Hiking Trails

Close to Town

Town Trail Network - 9km
Trails of low gradients running along the Bow River and through Canmore.

Benchland - 9km Loop
A series of several small sections. Trail head Cougar Creek parking lot just right off Elk Run Boulevard.

Cougar Creek - 3km up
Trailhead - Cougar Creek parking lot. Climbs up the valley crossing the creek several times. Join up with the Benchlands Trail system or The trail up Lady MacDonald.

Lady MacDonald - 3.5km with 890m elevation gain
Very steep and strenuous. Follow the Cougar Creek trailhead until you hit the Benchlands Trail System fork. Go left. Your climb starts here. After 200m, stay right at the the Benchlands/Lady Mac junction. You’ll get to a heli pad when you reach the end. Fantastic views.

Just Outside Town

Goat Creek - 19.8km
Trailhead just after Whiteman’s pond on the Spray Lake Rd. Nice wide trail into Banff ending at the Banff Springs Hotel. The Spray river is charming and it’s well worth bringing a picnic lunch. Hike or Bike.

Grassi Lake Trail - 3.1km
Great short hike with old log cabin, views, shallow with a mini-waterfall. You will also see ancient coral reefs and 100 yr. old Native pictographs. Trailhead just east off the Spray Lake Road on a small access road, right along the side lake (at the start of the Smith-Dorrian/Spray Hill) first parking lot. Hike along an old fire road. About 200m in you will be given the choice of 2 different ascents: to the left, the difficult route (great views) and to the right, the easier way up (log cabin).

Ha Ling Trail - 2.7km
Trailhead off the Spray Lake road after Whitman’s pond. Park at the Goat Creek parking lot. Cross back across the Spray Lake road and start trail behind the hut. This is a steep and challenging hike with breathtaking views.

Centennial Ridge/ Mount Allan - 16.8km, 1320m elevation gain
Cleared in the late 60’s by the Ramblers Association in Calgary, this is one of the highest trails in the Rockies. Trailhead (north approach) 10 mins from Canmore east along the Trans-Canada Highway, turn south at the Dead Man’s Flats exit. Follow this small road all the way to Alpine Resort Haven, park there. From the gate at the end of the parking lot, follow the fire road and then turn left onto the Centennial Ridge Trail. After climbing 500m (6 Km) the road becomes a narrow path that takes you to a meadow between the mountains. From there, you climb again, up the lower ridge of Mount Allan. Watch for rock markers indicating the best path to help you stay on course. At the summit, the views are spectacular. On a clear day, you can see all the way from Mount Temple in Lake Louise to the Calgary skyscrapers.