Parking
Herbert Lake Day Use Area on the Icefields Parkway; use the signed day-use parking area, with picnic tables and restrooms near the trailhead.
Overview
About Herbert Lake Loop
This easy loop circles Herbert Lake beside the Icefields Parkway, making a compact stop for mountain reflections, forest and lakeshore views. The full loop is about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) and usually takes around 30 minutes, with very little elevation change.
Start at the Herbert Lake day-use parking area and follow the signed lakeshore path around the lake before returning to the parking area. The trail is a natural dirt and forest path with uneven ground; the highway is close, but the water and Bow Range views make the short walk worthwhile.
The day-use area has parking, picnic tables and restrooms. Herbert Lake is also used for photography, picnicking, paddling and seasonal swimming, but there is no lifeguarded beach. Bring a valid national park pass and stay on the designated path. Sunrise is a particularly good time for calmer water and reflections.
Why go
- Sunrise reflections are reliably mirror‑calm for standout photos
- Warmer water than most area lakes—realistic for a quick summer swim
Heads up
- Close to the highway, so expect some road noise
- Trailhead can be a little confusing to spot at first
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,601–1,620 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley bottom closed for ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison harvest taking place through November.Official details
- ClosureLake Minnewanka and Aylmer area closureLake Minnewanka Trail, Aylmer Pass Trail, and campgrounds Lm8, Lm9, Lm11, Lm20, Lm22 and Lm31 are closed to all users because black bears are displaying food-seeking behaviour.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Herbert Lake Loop, 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Herbert Lake: Reflections and a Rare SwimListen
“Just ahead is Herbert Lake, a small lake that’s a real local favorite. The secret here is that the water gets surprisingly warm in the summer, making it one of the few lakes in Banff where people actually go for a swim.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Herbert Lake: A Bowl Left by Ice
- Gateway to the Icefields Parkway
- Banff’s Three Life Zones
- The Station Restaurant and Bow River Loop Trail
- 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.”
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.
