Rating: Easy- 1.8 miles around a beautiful lake with mountain views in the background. Relatively no elevation change. Great for kids. Takes about 45 min to complete.

Rating: Intermediate- 2.1 mile loop, mildly strenuous due to walking up some elevation but beautiful views of a blue lake when you reach the top. This hike takes about an hour. One of my favorite, shorter hikes. To find it, head past the Canmore Nordic Centre and take the first left, down a paved road to a parking lot on your right.

Rating: Intermediate- Highline Trail Loop: This is for all the mountain bikers out there!! A 4.4 mile loop, takes on average 2.5 hours to complete walking. Very fun along the way, the walk is mostly through the forest and along a river running down the mountain. This is a popular mountain biking trail. For parking, there are a few spots where people park right at the start of the trailhead, verging into the neighborhood nearby.

Level: Intermediate: This is a 3.4 km loop that takes an average of 1.5 hours to complete. Beginning of the trail is a bit steep but leads to a fragile alpine meadow with mountain views.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION- NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Level: Challenging- YES you can climb out to the edge of the peak in that picture. Ha Ling Peak is 4.6 miles out and back, very steep however the trail is maintained till you reach the saddle and then it is a short scramble to the summit and have an amazing view. This is considered one of the BEST hikes in the area. Highly recommend. Takes an average of 3-4 hours to complete. After summiting Ha Ling, you can also hike over to the next summit known as Miners Peak.

Level: Intermediate/challenging- Chester Lake: 5.8 miles out and back. Takes an average of 4.5 hours to complete but you get to approach a beautiful lake with mountain views. This is a good fall hike with the possibility of seeing the larch trees changing color, especially in September!

Level: Intermediate/challenging- "East Ridge Trail", is a 7.2 km out and back hike with very beautiful views at the top. The picture above is taken by me at the top of the ridge. Took us about 2.5-3 hours. There is an option to continue past the ridge and complete the summit, but note this is very very dangerous. This summit has the most rescues recorded every year and people have died in the scramble and challenge of the summit. Parking is a bit hard to find but don't keep driving down a road that says "private property" and "do not enter" LOL you will end up driving to someone's trailer home. Parking is a bit hard to find, don't trust google maps. Drive the Trans-Canada Highway west from Calgary to Exit 114 signed to Seebee. Head north on 1X to Highway 1A. Turn right (east) and follow the road about 2 km to the parking lot on the north side of the highway

Level: Challenging: Grassi Knob: 7.1 mile loop (theres a few different routes, 7.1 loop is the longest). It is a steep summit but rewarding views at the top. We recommend taking the highline up, and when the path forks, take a left. A short scramble is before the summit. Takes about 4 hours if you come down the same way you came up instead of doing a loop.

Intermediate hike take 1-3 hours. Gives a nice overlooking view of the town of Banff and the surrounding valley.

Relax and wander around the base of the lake or hike up to the tea house (Lake Agnes 3-4 hours) for a refreshing beverage. If you choose to climb up, then enjoy the panoramic views of the lake and Chateau. Also options to rent a canoe and go on the lake for a different perspective. Definitely recommend going early in the morning to beat some of the rush.

If going to Lake Louise, plan ahead and do some research. This is a very popular area especially in September. Also new is the need for a reservation if you intend to ride the summer shuttle to Lake Louise from the Lake Louise Park and Ride. Reservations open in May 2024 (exact date to be determined) at 8am MST on the Parks Canada website. This option guarantees you will get to Lake Louise, while the paid parking is on a first-come/first-serve basis.

Enjoy some local beers after walking around Canmore. There is both the taproom or the brewery within a short walk of each other.

A variety of healthy bowl options to fuel up for a day of hiking.