Best lake hikes in Alberta
The 25 best lake hikes in Alberta, out of 445 that we map, ranked by trail score.
How we rank trails Ranked by trail score, highest first.
- All hikes
- Easy 1,139
- Moderate 662
- Hard 1,193
- Under 5 km 1,547
- Kid friendly 1,101
- Waterfalls 89
- Summits 652
- Views 1,398
- Glaciers 137
- Canyons 50
- Loops 245
- Backpacking 266
- Wheelchair friendly 75
The list
Sorted by rank- 1Plain of Six GlaciersNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkModerate · 13.7 km · 692 m gain · 5 h 30 minLake · Views · Glacier · Alpine · Passes Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House and Lake Louise96score
- 2Lake AgnesNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkModerate · 6.6 km · 396 m gain · 3 hLake · Waterfall · Views · Alpine · Passes Lake Agnes Tea House and Lake Louise95score
- 3SkylineNear Maligne Canyon · Jasper National ParkHard · 45.2 km · 1,953 m gain · 16 hLake · Views · Glacier · Camping · Passes Amber Mountain and Notch94score
- 4Larch ValleyNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkModerate · 8.9 km · 554 m gain · 4 hLake · Views · Hut or tea house · Alpine · Passes Moraine Lake and Minnestima Lakes94score
- 5Big BeehiveNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkModerate · 4.5 km · 387 m gain · 2 h 45 minLake · Waterfall · Views · Alpine · Passes Lake Agnes Tea House and Lake Agnes93score
- 6Caldron LakeBanff National ParkModerate · 13.9 km · 956 m gain · 6 h 45 minLake · Views · River or creek · Glacier · Passes Peyto Lake · Viewpoint and Caldron Lake92score
- 7Vermilion Lakes RoadNear Banff · Banff National ParkEasy · 8.5 km · 58 m gain · 2 h 15 minLake · Views · River or creek · Passes 3rd Vermilion Lake and Vermilion Lake Viewpoint91score
- 8Bow Glacier FallsBanff National ParkModerate · 9.1 km · 187 m gain · 2 h 45 minLake · Waterfall · Views · Glacier · Passes Bow Lake and Bow Glacier Falls90score
- 9Consolation LakesNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkModerate · 7.5 km · 182 m gain · 2 h 15 minLake · Views · River or creek · Passes Moraine lake and Consolation Lakes89score
- 10Moose Lake LoopNear Jasper · Jasper National ParkEasy · 2.8 km · 66 m gain · 50 minLake · Views · Passes Skyline trail (3days) and Maligne Lake88score
- 11Lake Louise LakeshoreNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkModerate · 4.6 km · 75 m gain · 1 h 15 minLake · Views · Passes Lake Louise88score
- 12Moraine Lake HighlineNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 11.9 km · 387 m gain · 4 hLake · Views · Passes Moraine lake88score
- 13Grassi LakesNear Canmore · Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial ParkEasy · 3.0 km · 150 m gain · 1 h 15 minLake · Waterfall · Views · Passes Lower Grassi Lake88score
- 14Bertha Lake TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 10.6 km · 592 m gain · 4 h 30 minLake · Waterfall · Views · Passes Upper Waterton Lake and Lower Bertha Falls88score
- 15Lake MinnewankaNear Anthracite · Banff National ParkModerate · 3.5 km · 78 m gain · 1 hLake · Views · River or creek · Passes Lake Minnewanka and Lake Minnewanka Cruise87score
- 16Cascade PondsNear Anthracite · Banff National ParkEasy · 2.1 km · 31 m gain · 35 minLake · Waterfall · Passes Cascade Ponds87score
- 17Peyto Lake LookoutBanff National ParkEasy · 1.5 km · 60 m gain · 35 minLake · Views · Alpine · Passes Peyto Lake · Viewpoint87score
- 18Caldron Peak TrailBanff National ParkHard · 20.1 km · 1,487 m gain · 10 h 30 minLake · Summit · Views · River or creek · Passes Peyto Lake · Viewpoint and Caldron Lake87score
- 19Panorama Ridge RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkExpert · 16.9 km · 1,998 m gain · 16 hLake · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Moraine lake and Consolation Lakes87score
- 20PyramidNear Jasper · Jasper National ParkModerate · 8.8 km · 137 m gain · 2 h 30 minLake · Views · Hut or tea house · Passes Patricia Lake and Patricia Lake86score
- 21Paradise Valley TrailNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 23.8 km · 1,443 m gain · 10 h 45 minLake · Views · Alpine · Passes Lake Louise and Saddleback Pass86score
- 22Rawson Lake TrailNear Fortress Junction · Peter Lougheed Provincial ParkModerate · 8.7 km · 390 m gain · 3 h 15 minLake · Waterfall · Views · River or creek · Passes Upper Kananaskis Lake and View of the Lake in front of Mount Sarrail85score
- 23Overlook LoopNear Jasper · Jasper National ParkModerate · 5.9 km · 189 m gain · 2 hLake · Views · Passes Pyramid Lake84score
- 24WapitiNear Jasper · Jasper National ParkModerate · 8.2 km · 58 m gain · 2 h 15 minLake · River or creek · Hut or tea house · Passes Twin Lakes83score
- 25Mina Riley LoopNear Jasper · Jasper National ParkModerate · 8.7 km · 242 m gain · 2 h 45 minLake · Views · Passes Riley Lake and Mina Lake83score