A couple locals tipped me off to this trail as a good way to get my feet wet hiking in the Banff…read morearea. And I literally almost got my feet wet because as of mid-October there were already a couple of inches of snow on the ground! While we can't control mother nature, my rating is more based on her than the actual trail! I'm sure the payoff is worth the legwork!
That aside, this trail is easy to get to from the town of Banff, just taking Banff Ave up toward Lake Minnewanka, turning off when you reach the Upper Bankhead parking lot. You'll find the trailhead well marked and located next to the picnic pavilion. On a side note, continuing up the road by car will give you some spectacular views of the mountains and eventually take you to Lake Minnewanka.
The trail starts out wide, winding through a forest that only lets the sun peek in periodically. I was solo hiking, and the forest was dead silent. The only sounds heard were the whistle of the wind through the needles of the evergreens and the soft crash of snow falling from the boughs.
For some, this is the epitome of tranquility, but for me, on unfamiliar ground, it was eery and sometimes surprising.
My eyes were nearly glued to the ground as I placed one foot in front of the other. With every couple of steps I seemed to pause and listen, hoping to hear (or maybe not hear) the sounds of wildlife moving through the forest or another person.
This trail was an old mining road, and as you make your way up you'll pass old concrete buildings (great photo ops) and old mine ventilation shafts which are now fenced off to keep us all safe. After passing these the trail narrows a bit more as it winds up toward the cirque via a set of long switchbacks.
The trail opens up at a few lower points giving beautiful views of the forested valley below, and when the sun creeps in through the canopy, you'll be bathed in warmth that's almost magical.
I'm sure I was within a few hundred feet of the ultimate payoff here, but due to snow, I did not reach the cirque, which is an open area where rocky peaks converge providing vast views of Lake Minnewanka and the entire valley below. The trail was well traveled and the upper portions were covered in snow that was packed and slick. At the higher elevations, the trail borders steep uphill and downhill faces, and the snow made it unclear as to just how much space I had on either side.
As a solo hiker, the risk was not worth the reward, and I turned back after retracing my steps a few times. If I'd been with others, had hiking poles or traction aides, this would have been a breeze and judging by the pictures I saw, the payoff would have been magnificent.
If you're here in the Spring/Summer and properly equipped for the conditions, I highly suggest this hike. It'll get the blood pumping and provide great reward when you reach the end.
