Hike Alberta
Purple Mound 500 m N
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Lipalian Mountain Trail

Near Lake Louise · Banff National Park

Expert · Out and back

Trail score 57 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Purple Mound 1 km Open the map

About this trail

Lipalian Mountain Trail is a 8.3 km out and back trail near Lake Louise in Banff National Park. It runs 4.2 km each way. The route gains 854 m in total and tops out at 2,663 m. Hike Alberta rates it expert. Allow about 7 hours of moving time. At 3.2 km the trail forks. This route keeps left; the right fork is a 0.6 km T4 side branch with the same name. The distance and climb above follow this route only, not its branches. Along the way you pass the summit of Purple Mound. Expect scrambling and exposure; this is mountain terrain. Nearly all of it is mapped as T4 alpine hiking. Also used for scrambling.

Length
8.3km
4.2 km each way
Elevation gain
854m
Estimated time
7h
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
2,663m
Lowest point
1,956m

Elevation profile

1,956 m to 2,663 m
2,6631,956 0 km4.2 km

Highest point 2,663 m, lowest 1,956 m, 854 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 51% 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. 4.0 kmPurple MoundSummit · 2,622 m

Good for

  • Hiking, Scrambling
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Summit, Views, Alpine

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.4433° N, 116.1231° 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