Parking
Use the shared Twin Lakes Trailhead / Smith Lake parking area. No toilets or drinking water were found at the lot; bring water from elsewhere.
Overview
About Copper Lake Trail
Why go
- A gentle, low-effort walk to a clear mountain lake.
Heads up
- The lake is a modest payoff, and highway noise may carry through the trees.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,440–1,452 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 Copper Lake 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 area
Castle Junction Bridge Viewpoint0:00 / 0:17
“You're coming up on Castle Junction Bridge Viewpoint, a quick stop for the Bow River beneath Castle Mountain. Allow ten or fifteen minutes if you want a mountain view without a hike.”
Plays on the road 0.7 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Silverton Falls or Rockbound Lake
- Castle Cliffs Lookout: A Short Parkway Stop
- A Beak for Opening Cones
- The Ridge at the Glacier’s Edge
- 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 Copper Lake Trail
A quick lake walkCopper Lake Trail is a short out-and-back from the shared Twin Lakes Trailhead to a small…
Copper Lake Trail is a short out-and-back from the shared Twin Lakes Trailhead to a small forested lake. Count about 0.9 mile (1.4 km) round trip and allow about 30 minutes of walking, plus time at the shore. The route is gentle and mostly level; go for an easy lake visit, not a summit hike or a big overlook.
Take the left forkCross the long wooden bridge over the creek.
Cross the long wooden bridge over the creek. At the T-junction, turn left for Copper Lake; the right branch is the separate Smith Lake route. The Copper path is a single track through evergreen forest, with moss underfoot and few rocks or roots. It slopes gently toward the lake. Look through the trees for Eisenhower Peak; highway traffic can carry through the more open stretches.
A small lake payoffThe trail ends at clear, shallow water, where submerged boulders and fallen trunks show through…
The trail ends at clear, shallow water, where submerged boulders and fallen trunks show through near shore. Forested slopes and a mountain backdrop make a pleasant short stop, though this is a modest lakeside finish rather than a sweeping viewpoint.
Start preparedThe shared lot has no toilets or drinking water, so fill up before you arrive.
The shared lot has no toilets or drinking water, so fill up before you arrive. Dogs are allowed on leash. Parks Canada does not list this spur separately in its hiking information, so check current trail restrictions before setting out.
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.
