Parking
Start at the public Mount Shark Parking Lot at the end of Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Road. Follow Watridge Lake signs from the lot, then the Bryant Creek markers at the junctions.
Overview
About Bryant Creek Trail
Why go
- A steady, signed approach to Bryant Creek’s open meadow
Heads up
- 26.7 km return means a long walk back on the same trail
At about 9.6 km from the start, Big Springs campground sits near the main route. A faint spur of roughly 300 m follows the spring to a waterfall pouring from the rock; return to the main trail before continuing. The campground has five tent pads, a cooking area, a pit toilet and a place to hang food. If you stay overnight in Banff, you need a backcountry permit.
Parkwolf’s verdictBig Springs is worth the short detourMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,717–1,865 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 Bryant Creek 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 tour- 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 Bryant Creek Trail
Is this the day you want?Bryant Creek Trail is a 26.7 km (16.
Bryant Creek Trail is a 26.7 km (16.6 mi) out-and-back from Mount Shark to the Bryant Creek Shelter area and back, a full-day walk of about 8–10 hours. It follows the Watridge Lake approach, enters a forested creek valley, passes Big Springs and finishes in the meadow around McBride’s Camp. The return retraces the same corridor, so the stored distance includes both directions. Choose it for a long, steady backcountry approach; this version turns around at Bryant Creek rather than continuing over Assiniboine or Wonder Pass toward Lake Magog.
Keep to the Bryant Creek markersThe opening roughly 6 km shares a wide, gravelly, road-like route with the Watridge Lake nordic…
The opening roughly 6 km shares a wide, gravelly, road-like route with the Watridge Lake nordic network. There are several junctions early on, so keep checking for Bryant Creek signs. Past Watridge Lake, the path rolls over a ridge, drops into forest and follows the creek valley. The tread narrows and crosses streams, but the route is generally easy to follow. It is a long walk with a real return leg, not a technical climb.
The meadow is the payoffNear the far end, stay toward Bryant Creek at the Marvel Lake campground junction.
Near the far end, stay toward Bryant Creek at the Marvel Lake campground junction. McBride’s Camp and a warden cabin sit in an open meadow with peaks rising around it, and a signed spur leads to the shelter area. After so much forest, the clearing is the route’s main opening; keep some of the meadow and trail in a photo to show the valley’s scale. Through-routes over the passes continue beyond this outing and have different distances and logistics.
Start at Mount SharkThe trailhead is the Mount Shark Parking Lot in Spray Valley Provincial Park, outside Banff;…
The trailhead is the Mount Shark Parking Lot in Spray Valley Provincial Park, outside Banff; the route enters Banff along the way. From the lot, follow Watridge Lake and then Bryant Creek markers. Dogs are allowed on the summer hiking route on a leash no longer than 2 m. The opening section is also a nordic ski network, so check seasonal pet rules before taking a dog there in winter.
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.
