Hike Alberta
Mad Trapper's SmokehouseHoward Douglas LakeCitadel Pass 2 km N
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Citadel Pass Tr

Near Banff · Banff National Park

Hard · Out and back

Fatigue Mountain from the trail
Fatigue Mountain from the trail. Photo by Eggbones, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 78 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Mad Trapper's SmokehouseHoward Douglas Lake 2 km Open the map

About this trail

Citadel Pass Tr is a 18.1 km out and back trail near Banff in Banff National Park. It runs 9.1 km each way. The route gains 679 m in total and tops out at 2,374 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 6 hours 15 minutes of moving time. It meets Rock Isle Trail at 1.1 km, and passes four other mapped junctions. Along the way you pass Howard Douglas Lake, a gondola station, a campground and a backcountry campground. Mad Trapper's Smokehouse is on the route, at the start. Also used for backpacking.

Length
18.1km
9.1 km each way
Elevation gain
679m
Estimated time
6h15min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
2,374m
Lowest point
2,185m

Elevation profile

2,185 m to 2,374 m
2,3742,185 0 km9.1 km

Highest point 2,374 m, lowest 2,185 m, 679 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 24% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 22% of route

0% LTE · 22% 5G

Longest modelled gap
2.9 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 kmGondola or lift station
  2. 0.0 kmMad Trapper's SmokehouseTea house or café
  3. 5.5 kmHoward Douglas LakeLake
  4. 5.6 kmSu8Campground · 2,300 m
  5. 5.6 kmHoward Douglas Lake Backcountry CampgroundBackcountry campground
  6. 9.0 kmCitadel PassPass or saddle · 2,360 m

Good for

  • Hiking, Backpacking
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Lake, Views, Camping, Alpine

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.0776° N, 115.7822° 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

Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30