strenuous hike up to the mountain with astonishing views of the Rockies. The last kilometer before the summit push is a grueling scree with a small amount of scrambling at the top.

Recommendations

Make sure to use a hike app or map. It is quite easy to lose sight of the trail in the boulder field and in the dense forest especially as the path forks into other trails.

Wildlife: Did not see too many wildlife, other than the common birds. However, Moose, Elk, deer, bears and more are known to be in the area of the national park.

Equipment: Hiking poles,