Hike Alberta
Bow FallsBow falls viewpointBow Falls ViewpointBanff Pedestrian Bridge 250 m N
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Bow Falls Trail

Near Banff · Banff National Park

Easy · Out and back · Official trail

Bow Falls on the Bow River
Bow Falls on the Bow River. Photo by Jack Borno, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 93 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Bow FallsBow falls viewpoint 250 m Open the map

About this trail

Bow Falls Trail is a 2.4 km out and back trail near Banff in Banff National Park. It runs 1.2 km each way. The route gains 54 m in total and tops out at 1,390 m. Hike Alberta rates it easy. Allow about 45 minutes of moving time. It meets Muskrat Street at 1.0 km, and passes three other mapped junctions. Along the way you pass Bow falls viewpoint and Bow Falls. Much of the route follows Bow River. Also used for walking, trail running and mountain biking.

Length
2.4km
1.2 km each way
Elevation gain
54m
Estimated time
45min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
1,390m
Lowest point
1,361m

Elevation profile

1,361 m to 1,390 m
1,3901,361 0 km1.2 km

Highest point 1,390 m, lowest 1,361 m, 54 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 16% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 100% of route

0% LTE · 100% 5G

Longest modelled gap
0.0 km
Model
2024 · Natural Resources Canada

Predicted coverage is not guaranteed. It varies by carrier, terrain, weather, device and network load, and it does not guarantee emergency service.

Along the way

  1. 0.0 kmBow falls viewpointViewpoint
  2. 0.2 kmBow FallsWaterfall
  3. 0.2 kmBow RiverWaterfall
  4. 0.3 kmBow Falls ViewpointViewpoint
  5. 0.3 kmSurprise CornerViewpoint
  6. 0.5 kmViewpointsAt 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.9 km
  7. 1.0 kmBanff Pedestrian BridgeViewpoint

Good for

  • Hiking, Walking, Trail running, Mountain biking
  • Dog friendly (on leash), Kid friendly
  • Waterfall, Views, River or creek

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.1653° N, 115.5594° W.

Driving directions

Banff National Park admission

National park admission required

Buy day or annual pass

Pass details

Visitors spending time in a national park need valid daily admission or a Parks Canada Discovery Pass. Admission is separate from camping, reservations, parking and other service fees.

Information checked October 21, 2026.

Official details

Before you go

Carry an offline map and plan for no service in backcountry areas. Trails close for wildlife, fire, weather and construction. Check the official sources:

Nearby trails

All 588 trails in Banff National Park

Town of Banff open data
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30