Parking
Lake Minnewanka Day-use Area, at the west end of the lake. Parking is limited, unlined gravel; gender-neutral outhouses and picnic tables are at the day-use area.
Overview
About Aylmer Lookout Trail
Why go
- Lake views build from the rolling shore to a wide lookout panorama.
- The former lookout site adds a visible piece of the route’s history.
Heads up
- A 14.4-mile return with most of the climbing late in the day.
- Annual midsummer rules restrict group size and dogs beyond Stewart Canyon Bridge.
Aylmer Lookout Trail is a 14.4-mile (23.2-km) out-and-back from Lake Minnewanka Day-use Area to the site of a former fire lookout. The walk starts with a long, rolling lakeshore approach, then climbs steadily to a broad view of the reservoir and surrounding mountains. Allow 7 to 8 hours and about 770 m (2,530 ft) of elevation gain. This is a full-day, hard hike; most of the climbing comes after the long shoreline miles.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,486–2,052 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Aylmer Lookout Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Lake Minnewanka: Shore, Boats and a Sunken Village0:00 / 0:29
“Lake Minnewanka is coming up, with a broad mountain shoreline you can enjoy without taking a boat. In the boating season, cruises leave from the waterfront and Black Anchor Snack Shop serves takeaway snacks and drinks.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Two Jack Lake: A Picnic by Mount Rundle
- Upper Bankhead: Lunch or C-Level Cirque
- Lower Bankhead: Where the Town Went
- Two Jack Campgrounds: Lakeside or Main
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Hiking Aylmer Lookout Trail
Along the lakeFollow the Lake Minnewanka Trail along the water for about 7.
Follow the Lake Minnewanka Trail along the water for about 7.8 km to the Aylmer Pass Trail junction. The shoreline rolls up and down around coves. Stewart Canyon Bridge, about 1.7 km from the parking area, crosses the Cascade River and makes a much shorter turnaround if you only want a lakeside outing. Most of the lookout route is still ahead from there.
Take the lookout branchFrom the first junction, climb steadily for 2.3 km to a second fork.
From the first junction, climb steadily for 2.3 km to a second fork. The Aylmer Pass route continues for another 3.4 km one way; take the separate 1.7-km Aylmer Lookout spur instead. Roots, rocks and narrow sections make the upper trail uneven underfoot, and the view opens as you climb the final branch.
A fire lookout without the towerThe former lookout building is gone, but its concrete footings remain at the end of the trail.
The former lookout building is gone, but its concrete footings remain at the end of the trail. From the open site, the reservoir stretches between forested slopes and mountain ridges. For a photo, frame both arms of the lake with the skyline behind them; the panorama shows the scale of the view better than a close shot of the footings.
The lake's submerged villageMinnewanka Landing was a summer village with hotels, wharves, restaurants and boat trips.
Minnewanka Landing was a summer village with hotels, wharves, restaurants and boat trips. Dams raised the lake in stages, and the third dam, built in 1941, flooded the townsite completely. Divers can still visit its remains beneath the water.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
