Top Things to do in Canadian Rockies
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Things to do in Canadian Rockies, Canadian Rockies: The Best Hiking Trails
From Alberta’s southwestern border north into British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies are a network of provincial and national parks that collectively make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Banff and Jasper national parks are connected by the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the world. The towns of Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper are hubs for adventures including hiking, horseback riding, rafting and wildlife viewing. Accommodation ranges from hotels to mountain lodges.
Restaurants in Canadian Rockies
1. Mount Edith Cavell Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 224 reviews
Reviewed By JayY_Canada
Best things about the hike: - Begins at fairly high elevation (1700+ meters) - not much effort before getting above the tree line - Awesome views: glacier, lake, mountain peaks, blue sky - Wild flowers (even late in the season) - Pikas and mountain marmots (they are not as shy as those we saw in other places; you can get a really close-up view) - Moderate efforts: took us 4 hours round trip to the highest point of the trail and back; this is with extended lunch and animal viewing stops; we are moderately active and only average in fitness level. - The pay-off is excellent for you effort. (It takes a lot more work to get this kind of view elsewhere.) Things to be prepared for: - Bug repellent (even this late in the season) - Prepare for changing weather (hot, cold, windy, rainy); but "marginal weather" often produces the most spectacular views. - Sturdy hiking shoes and/or hiking poles help; the upper part of the trail could be a little slippery/scary for some. - Could be crowded; (not so much this year due to COVID perhaps) - No outhouses once you leave the parking lot; time your "needs" for a 4+hr walk. - Bring your long lens if you are into animal photography
2. Crypt Lake Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 281 reviews
Reviewed By Burkendah - Cold Lake, Canada
No trip to Waterton National Park would be complete without a hike to Crypt Lake. It is probably one of the most difficult hikes but it is well worth it. The landscapes are stunning, the views are amazing, the lake itself is one of the most beautiful I have ever soon (and I have traveled all over the world). The trail is full of plants, insects, birds and mammals (mule deer, squirrels, prairie dogs, marmots) The feeling of accomplishment when you complete the hike is genuine. It is a tough hike but anyone with enough determination can do it.
3. Parker Ridge Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 554 reviews
Reviewed By hp_hphan - Ontario, Canada
I was very fortunate to see mountain goats. They were running from one side to the other. It was quite windy at the too but the View was amazing. Definitely recommend this hike.
4. Sulphur Skyline Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 149 reviews
Reviewed By 159barrys - Mount Pearl, Canada
It took us over 4 hours up and back but we paced ourselves as a group and took multiple breaks. This was our first time to Jasper so we took a guided hike and had the benefit of an experienced tour guide who made the experience all the better. There was a lot of people on the trail the day we went so bears were not a factor. It was a warm September day but we needed our warm jackets at the top. The last 500 meters are the hardest but the view from the top is beyond description.
5. Beauty Creek Trail
6. Wilcox Pass
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 102 reviews
Reviewed By Czarofconsoles - Vancouver, Canada
Really amazing hike, with great views of Athabasca Glacier. It was a great sunny day with cool winds when we did this hike. Starts from the trailhead just a km away from Athabasca Glacier. Nice steady incline but not much challenging to the camping spot. Throughout the hike views to the glacier and valley don't leave you. You reach the intersection and take a slightly steep incline to the viewpoint just in front of glacier. Views were spectacular and we had a great lunch in those windy conditions.
7. Angel Glacier
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 98 reviews
Reviewed By E1646EVjulied
The pathway up from the new parking area has a great viewing platform to see the glacier as well as the cavell glacier at the waters edge
8. Sentinel Pass
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 122 reviews
Reviewed By BrittanyMExplores - Winnipeg, Canada
I hiked the 8.5 km Larch Valley Trail at Moraine Lake on the morning of September 28, 2020 (did not go all the way to Sentinel Pass). It was an amazing larch hike! The trail began along the flat lakeshore path and then branched to the right. It climbed for 2.4 km, along steep, long switchbacks through the forest. There were some views of Moraine Lake through the trees which was gorgeous. The climb up was hard and I took it slow and steady. At the junction, the trail continued to the right (Eiffel Lake is to the left). It was a gradual but steady (and less steep) climb through the beautiful larch forest! The trail opened up to a clearing where there were stunning panoramic views of the mountains and larches! It then climbed some more through larch forest, steep at times, and opened up again above the trees with even more breathtaking views from a higher perspective. You could see all ten mountain peaks and the larches were plentiful. I continued on a little ways further but turned around before Sentinel Pass. This hike was incredible and one of my favourites so far for larches! I took the Roam Transit from Banff to Moraine Lake to arrive just after sunrise. This was such a good option to avoid waking up super early to find parking. The trail was not that busy when I started at 8 am or when I was on my way down. It was very nice!
