Hike Alberta
Peyto Lake · Viewpoint 100 m N
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Peyto Lake Lookout

Banff National Park

Easy · Out and back · Official trail

Peyto Lake from the viewpoint
Peyto Lake from the viewpoint. Photo by chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 87 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Peyto Lake · Viewpoint 100 m Open the map

About this trail

Peyto Lake Lookout is a 1.5 km out and back trail in Banff National Park. It runs 0.8 km each way. The route gains 60 m in total and tops out at 2,139 m. Hike Alberta rates it easy, and Parks Canada rates it easy. Allow about 35 minutes of moving time. It passes three mapped trail junctions. Two side branches with the same name split off the route, at 0.2 km and 0.4 km. The distance and climb above follow this route only, not its branches. Along the way you pass Peyto Lake · Viewpoint. Also used for walking and horseback riding.

Length
1.5km
0.8 km each way
Elevation gain
60m
Estimated time
35min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
2,139m
Lowest point
2,089m

Elevation profile

2,089 m to 2,139 m
2,1392,089 0 km0.8 km

Highest point 2,139 m, lowest 2,089 m, 60 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 13% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 0% of route

0% LTE · 0% 5G

Longest modelled gap
0.8 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 kmPeyto Lake Lower Access TrailheadTrailhead
  2. 0.5 kmPeyto Lake · ViewpointViewpoint

Good for

  • Hiking, Walking, Horseback riding
  • Dog friendly (on leash), Kid friendly
  • Lake, Views, Alpine

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.7170° N, 116.4997° 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

Parks Canada trail data, Open Government Licence Canada
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30