Bow Glacier Falls Trail

Bow Glacier Falls Trail is an out-and-back from Bow Lake to the signed official endpoint, not to the base of the falls. It is 2.8 km each way (5.6 km / 3.5 miles return); allow about 2 to 3 hours for the moderate walk and stops. The appeal is the change of scene: lake shore, forest, gravel flats, a gorge climb, then an open view into the high valley. If your goal is to stand right beside the waterfall, this route now stops short of that.

The trail starts behind Num-Ti-Jah Lodge and heads west along Bow Lake’s north shore. The first stretch is the gentler part, with the turquoise water and surrounding peaks beside you. Marshy patches can push the tread a little above the shore. Near the lake’s northwest end, the route leaves the water by the inlet and crosses the broad delta. Follow the established path west of the meltwater stream; the gravel flats can spread into several faint tracks.

The route gets steeper after the lake. It climbs through trees on wooden steps, then reaches a narrow gorge where rough steps gain the north side and the path follows the rim. The stream is squeezed through a twisted channel below. Expect uneven dirt, loose gravel and stone steps; the descent can feel skiddy, so take care on the way back down. This is the part that makes a short mileage feel like a proper hike rather than a lakeside stroll.

After the gorge, a short rise opens the view toward Bow Glacier Falls and the upper valley. The marked endpoint is about 2.8 km from Bow Lake. Do not continue past the Parks Canada sign toward the falls base or steep rockwall. A large rockfall there killed two hikers in 2025, and the area beyond the signed trail remains exposed to rockfall and debris runout. The falls are still the payoff; reaching their foot is not part of the official route.

This walk follows the headwaters of the Bow River. The gravel delta, broad outwash and old moraines are material carried and left behind by glacial meltwater. Near the end, the valley opens into pale gravel and broken rock beneath the glacier-fed falls, a striking change from the forest and lake shore below.