Three Amazing Day Hikes Near Banff

Three Amazing Day Hikes Near Banff

Planning a hiking vacation in Banff? Lucky you! Time to start researching the best hikes around Banff and well… doing squats. With tons of options for all levels of hikers, it can be hard to pick out the hikes that you would like to do so hopefully this article will help you find the best hikes around Banff and Lake Louise.

Selection Criteria

Naturally it can be hard to pick out a hike for a variety of different hikers. Some like a big slog, some like a relaxing walk etc, so in this article we are assuming that you are a fairly avid hiker and would like to hike for 3-6 hours, getting up fairly high and enjoying some amazing views. The hikes below are what we believe are some of the best hikes near Banff for you.

The Hikes

Plain of Six Glaciers- Big Beehive- Lake Agnes Loop

The Canadian Rockies were pioneered by the railway almost 150 years ago, shortly before the formation of Banff National Park. During the early beginnings of Banff and Lake Louise the Canadian Pacific was looking for ways to convince visitors to come and see the Rockies from all around the Commonwealth. They hired Swiss Mountaineers to explore the peaks around Lake Louise, making mountaineering popular in Canada. Tourism grew, and with all the fudge shops it’s hard to remember that the Rockies are first and foremost famous for the stunning mountains that surround them.

This is easy to remember on the amazing day hike in Lake Louise. You hike roughly 5 km past the shores of Lake Louise, and up roughly 500 meters to the Plain of Six Glaciers tea house. This is a historic stop, dating back to the turn of the last century, and with epic views of Victoria Glacier and into Abbot Pass. After a victory tea at the tea house and on the way back down you can head on the connector trail to get up high on Big Beehive with incredible views of Lake Louise and beyond to get to Lake Agnes and the other tea house on the shores of the alpine lake.

With stunning views of Lake Louise, glaciers, dramatic mountains and plenty of photo stops this is surely one of the best hikes near Banff.

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Cascade Mountain- Summit Route

One of the most amazing sights from downtown Banff is the peak of Cascade Mountain towering above the town. This is such an amazing sight that the streets are actually oriented so Cascade Mountain can be seen from anywhere on Banff Avenue.

Without question, one of the best hikes near Banff is the trail to the summit of Cascade Mountain. This Banff day hike is not for the faint of heart though, so be warned. The return length is roughly 18 km with an elevation gain of 1450 meters.

The trail winds through subalpine forest before breaking onto the ridge and into the open alpine. The alpine section is absolutely epic, climbing over loose rocks and around ledges and ridges until you reach the peak. Once you are there you are rewarded with views like you’ve never seen before. This is definitely one of the best hikes in the Rockies.

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Eiffel Lake

Back to Lake Louise area for another one of the best hikes near Banff. This time though, you head up to Moraine Lake and start your hike from there. Eiffel Lake is an incredible hike in the Lake Louise area, with stunning alpine views, wildflowers and one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the Rockies.

The trail is roughly 14 km return with 400 meters of elevation gain. You climb through a switchbacking section of spruce forest and then break through the trees into the open, where the views start.

From here hike straight up the valley until you reach Eiffel Lake, enjoying incredible views of the Ten Peaks to your left. The lake viewpoint is the perfect place to have a picnic with a few sneaky marmots prowling around nearby. Come and see for yourself why this is one of the best hikes in Banff National Park!

If wildlife viewing is your thing, you can read up on where to find wildlife in the Rockies here!

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Don’t miss out… do all three hikes!

You can join one of our Rockies guided hiking tours and do all three of these plus several more hikes that are too secret to include in this post. Our torus are the perfect way to experience the best of the Rockies without having to do all the research yourself, and you get to hang out with 11 other amazing guests from around the world.

The Best Ziplines In British Columbia

The Best Ziplines In British Columbia

We love adventure and nothing screams adventure more than throwing yourself off a towering platform and hurtling through the fresh mountain air. British Columbia is an amazing place and is blessed with so many ziplines that it can be hard to make sure you find the best one for your vacation. That is why we compiled this list of what we believe are the best ziplines in British Columbia, listed in no particular order.

Photo: Kokanee Mountain Ziplines.

Kokanee Mountain Zipline

We love this Zipline in British Columbia for several reasons. Sure, there are the six ziplines weaving their way through ancient forest groves, but Kokanee Mountain Zipline also just has that wow factor- fresh air, big trees, and mountains all around. Enjoy the view on the longest zipline which is over 700 meters in length. Local tip: come on out in the summer and pair this with a visit to Ainsworth Hot Springs!

Treetop Flyers

The perfect addition to your Okanagan vacation, come on out to Treetop Flyers, which is one of our favourite ziplines in British Columbia. They rock because of their canyon ziplines and a giant “jump swing” that is sure to get your heart pounding. You can really feel the passion coming through from the owners here. Add it to your trip and see for yourself!

West Coast Wild

Just like everything on Vancouver Island, this zipline adventure is an incredible experience. Wind your way across a dramatic canyon and look down into the crystal clear water far below. The guys at WC Wild have created a truly amazing course and you can pair your time here with a scenic floatplane ride or a river paddle. Local tip: come in September and you might see salmon spawning in the river below!

Sky Trek Adventure Park

Nestled just down the road from Revelstoke and conveniently beside the Enchanted Forest, this is a really amazing adventure park that is very family friendly. With climbs, drops, swing and zips, you can really do it all here. Add this stop on your way to Revelstoke!

Adrena-LINE Zipline Adventures

100 acres of coastal rainforest are the setting for your zipline adventure as you get up close and personal with the ancient forest canopy. This place really packs it in with 8 ziplines, a Unimog ride and 2 suspension bridges as part of the package. Add this to your visit to Victoria, since they can pick you up from downtown (not in the Unimog, that would be way too cool).

Superfly Zipllines

Explore Whistler’s backcountry like never before. Soar through the alpine up to 200 meters above the ground, approaching speeds of 100 km per hour. (Take that eagles). You can also soar side by side with their dual lines. Oh and some of their zip lines are up to 1.3 km long. Definitely one of the best ziplines in British Columbia. Check it out!

Oyama Zipline

Super fun ziplines in the Okanagan Valley. Check out Oyama Ziplines and cruise through their seven station course. This zipline is right outside both Kelowna and Vernon, and boast incredible views of Kalmalka Lake (one of the most beautiful lakes in the world according to National Geographic). Local tip: Pair this with a wine tasting (or five) with all the nearby wineries.

Mineral Mountain Ziplines

Planning a visit to Fairmont Hot Springs? Well make sure you don’t miss out on the thrilling ride offered by Mineral Mountain Ziplines. The 6 ziplines are sure to treat you to a good time, and to top it off, the mountains around Fairmont Hot Springs are some of the most beautiful around. (And to top all that off, you can pair this with a soak in their thermal pools). Enjoy!

Well, those are the ziplines in British Columbia that we think you should check out. Let us know if you are planning a trip out here and we can point you in the right direction. Don’t forget to tag #freshadventurescanada with your favourite photos from your adventure. Bon voyage!