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.

---

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.

---

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!

---

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!

Why Guided Ski Tours Are The Way Forward

Life is too short for bad ski vacations!

Think about your last ski vacation…. wass it truly epic? Memories to last a lifetime? Did you push past your limits? Escape the crowds and find a secret stash of your own?

We hope that it was all that and more, but more and more people are reporting that they were mildly enthused on their last ski trip.

So what is different about a guided ski trip?

Everyone has something they are really good at. Some of you can find accounting errors deep in the books, some can whip up an incredible meal, and some can sniff out the best powder stashes on a mountain while evading the snow-hungry crowds.

Unless the latter is you, why put yourself in charge of delighting your inner kid on your next ski trip. Instead, imagine joining a guided ski tour and spending a week skiing with someone who does it for a living, lives and breathes it, and spends every waking moment on the mountain.

Going on a ski trip with local guides means that you can skip the few days of exploration and missing the perfect run by just a few feet, and jump straight into the goods. Remember that amazing little stash you found on the last day of that trip? Imagine if every run was like that. Bam! Bam! Bam! One incredible run after another, curated and delivered on a silver platter by your goggle-tanned guide.

The Hidden Perks of Skiing With A Guide

So what else is better about being on a guided ski/ snowboard tour? Well for one, let’s admit… driving in winter can be horrible, and driving on the wrong side of the road, in a foreign place, on glare ice, while fumbling with a map is even worse. What’s more fun? Settling back and enjoying the views, while a local handles the driving for you.

What’s worse than driving in winter? Blowing right by a secret set of hot springs that you didn’t know were there, and having cold feet when you could be soaking in that healing water! One of the most overlooked benefits to joining a guided ski tour is that your guide is equipped with a legendary arsenal of local gems that took years to explore and find. During our guided ski trips we stop at several amazing natural hot springs along the way, including a set that are tunneled into a cave inside a mountainside.

On top of all that, when you join a guided ski tour, we plan the finer details for you, so you can dine at all the best hand picked restaurants that deliver time and time again, plus stop at local craft breweries, distilleries, and get hooked up with the best shop to go to in each town!

So next time you are planning a ski vacation- why not try a guided ski trip? Give us a shout to learn more about our ski tours on the Powder Highway.

---

About The Author

Alex Ross- Founder and Lead Guide

Alex was born in Ontario with his head turned west, yearning for the mountains of British Columbia. As soon as he graduated university he scampered to BC for a life of adventure. 10 years later, he’s lucky enough to be writing wildly mediocre blog posts on why you should be skiing with him and his team of professional ski bums.

A New Kind Of Canada Ski Vacation

Are Canada Ski Tours Right For You?

Imagine arriving in the heart of the legendary Canadian mountains, strapping your skis on and instantly skiing the same incredible powder stashes that the locals has been searching for year after year. 

This used to be a difficult feat, made possible only with an over-insured car rental, driving through blizzards and slushy mountain passes, with most of your beer budget going to tight-lipped locals in exchange for tips on secret local favorites. 

Cheer up shredder- with a new and revolutionary way to enjoy ski vacations in Canada your chances at hitting the good stuff just got better.  Introducing Canada ski tours, by Fresh Adventures. 

Put the mega-resort brochure down and join us for a British Columbia ski tour, visiting 4 totally off-the beaten path resorts over the course of an 11 day ski trip.  With 8 days of guided skiing in BC, 3 excursions to secluded hot springs and daily doses of vibrant apres ski these Canada ski tours are sure to be the ski vacation of a lifetime. 

No longer do you need to spend your entire Canada ski vacation at a single resort.  Instead your guided ski tour will allow you to experience several resorts in one go, with no lift lines, Canada's best powder and some of the best intermediate and advanced ski terrain on the planet.  Check out some Canada ski tours and guided ski vacations now.

Summer BC Adventure Tours

The peak of summer is upon us and what will you be doing this summer?  What BC adventure tour will help you create memories to last a lifetime?  With so many adventures available and so many tour operators, it can be hard to wade through all the options and hone in on the best options.  Worry not, we have chosen a few of our favourite adventure tours and listed them below.

Rafting the Fraser River

Rafting the Fraser River is an absolute must do tour for any self respecting river enthusiast.  This adventure tour starts in Lytton, BC which is about 3 hours east of Vancouver on the Trans-Canada Highway.  The Fraser River is the largest commercially rafted river in the world, meaning that this is the home of big water thrills, and white knuckled chaperones.  Wind through river gorges hundreds, if not thousands of feet deep, gazing up at sheer rock walls as high as you can see.  By the time this rafting tour starts each season, the water is well below peak flow, which means you can see the unbelievable effect the water has had on the age old rock formations that line the river. 

Hang on tight for Hell's Gate, a rip roaring bottle-neck-of-a-good-time where several hundred thousand cubic feet of water rush through a narrow spot in the river each second.  Whirl Pool Eddy will have you respecting water and swearing never to raft again, while your massive raft gets sucked down a whirl pool bigger than the raft with your grinning guide goading the river on in the back.  If you have any adrenaline left say goodbye to it during the massive wave train of Sailor's Bar, near the end of your adventure tour. 

This tour is an ideal full day adventure, with epic whitewater that is outmatched only by the jaw dropping scenery along the ride.  Most of the ride is quite relaxing, despite the sections of thrilling whitewater.  We recommend going with Kumsheen Rafting Resort, based 6 km east of Lytton.  Tip:  camp here in a Teepee the night before for the full West Coast experience. 

Guided Hiking Adventure in Vancouver

Nothing beats a visit to the bustling metropolis of Vancouver like a guided hiking tour high above the throngs of shoppers and traffic.  Escape to a world of peace and quite, into the wild, tranquility of the alpine landscapes that surround Vancouver. 

Start your adventure tour downtown, with a pickup at Canada Place, where you are whisked away into Stanley Park to check out totem poles that help make the West Coast so unique.  Escape to a quite, incredibly scenic world where your 4-5 hour guided hike begins.  You'll hike roughly 2 hours with your guide to the Summit of Mt Seymour, being rewarded with epic views with every hump you come over.  A healthy, locally sourced picnic lunch goes down easily in the fresh air, with an energetic performance being put on by the undeniably adorable resident chipmunks. 

Once your properly stuffed with local delicacies, head down to Lynn Canyon, crossing the knock-knee-inducing suspension bridge to a pristine and lush rain forest.  Here you will learn some of the local flora, including some tips on foraging in this bountiful ecosystem.  Finish off your tour with a trip across the Lion's Gate Bridge, enjoying picture perfect views of Vancouver's cityscape.  This tour is appropriate for beginner and expert hikers alike, catering to any reasonably active person.  We highly recommend going with Fresh Adventures for their professional service which takes the planning out of your hike and includes a luxury picnic lunch and transportation.   

You can read more about hiking near Vancouver here.

Off The Beaten Path In Vancouver

You didn't fly half way around the world to stand in a long line waiting for some trumped up tourist trap right?  Then let's get you off the beaten path and find some fun things to do in Vancouver. 

Hike The Chief Mountain In Squamish

This classic Vancouver hike gets you a bird's eye view of Howe Sound, as well as some incredible surrounding glaciers.  Challenge yourself on this grueling, yet rewarding climb from just above sea level to just over 2000 feet.  Some well placed chains and ladders put a little mountaineering feel to this beginner friendly Vancouver hike, plus you'll go home with some pretty hardcore looking photos. 

Make this trip worry free by going with a guide, to handle everything from transportation to lunch to telling you funny stories and teaching you foraging skills along the way.  We recommend the Sea to Sky Hiking Adventure With Lunch from Fresh Adventures.