9. Ptarmigan Cirque Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 35 reviews
Reviewed By silverbrook - London, Canada
The Ptarmigan Cirque Trail is the second, more challenging trail that originates in the same area the Highwood Meadows area. It is about a 6K hike with some elevation that takes you across Highway 40 into the Alpine Meadows area, giving you some spectacular views of Mt.Arethusa and Mt.Rae. For this trail you will need some good footwear, since most of it is on trails, as well as water and sunscreen. You should also be on the lookout for wildlife, large and small during your trek. There is ample parking at the start of the trail as well as some information signs at the start where the two trails start. Older kids and adults should really enjoy this hike, but younger ones may find it a bit too long since it is a couple hour loop. You can make more a day of it by doing both trails.
10. Skyline Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By frombeautifulBC
This was an amazing trail and I will be back to do it again, however as with any mountain trail be ready for sudden adverse weather! My daughter and I spent a few days kicking around Jasper in the days before taking on the trail, hitting many of the shorter day hikes. We decided to park at the north end (signal mountain traihead) and take the shuttle to the south trailhead at Maligne Lake, this I think was a good direction to travel as you (over the full length) descend more than ascend, although there are some steep sections to contend with. Once up in the alpine and sub alpine it is amazing, the scenery is beyond spectacular! Our initial intent was to do it three days two nights, with a spare night booked just in case. Day 1 was great, beautiful warm weather, and a generally nice sunny day, a prefect way to begin the backpacking trip! Day 2 began cold and cloudy, we had seen the forecast and were not unprepared for the colder weather and enjoyed the morning making a steady ascent and going through passes. However around early afternoon a sever hail and thunderstorm rolled over the tops of the mountains and began to unleash its fury! As it neared us, it became dark and windy and the lightning was too close for comfort in the exposed alpine, we decided to head off to a small patch of alpine trees. Thankfully we had my MEC scout tarp for a situation just like this and as we got to the trees the skies let loose. We were pelleted by a major hailstorm, we pulled the tarp over ourselves for protection and huddled for what seemed like half an hour, thunder and lightning were constant! Once it let up we packed up the tarp and began to make our way back to the main trail which, along with everything else, was covered in a couple inches of white stuff. Again with many years of experience backpacking in the mountains the temperature drop during and after the storm was not unexpected, it was however more than expected.As we crested the next pass we found ourselves on an exposed slope with no wind buffer from the valley miles below, the chill, particularly for my daughter set in. When we reached out second night camp in what was now steady sleet/rain, we had to make a choice; either tough it out or take one of the two escape route trails back down into the valley and out to the highway. We made the choice for the escape route trail, hindsight being 20/20 we'd have been better off to camp the night and make a decision the next morning but I was worried my daughter might become hypothermic and so off we went. The trip out, although all downhill and slightly warmer (protected by trees) was a very long trip, the equivalent of what we'd already hiked that day. Long story short we made it out late that night and caught a cab to the other trailhead where my truck was and were happy to be free from that day. This is a rugged trail and you need to be in good shape and you need to be prepared for adverse weather. Our circumstance, not uncommon, was due to mother nature, she gave us what she had and this time it stopped us. In my 30 years packing the smartest people I ever knew on the trail where those who knew to make the choice to stop when they had to, thankfully I kept my daughter and I in that standing, you never know what the outcome might be otherwise. I'd recommend doing this trip in 2 nights / three days that seems to break it up easily into nice chunks and allows for extra exploring. We started early and made it to our first camp (Little Shovel) a little too early in the day. There is little to do at this camp and the bugs (mostly mosquitos) were incredibly bad. With an early start I would recommend at least going to the next camp (Snowbowl) then doing either Curator or Tekkara for the second night. We will be back to finish up this true gem, never give up on an adventure, just sometimes have to delay it a little. There is a lot to this, feel free to message me if you have any questions.
