Parking
Park in Bow Lake Parking Lot A beside Num-Ti-Jah Lodge on the Icefields Parkway; the lot fills quickly, and roadside parking is prohibited. A valid Banff National Park pass is required for a stop.
Overview
About Bow Lake Lakeshore Trail
Why go
- Easy, mostly flat walking beside the lake
- Big lake and glacier views for a short outing
Heads up
- The shoreline can be marshy near the far end
- Parking Lot A fills quickly
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,938–1,953 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Bow Lake Lakeshore 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
Bow Lake: North Shore and a Café Stop0:00 / 0:32
“Up ahead is Bow Lake's north-shore access, by The Lodge at Bow Lake. Stop here for turquoise water beneath the mountains without committing to a hike; a short gravel path leads from the public parking to the shore.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bow Lake Picnic Site: Follow the Road Down
- Helen Lake and the Cirque Peak Choice
- Crowfoot Glacier and Its Missing Toe
- One Aspen, Many Trunks
- 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 Bow Lake Lakeshore Trail
A quick shore walkBow Lake Lakeshore Trail is a 2.1-mile (3.4 km) out-and-back along Bow Lake’s north shore.
Bow Lake Lakeshore Trail is a 2.1-mile (3.4 km) out-and-back along Bow Lake’s north shore. Start at Parking Lot A beside Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, follow the shoreline path toward the western end to the foot of the stairs, then return the same way. Allow about 30–60 minutes. It’s an easy, low-commitment way to get beside the lake; the longer Bow Glacier Falls route continues beyond this shoreline walk.
Follow the shore, then turn backThe path passes the lodge and is described as clear and mostly flat.
The path passes the lodge and is described as clear and mostly flat. Views open across the turquoise water to Crowfoot Mountain and its glacier, with Bowcrow Peak and Bow Peak beyond; Mount Jimmy Simpson rises over the shore. The walk ends before the more demanding Bow Glacier Falls and Bow Hut routes. This is a shoreline out-and-back, not a circuit around the lake.
The far end can be marshy, and water level changes how much shoreline is comfortable to walk. Turn around at the stairs before the route continues toward the falls or hut. The posted 2.1-mile figure is a return distance; the physical route is stored once.
Before you goUse Bow Lake Parking Lot A beside Num-Ti-Jah Lodge.
Use Bow Lake Parking Lot A beside Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. The lot fills quickly, and toilets are available at the trailhead. A valid Banff National Park pass is required when stopping on the Icefields Parkway. Dogs can join on leash; check current trail restrictions before taking one, especially in winter. Parks Canada’s current conditions page did not list a separate Bow Lake Lakeshore entry when this guide was prepared, so check the live report before setting out.
Why the water looks blueBow Lake is fed by meltwater from Bow Glacier.
Bow Lake is fed by meltwater from Bow Glacier. Fine glacial sediment in the water helps give it its turquoise colour. On calm, clear days, the surrounding mountains can reflect across the lake. From the north shore, frame the water in front of Crowfoot Mountain and the glacier; reflections depend on conditions.
A lodge with a long historyNum-Ti-Jah Lodge stands beside the walk’s starting point.
Num-Ti-Jah Lodge stands beside the walk’s starting point. Jimmy Simpson first camped at Bow Lake in 1898 and began a small cabin there about 25 years later. After the Banff–Jasper highway reached the lake in 1937, the family developed the site into a lodge: it had six guest rooms in 1940 and 16 rooms by 1950.
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.
