Hike Alberta
Banff Pedestrian Bridge 250 m N
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Bow River Trail

Near Banff · Banff National Park

Easy · Out and back · Official trail

The Banff bridge over the Bow River below Mount Rundle
The Banff bridge over the Bow River below Mount Rundle. Photo by Jack Borno, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 82 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Banff Pedestrian Bridge 500 m Open the map

About this trail

Bow River Trail is a 3.7 km out and back trail near Banff in Banff National Park. It runs 1.8 km each way. It is close to flat, staying between 1,380 m and 1,389 m. Hike Alberta rates it easy. Allow about 60 minutes of moving time. It meets Muskrat Street at 0.5 km, and passes six other mapped junctions. Along the way you pass a viewpoint, Central Park Gazebo and Abegweit on the Bow. Much of the route follows Bow River. Also used for walking, trail running and mountain biking.

Length
3.7km
1.8 km each way
Elevation gain
27m
Estimated time
60min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
1,389m
Lowest point
1,380m

Elevation profile

1,380 m to 1,389 m
1,3891,380 0 km1.8 km

Highest point 1,389 m, lowest 1,380 m, 27 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 5% 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 kmViewpointsAt 0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 km
  2. 0.4 kmBanff Pedestrian BridgeViewpoint
  3. 1.0 kmCentral Park GazeboHistoric site
  4. 1.2 kmOld Crosby ResidenceHistoric site
  5. 1.3 kmAbegweit on the BowLodge or hostel
  6. 1.4 kmRiverside Bed & BreakfastLodge or hostel

Good for

  • Hiking, Walking, Trail running, Mountain biking
  • Dog friendly (on leash), Kid friendly
  • Views, River or creek, Historic site, Hut or tea house

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.1703° N, 115.5631° 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