Hike Alberta
250 m N
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Marsh Loop

Near Banff · Banff National Park

Easy · Loop · Official trail

The Basin at Cave and Basin National Historic Site, where the Marsh Loop starts
The Basin at Cave and Basin National Historic Site, where the Marsh Loop starts. Photo by davebloggs007 on Flickr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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

250 m Open the map

About this trail

Marsh Loop is a 2.7 km loop trail near Banff in Banff National Park. It is close to flat, staying between 1,380 m and 1,404 m. Hike Alberta rates it easy, and Parks Canada rates it easy. Allow about 45 minutes of moving time. It meets Cave and Basin Trail at 0.2 km and Sundance Trail at 0.8 km, and passes five other mapped junctions. Along the way you pass a viewpoint. Much of the route follows Bow River. Also used for walking, trail running and mountain biking.

Length
2.7km
Elevation gain
33m
Estimated time
45min
Moving time
Route
Loop
Highest point
1,404m
Lowest point
1,380m

Elevation profile

1,380 m to 1,404 m
1,4041,380 0 km2.7 km

Highest point 1,404 m, lowest 1,380 m, 33 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 8% 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 kmMarsh Loop TrailheadTrailhead
  2. 0.0 kmViewpointsAt 0.0, 0.2 and 1.4 km
  3. 0.2 kmCave and Basin Trail TrailheadTrailhead

Good for

  • Hiking, Walking, Trail running, Mountain biking, Horseback riding, Cross country skiing
  • Dog friendly (on leash), Kid friendly
  • Views, River or creek

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.1708° N, 115.5880° 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