Parking
Use the designated parking at Cave and Basin National Historic Site and follow site parking rules. Roam Route 4 also serves the site; it is about 2 km or a 30-minute walk from downtown Banff.
Overview
About Marsh Loop
Why go
- Easy, mostly flat loop around a hot-springs-fed wetland
- Good opportunities for birding and wetland wildlife viewing
- Starts at Cave and Basin with Bow Valley scenery
Heads up
- Heavy horse use can make the trail muddy after rain
- Boardwalks and bridges can be slippery or icy
- Short route can be busy near the Cave and Basin site
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,380–1,405 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 Marsh 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
Cave and Basin: Birthplace of Canadian ParksListen
“You're coming up on the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the very spot where Canada's entire national park system began.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Banff Springs Snail
- Vermilion Lakes: Mountain Reflections and Methane Bubbles
- Vermilion Lakes: Reflections and Wildlife
- Warner Stables: Banff Horseback and Sleigh Rides
- 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 Marsh Loop
Route and distanceMarsh Loop is an easy 1.7-mile (about 2.7-km) loop from Cave and Basin National Historic Site.
Marsh Loop is an easy 1.7-mile (about 2.7-km) loop from Cave and Basin National Historic Site. The mapped loop returns to the same trailhead and normally takes about 1 hour. It follows the wetland circuit rather than continuing onward to Sundance Canyon.
The experienceThe trail circles a wetland fed by hot springs flowing from the lower slopes of Sulphur…
The trail circles a wetland fed by hot springs flowing from the lower slopes of Sulphur Mountain. Expect a mostly flat route with minimal elevation gain, packed dirt or track, boardwalk and bridge sections, wetland pools, and Bow Valley scenery. It is a good short walk for birding and observing wetland life.
Access and conditionsStart at the signed Marsh Loop access at Cave and Basin National Historic Site.
Start at the signed Marsh Loop access at Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Use the designated site parking and follow Parks Canada access rules; Roam Route 4 serves the site, which Parks Canada describes as about 2 km or 30 minutes on foot from downtown Banff. Heavy horse use can make the trail muddy after rain. Boardwalks and bridges may be slippery or icy, and dogs should remain leashed and under physical control.
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.
