Bow Glacier Falls
Banff National Park
A scenic trail that follows the shoreline of Bow Lake with beautiful views of Crowfoot Mountain across the lake and Mount St. Nicolas rising from the Wapta Icefield. The trail skirts the rim of a gorge before ending at the base of an impressive set of falls.
[ View Banff Icefields Parkway Area Map ]
TRAIL SUMMARY
Type of Trip: Half-Day Trip
Distance: 4.6 kilometers
Time: Allow 1 ½ hours one way
Difficulty: Easy
Scenery: Worth Doing
Elevation Gain: 93 meters
Maximum Elevation: 2047 meters
Maps: Hector Lake 82 N/9 or Bow Lake and Saskatchewan Crossing (Gem Trek)
Trail Report: Banff Trail Conditions Report
Weather: Lake Louise Weather Report
Region: Banff Icefields Parkway
Nearby Mountain Town: Lake Louise
Plan Your Trip: Banff Active Destination Guide
Equipment Needed
Light hiking boots, daypack, lunch, snack food, water, water filter, rain gear, sun hat, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, moleskin and first aid kit.
Where To Start
From the Trans-Canada Highway follow the Icefields Parkway north for 36 km (22.5 miles) to the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge access road at Bow Lake. Follow the access road to the trailhead parking area and kiosh.
Trail Description
From the trailhead parking lot, follow a wide gravel path down to the lakeshore and past historic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. The trail deteriorates along the shoreline and can be wet and muddy in sections until you reach the gravel flats at the lakes inlet. The gravel flats have been created from boulders, rocks and gravel washed down from Bow Glacier and the falls. Across the lake is a grand view of Crowfoot Mountain and ahead Mt. St. Nicolas is visible on the horizon as it juts skyward out of the Wapta Icefield.
Beyond the lake the trail follows the inlet stream, over a series of old moraines before reaching a narrow gorge with a short steep climb along its upper rim. From here you can view a natural bridge created when a boulder fell across the gorge.
The trail continues up along the gorge to a viewpoint on top of a moraine where you can view the falls as they cascade over a rocky headwall created by Bow Glacier as it retreated. The trail continues for another 1 km through gravel, boulders and streams until it reaches the base of Bow Glacier Falls.
Route
| Distance | Description |
|---|---|
| 0.0 km | Trailhead and kiosh |
| 1.8 km | Bow Lake inlet stream - follow trail along stream |
| 2.8 km | Gravel flats |
| 3.3 km | Gorge with steep uphill climb |
| 3.6 km | View of waterfall and headwall from top of moraine |
| 4.6 km | Base of Bow Glacier Falls |
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