Parking
Begin at Fish Creek parking area off Whitehorn Road, about 3 km from Lake Louise.
Overview
About Hidden Lake Trail
Why go
- A quiet alpine lake framed by larches and high peaks.
- Corral Creek, meadows and forest make the long approach varied.
- The route passes an important native trout restoration site.
Heads up
- The first 4 km are on a wide access road.
- The full outing is long, difficult and gains about 700 m.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,701–2,297 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingMentions Hidden Lake, referenced in this guideCamping 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
- 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Hidden 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 trailhead
Fish Creek: The Way into Skoki0:00 / 0:33
“You're coming up on Fish Creek trailhead, the walking gateway to Skoki's alpine lakes and historic lodge.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Moraine Lake Shuttles at the Park and Ride
- Lake Louise Village: Advice, Lunch and the Old Tram Route
- The Sea Duck in the Mountains
- Lake Louise Campgrounds: Choose the Right Section
- 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 Hidden Lake Trail
The routeHidden Lake Trail is a difficult out-and-back into Banff’s Skoki area.
Hidden Lake Trail is a difficult out-and-back into Banff’s Skoki area. From Fish Creek parking, the lake is 8.5 km one way: 17 km (10.56 mi) round trip, with about 700 m of ascent and 80 m of descent. Plan on 6–7 hours, plus stops. It is a full backcountry day, not a short lake stroll.
Finding the lakeStart at Fish Creek parking off Whitehorn Road.
Start at Fish Creek parking off Whitehorn Road. The first 4 km follow a wide access road; then continue on the Boulder Pass trail. At the Halfway Hut junction, turn left for Hidden Lake. The Skoki Lodge route branches away here, so follow the Hidden Lake direction. From the shore, return along the same route.
Forest, creek and open slopesThe access road makes for a long, broad start.
The access road makes for a long, broad start. Farther in, the route passes below the ski area, through spruce and fir forest, and across Corral Creek on simple wooden bridges. Larch stands and open meadows appear as the trail climbs. Look back toward Victoria Glacier early on; the views open toward Mount Richardson and Pika and Ptarmigan peaks near the lake.
Hidden Lake and trout recoveryThe alpine lake sits below a high wall of rock, with larches along parts of its shore.
The alpine lake sits below a high wall of rock, with larches along parts of its shore. In fall, their needles turn gold; when the water is calm, the peaks can reflect across the lake. Hidden Lake is also a restoration site for threatened Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Reintroduced fish spawned naturally here for the first time in 2026, a major step in the recovery effort.
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.
