Best backpacking trails near Banff
The 15 best backpacking trails near Banff, out of 28 that we map, ranked by trail score.
How we rank trails Ranked by trail score and distance from Banff, so the score is one of two inputs.
- All hikes
- Easy 105
- Moderate 110
- Hard 138
- Under 5 km 184
- Kid friendly 95
- Waterfalls 24
- Lakes 56
- Summits 79
- Views 196
- Canyons 9
- Loops 25
- Wheelchair friendly 7
The list
Sorted by rank- 1Johnston Canyon TrailNear Moose Meadows · Banff National ParkHard · 15.1 km · 556 m gain · 5 h 15 min · 20 km from BanffWaterfall · Views · River or creek · Canyon · Passes Johnston Creek Valley and Lower Falls90score
- 2Cascade ValleyNear Anthracite · Banff National ParkModerate · 118.2 km · 2,481 m gain · 36 h 15 min · 9 km from BanffLake · Waterfall · Views · River or creek · Passes Wigmore Lake76score
- 3Spray River EastNear Banff · Banff National ParkEasy · 11.0 km · 261 m gain · 3 h 30 min · 2 km from BanffRiver or creek · Camping66score
- 4Sundance PassNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 22.3 km · 511 m gain · 7 h · 4 km from BanffViews65score
- 5Elk LakeNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 18.2 km · 614 m gain · 6 h 15 min · 7 km from BanffLake · Views · Camping · Alpine · Passes Elk Lake67score
- 6Citadel Pass TrNear Banff · Banff National ParkHard · 18.1 km · 679 m gain · 6 h 15 min · 18 km from BanffLake · Views · Camping · Alpine · Passes Mad Trapper's Smokehouse and Howard Douglas Lake78score
- 7Healy PassNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 23.6 km · 1,086 m gain · 8 h 45 min · 15 km from BanffViews · River or creek · Camping · Hut or tea house · Passes Creekside Lodge and Healy Pass (Trail Junction)74score
- 8Johnston CreekNear The Ink Pots · Banff National ParkHard · 51.0 km · 1,876 m gain · 17 h 45 min · 21 km from BanffViews · River or creek · Camping · Alpine · Passes Pulsatilla Pass71score
- 9Redearth CreekNear Massive · Banff National ParkModerate · 27.7 km · 700 m gain · 8 h 45 min · 17 km from BanffLake · River or creek · Camping · Hut or tea house · Passes Shadow Lake Lodge and Shadow Lake65score
- 10Brewster CreekNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 54.1 km · 1,554 m gain · 17 h 45 min · 6 km from BanffViews · River or creek · Camping · Hut or tea house · Passes Halfway Lodge and Allenby Pass56score
- 11Mount Peechee RouteNear Canmore · Banff National ParkHard · 22.7 km · 2,070 m gain · 14 h · 12 km from BanffSummit · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Mount Girouard57score
- 12Whistling ValleyNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 17.2 km · 811 m gain · 6 h 30 min · 28 km from BanffLake · Views · Camping · Hut or tea house · Passes Haiduk Lake and Egypt Lake Shelter72score
- 13Forty Mile CreekNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 29.2 km · 758 m gain · 9 h 15 min · 4 km from BanffRiver or creek · Camping50score
- 14Forty Mile SummitNear Banff · Banff National ParkModerate · 27.3 km · 793 m gain · 9 h · 29 km from BanffSummit · Views · Camping · Alpine · Passes Forty Mile Summit65score
- 15Lake Minnewanka TrailNear Anthracite · Banff National ParkModerate · 15.2 km · 327 m gain · 4 h 45 min · 16 km from BanffLake · Camping · Passes Lake Minnewanka52score