![]() The campground has pit toilets and food storage facilities, and fires are permitted in the campfire ring provided you take appropriate safety measures. The Glacier Lake Campground is a great place for an overnight stay on this fantastic easy backpacking trip. Snuggling around a cozy fire, with a glass of wine or hot chocolate and looking out over a stunning lake in the Banff backcountry should be on your bucket list. Overall, this is one of our favourite backcountry sites because the sites are right on the lake and fires are allowed. What is nice is that you can drive to the trailhead and hike into the campground in a day, so this is a great weekend option. Perhaps put off by the distance to the trailhead, or the relative “easiness” of the hike in, this campground is a true piece of backcountry paradise. Glacier Lake is a hidden gem of a campground, though it’s not as well-known as other backcountry campgrounds in Banff. A path goes along the right-hand (north) side for 3.0 km towards the end of the lake. If you get there early enough, then a day hike along the lakeshore is a great way to spend a couple of hours. There are picnic tables and a communal fire pit, but you’ll need to bring your own wood, as none is supplied, and deadfall is picked pretty clean. This campground has 5 sites, and they are close to the lakeshore, so you can enjoy incredible views from your tent. ![]() Further along look out for a survey marker from 1928 carved into a tree near the end of the trail.Īfter 8.9 km you arrive at the Glacier Lake and the Glacier Lake Backcountry Campground (GL9), which you can book through Parks Canada. While Glacier Lake is almost the same elevation as the trailhead, the trail takes you up and over a small rise, a shoulder of the nearby Survey Peak, so you gain and lose approximately 210 m along the way. This part of the hike is not the most scenic. The rest of the trail is primarily in the trees, with large patches of buffalo berries (take great care in July and August when bears are out looking for them). The trail descends to a bend in the river before heading back into the trees. There are some excellent views of the braided Howse River with Mount Murchison providing an imposing backdrop. There are fine views from here.Ĭontinue on the path and you’ll soon come to the Howse River. ![]() After approximately 30-45 minutes (it’s only 2.4 km but the heaviness of your backpack will slow you down) cross a bridge over the North Saskatchewan River. The low elevation means the area will be snow and ice-free in late spring, and the gentle, rolling trail is a good option for a “warm up” backpack to boost your fitness early in the season!įrom the Glacier Lake parking lot, head out on the signed path, traveling through the forest on a good trail. The Glacier Lake backpack on the Icefields Parkway in Banff is a great choice for the early season. Route Description for Glacier Lake Backpacking Trail Day 1: Glacier Lake Trailhead to Glacier Lake Campground ![]()
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