Parking
Use the Lake Minnewanka Day-use Area, about 10 km northeast of Banff on Lake Minnewanka Road. Paved parking is limited; the area has five accessible stalls, flush toilets and picnic tables.
Overview
About Lake Minnewanka Trail to Stewart Canyon
Why go
- Lake and mountain views on a short route
- Little elevation change and a clear turnaround
Heads up
- The last stretch is rocky and rooty
- The bridge is a modest endpoint
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,479–1,500 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 Lake Minnewanka Trail to Stewart Canyon, 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
Lake Minnewanka: Shore, Boats and a Sunken Village0:00 / 0:29
“Lake Minnewanka is coming up, with a broad mountain shoreline you can enjoy without taking a boat. In the boating season, cruises leave from the waterfront and Black Anchor Snack Shop serves takeaway snacks and drinks.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Upper Bankhead: Lunch or C-Level Cirque
- Two Jack Lake: A Picnic by Mount Rundle
- Lower Bankhead: Where the Town Went
- Two Jack Campgrounds: Lakeside or Main
- 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 Lake Minnewanka Trail to Stewart Canyon
An easy lakeshore walkLake Minnewanka Trail to Stewart Canyon is a 3.
Lake Minnewanka Trail to Stewart Canyon is a 3.2 km (2 mi) out-and-back from the day-use area to the footbridge over Stewart Canyon. Allow about one hour round trip. It’s a good short walk for lake and mountain views without a big climb; the bridge is a simple turnaround, not a deep-canyon hike.
The footing changes near the endThe first 800 m follows rough pavement through the day-use area, then the route becomes a…
The first 800 m follows rough pavement through the day-use area, then the route becomes a natural, mostly firm trail that is partly exposed. The last section gets rockier and rootier, with significant obstacles beginning around 1 km from the start. There is about 30 m of climbing and 10 m of descent, but the uneven finish is what you’ll notice underfoot.
The bridge is the limit of this walkThe bridge spans Stewart Canyon and is the clear turn-around.
The bridge spans Stewart Canyon and is the clear turn-around. A longer trail continues east beyond it, but that is a separate hike. From July 10 to September 15, hikers continuing past the bridge must travel in groups of at least four, stay within 3 m of one another and carry bear spray; during that period dogs cannot continue beyond the bridge. Dogs can join this short route on leash.
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.
