Parking
Park at Burstall Pass Day Use/Parking on Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Road (Hwy 742). A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required for your vehicle.
Overview
About Burstall Pass Trail
Why go
- Peak larch viewing around the pass with expansive golden slopes
- Easy to extend beyond the pass into Banff for bigger, quieter views
Heads up
- Unbridged willow-flat crossings almost guarantee wet feet
- Very busy during larch season; parking fills early
Burstall Pass is a rewarding Canadian Rockies day hike through forest, larch-lined lakes and open alpine meadows to a broad pass with wide Spray Valley views. The route is especially striking in late September, when the larches turn gold, and the varied approach gives the day a real sense of progression.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,897–2,355 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley closed during ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison hunt taking place through November, for public safety during the harvest.Official details
- ClosureJohnston Canyon closed for constructionJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area, including the washrooms and P1 parking lot, are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, for construction work to ensure public and worker…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Burstall Pass 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.
- 178 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 177 trails, 236 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 Burstall Pass Trail
The experienceStart at the Burstall Pass parking area and follow the wide old logging road through forest…
Start at the Burstall Pass parking area and follow the wide old logging road through forest toward the Burstall Lakes and Mud Lake area. The trail narrows across willow flats and braided glacial outflow, where several shallow, unbridged crossings can mean wet feet. Beyond the flats it returns to forest, then climbs steadily into open alpine meadows and the Burstall Pass turnaround. Mount Chester and Mount Galatea frame the Spray Range, with distant views toward Leman Lake on clear days. The listed hike turns around at the pass; routes beyond it are optional backcountry extensions, not part of this trail's mapped distance.
Stats and effortPlan on about 15.5 km (9.6 miles) round-trip, using the mapped 7.
Plan on about 15.5 km (9.6 miles) round-trip, using the mapped 7.75 km outbound corridor to the pass and the same route back. Most hikers take about 5.5 hours, depending on pace, crossing conditions and time in the meadows. It is moderate: the route is not technical, but the sustained climb and wet willow flats can slow progress.
Practical tipsBring sandals or water shoes and dry socks for the flats, and pack layers for wind and cooler…
Bring sandals or water shoes and dry socks for the flats, and pack layers for wind and cooler temperatures at the pass. Bikes are allowed only on the first 2.7 km; beyond that the route is hikers-only. Carry a map or GPS, especially if considering a separate extension beyond the pass. This is bear country: carry bear spray and make noise. Group-size limits may apply; check current regulations before departure.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
122 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
67 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
465 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
