Hike Alberta
Lake Helen 1 km N
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Helen Lake

Banff National Park

Moderate · Out and back · Official trail

Crowfoot Mountain and Bow Lake from the start of the trail
Crowfoot Mountain and Bow Lake from the start of the trail. Photo by Bernd Thaller from Graz, Austria, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 81 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Lake Helen 1 km Open the map

About this trail

Helen Lake is a 11.6 km out and back trail in Banff National Park. It runs 5.8 km each way. The route gains 496 m in total and tops out at 2,390 m. Hike Alberta rates it moderate, and Parks Canada rates it moderate. Allow about 4 hours 15 minutes of moving time. It passes two mapped trail junctions. Along the way you pass Lake Helen. Also used for trail running and horseback riding.

Length
11.6km
5.8 km each way
Elevation gain
496m
Estimated time
4h15min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
2,390m
Lowest point
1,979m

Elevation profile

1,979 m to 2,390 m
2,3901,979 0 km5.8 km

Highest point 2,390 m, lowest 1,979 m, 496 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 29% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 100% of route

100% LTE · 0% 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 kmHelen Lake TrailheadTrailhead
  2. 5.8 kmLake HelenLake

Good for

  • Hiking, Trail running, Horseback riding
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Lake, Views, Alpine

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.6640° N, 116.4386° 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
Parks Canada trail data, Open Government Licence Canada
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30